Amelia and Sydney Stock have always hoped that once they had children of their own, they could live in the same city.
The 39-year-old twin sisters told Business Insider that they envy their friends who have had cousins by their side since childhood. When imagining their lives as adults, they hope that their own children will also have the kind of growing up experience that they once longed for.
However, Sydney said that when the two sisters were about to complete their residency training in orthodontics in the Bay Area, they didn't see living in the same city as a realistic option.
Amelia and her husband Adam Fagin were at that time searching for a job for Fagin as an oral surgeon across the United States; while Sydney and her husband Peden Rhode felt that they might return to Portland, Oregon, as it was more familiar to them and more affordable than the Bay Area.
Later on, a perfect house changed everything.
The Ideal Home
Fagin comes from the Bay Area. After his parents moved to another residence on the street, they kept the three-bedroom, two-bathroom house where Fagin grew up. They kept the house in case their son eventually settled in California and decided to rent it out while he completed his studies.
In July 2022, the house next to the Fagin family's old residence was put up for sale, which inspired the Stock sisters and their husbands with an idea: Sydney and Rod could buy this house, live next door to Amelia and Fagin, raise their children together, and create a family space where multiple generations could live under one roof.
This four-bedroom, two-bathroom house has everything a family in Sydney could want, but she and her husband are still a bit hesitant. The cost of living in the Bay Area is high, and they are also worried that living next to their family might put too much pressure on them.
Sydney said, "It was my brother-in-law who convinced us. He said at the time, 'This opportunity is too special to miss. Let’s give it a try first, and if it doesn’t work out, we can reassess later.' That’s always his great attitude."
At the same time, the Stock sisters happened to come across a building that was available for purchase, which they could use to open their orthodontic clinic. They felt as if it was fate arranging it for them.
In the summer of 2022, not long after welcoming their first child, Sydney and her husband purchased this house. Today, they have a 4-year-old child, a 2-year-old child, and a newborn. Amelia and her husband also have a 4-year-old child and a 2-year-old child.
A family courtyard
After the Stock sisters and their respective husbands became neighbors, they decided to make full use of the fact that they lived so close to each other and transform the two houses into a “compound” that would make life easier for everyone.
They removed the fence between the two backyards, essentially connecting the two plots of land into one large yard. When the children want to visit each other's areas, they can walk back and forth at any time.
There is also an additional living unit behind each of the two houses (ADU). Two families have hired two exchange students, who live in one of these units (ADU); whereas when Stock's sisters' mother comes to visit her daughters and grandchildren, she usually stays in the other unit (ADU).
In the past few months, Sydney's mother-in-law has been living in that ADU, as the couple has been converting the garage into her permanent residence. Additionally, Amelia's parents-in-law live not far down the street, so family members are almost always around.
Seven full-time adults living in this property collaborate together to keep this "compound" running. Two exchange students take care of five children together, and both families have dinner together every work evening. The Amilia family is responsible for cooking on Tuesdays, the Sydney family on Thursdays, while Sydney's retired mother-in-law, who enjoys cooking, is in charge of meals on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Sydney said, “Usually my sister goes to Costco once a week, and she just uses that ‘compound card’ directly. We share the expenses together.”
Amelia said that although everyone spends a lot of time together, each person still knows clearly where their true home is.
She added, "Everyone knows their own place, and in the evening, everyone still wants to go back to their own homes. So around 7:30 or so, everyone will return to their respective little spaces to settle down."
The benefits of this lifestyle
Amelia and Sydney both stated that living in such a "compound" makes it easier for them to raise their children, especially since both they and their husbands work full-time.
Sydney said, "I can't imagine what it would have been like if I had to rely on myself alone. Everything went very smoothly. I think it's because of this big family that we dared to have a third child."
Amelia said that she feels she and her sisters have more free time than many of their friends, because there are always plenty of people available to help take care of the children at any time.
The two sisters also said that having more family members around them formed a striking and delightful contrast to their own growth experiences.
Sydney said, "I really enjoy watching my nieces grow up. I think about that every day and feel so fortunate to be able to witness their growth."
Their husbands share the same view as well. The husband from Sydney said that he really enjoys seeing all the children become closer to each other because of such living arrangements.
Rod said, "I get to watch my nieces grow up together with my own children, and a very close relationship is forming between them. I hope this relationship will last a lifetime for them."
He also said, "From a practical perspective, it also makes raising young children much easier. There is almost always another adult nearby to help out, and the children have ready-made playmates right next door. It feels like we've created our own little village, which is quite rare these days."
Amelia's husband also expressed his agreement, saying that he really likes it when there are always many people at home.
Fagin said, "As an only child, my upbringing was always very quiet, so now having two families, five children, and exchange students sharing this space is a beautiful and lively change for me. It's truly wonderful to see the children running around and playing together all day long, every day. They have each other – something I never had when I was young, and I think they are very lucky."
He also said, "But interestingly, this arrangement gave me something I never thought I would have: siblings. It’s possible to make new friends at any stage of life, but you can’t just go out and meet a brother or sister by chance. Sharing my daily life with my wife’s twin sisters and their husbands has finally given me a relationship that is closest to that of siblings."
Amelia and Sydney aren't sure whether they will continue to live in this "compound" after their children grow up and leave home; but for now, they can't imagine living without each other and raising their children together.
Amelia said, "The greatest benefit is that our children can have such a sense of community. The more support we get, the better."
