In early 2026, Phuong Thao, born in 1992, and her husband decided to build a house on a 3,000-sqm plot of land inherited from her husband's parents in Chi Dam Commune, Phu Tho Province.

Their new home sits right next to those of her husband's brothers, forming a row of four adjoining houses that face the same spacious yard.

Thao's husband is the youngest of five brothers. Before she married into the family, his four older brothers had already built their homes on the land their parents had given them. Three of the brothers built their houses next to one another, while the eldest built his home opposite them, just a few steps away.

After getting married in 2016, Thao and her husband worked in Hanoi and once considered buying a home there to settle down. However, the high property prices made them hesitate.

“We didn't want to take on debt and spend our entire lives scrimping and saving just to own a house of a few dozen square meters. So we decided to return to our hometown and build our livelihood there,” she said.

In 2017, the couple returned to Phu Tho, opened a shop about 3km from her husband's family home and settled there.

As their children grew older, the couple wanted a separate, spacious home where their family of five could live comfortably.

Rather than building elsewhere, they decided to build near her husband's brothers, on the land their parents had given them, in a place with fresh air and plenty of open space.

“Actually, if we wanted to live separately, we still had our own land to build on. But I really wanted our house to be close to my brothers-in-law and their families,” Thao said.

The couple began construction in March 2026. Thao said their two-story house has a design broadly consistent with the other homes in the row, as her husband designed all of them.

During construction, the family took care to maintain a harmonious appearance, from the facades and roofs to the yards in front of the houses.

“Each family has its own preferences, but everyone is willing to adjust their designs for the sake of the shared space.

“For example, I initially wanted to install an automatic rolling gate for our new house. But when I saw that all the older brothers had chosen the same type of gate, I decided to follow suit,” Thao said.

In the row of four adjoining houses, the front yards connect to one another rather than being divided into separate sections. The spacious area provides room for children to play, cars to pass through and the extended family to gather for large get-togethers.

Throughout the construction process, Thao and her husband received enthusiastic support from their relatives, both emotionally and financially. When the couple were busy with work, her brothers-in-law helped supervise construction and take care of various tasks.

“We are finishing the last few items and expect to move in before Tet 2027,” Thao said.

Life without fences

Of the five brothers, only the third-eldest currently lives and works far away. The others all live close to one another.

Thao's mother-in-law passed away two years ago, while her father-in-law lives with his children. Every summer, the third brother's family returns to spend three months there, bringing everyone together for a happy family reunion.

After more than 10 years of being part of her husband's family, Thao cherishes that their houses stand close together, but also the strong bonds among family members.

In daily life, each household respects the others' privacy. Each family has its own entrance and maintains its own routines, without interfering in the affairs of the others.

Every evening, the women in the family often gather in the yard to drink tea and chat. From time to time, even without a special occasion, the brothers and their families pool their resources to cook and share a meal.

During the summer or Tet holiday, when the third brother's family returns to visit, the atmosphere becomes even livelier. The brothers walk around the garden together and enjoy talking about shared interests, while the sisters-in-law sit together discussing their children and homes.

Thanh Minh