In 2021, Caroline’s parents decided they wanted a bigger space for themselves and Caroline’s younger brother (who, funnily enough, is also named Gabriel). They wondered whether their new home could solve their daughter’s housing problem, too.
“My parents were like, ‘We’re thinking of moving to a bigger house anyway, and what if we bought a house with the intention of transforming the basement of the property into an apartment?'” Caroline said.
They said Gabriel and Caroline could make their apartment their home for the early years of their marriage, but there was also no pressure because they could rent the space on Airbnb if it were vacant.
“Her parents were understanding,” Gabriel said. “Even if they had a perfect space, they weren’t expecting us to accept the offer to live here.”
“I think culturally speaking, this is very predominant in South American Latino culture,” Caroline added. “For us, it’s actually very normal in our culture to want to stay close to parents.”
Caroline’s parents bought the larger home they were looking for in 2021, so the Navarretes knew they had a built-in housing option for their newlywed life.
Caroline moved into a room upstairs at her parents’ new house, while Gabriel lived in a college dorm until they got married in May 2024.
