Essential Features of an Elderly-Friendly Home

Between 2010 and 2020, the number of US citizens aged 65 or older is expected to increase by 35%. As a result, there is a greater need to incorporate elderly friendly features into the design of homes. In fact, new age homes need to be multigenerational where people can spend their entire lives.

According to a survey conducted by AARP, the vast majority of elderly Americans want to spend their entire lives in their homes. And they want to live independently. When people age their general health tends to deteriorate. Elderly people are less mobile and also suffer from poor eye vision. Any new residential design should anticipate these changes and incorporate appropriate features. The homes should still remain comfortable, safe and aesthetically attractive.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) surveyed new and potential homebuyers to find out what features they look for in a home. The findings of this survey were released in 2013.

Nearly 47% people who participated in the survey rated non-slip floors as a desirable feature. And 36% people want a full bathroom on the main level and a main entrance without steps. All of these clearly indicate that buyers are purchasing with aging in mind.

The NAHB has also compiled a checklist for builders working on new or renovated housing projects for the elderly. In fact, by incorporating these features into their projects, developers can build multigenerational homes that resonate with buyers of all age groups.

So what are the most important features of a multigenerational home? Developers building elderly-friendly homes should keep the following features in mind:

Features of the overall floor plan

·         The main living areas should be on one level.

·         There should be no steps between rooms on the same level.   

·         There should be clear walking space between rooms in the main living area

Hallways

·         The hallways should be well-lit and at least 36 inches wide.

Entry

·         The path leading to the home should be easily accessible.

Windows

·         There should be plenty of windows so that natural light can enter the home.

Garage or Carport

·         A carport should have a covered boarding area.

·         The floor of the front part of the garage to the back part should be sloping. This will be helpful if the floor is lower for the purpose of fume protection.

·         The door height should be 9 feet, so that they can accommodate raised roof vans. The door also needs to be wide.

Kitchen

·         There should be removable base cabinets and adjustable height counters in the kitchen.

·         Upper wall cabinetry should be somewhat lower than traditional height.

Electrical and lighting features

·         An audiovisual system should indicate when smoke or carbon monoxide detector has been activated. There should also be a system that monitors telephone and doorbell activity.

·         Light switches, controls and thermostats must be easily accessible. They should be at a height of less than 48 inches (120 cm) from the floor.

·         It should be possible to monitor the home security or intercom system from any TV set in the household.

·         Other desirable security features include a 911 switch that directly contacts the police, fire service, and EMS if necessary.

The homes should require less maintenance. They should have floors that can be cleaned easily. There should also be video phones and inbuilt recycling systems. Energy efficiency is another highly desirable feature.

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Home Building Increases Signal Economy Recovery

Great news! Home building is on the rebound at last. In almost every time of economic recovery, the housing market has led the country’s economy out of recession and into recovery, except for the most recent time. That is why it is good news for not just builders and those who work in construction, but also for the economy as a whole, because it signals that the economy may be on an upward swing after several years of upheaval and decrease.

Hope Is Increasing In the Home Building Market

Normally, a little over 1.5 million homes are begun each year. This includes single-family homes, as well as apartment units. When the housing market was at its peak, this number was at more than 2 million to try to keep up with the demand. The last few years, however, an average of less than 600,000 homes were started and, in 2013, the number increased to 900,000. This year, that number is expected to climb to over 1 million, which is a sign of hope in the real estate and construction world.

Even though we are beginning to see good news, it will take a while before it will get back up to the normal range. The housing market collapse was immense, and its effect upon the economy was immense as well. While ups and downs are a normal part of the economic cycle, this event contributed to the entire collapse of the financial market and affected not only our economy, but also economies all over the world. The key is to gradually begin building more homes until you are sure that the demand is there.

Housing Market Recovery Will Be Slow

The recovery from this collapse has already taken five years and it will most likely take several more. Even though the rate of housing construction grew in 2012 and 2013 at double-digit rates, this was largely due to the fact that the numbers were at a very low level to begin with. Recovery seems to be on its way, which is the good news. We are on a course to see great growth in the next two years, due to:

·         Demand from young adults beginning home ownership & from existing homeowners

·         Job growth increases

·         Net worth replenishment, due to increase in home values and revival of stock market

·         Government economic situation more stable

While this is all good news, it is important to note that we are just at the beginning of the upswing. However, it is better to be in the midst of it going up, than at the bottom, which is where most homebuilders were just a few years ago. It may be time to amp up your marketing efforts to connect with more clients who may be thinking about building a home in the near future.

With home construction numbers on the rise, it is important to rethink how you are reaching clients and make plans to reach even more. With the younger adults entering the workforce and beginning families, and existing homeowners beginning to feel better about building, you have the opportunity to grab your ride on the upswing and reach the peak in great condition.

 

U.S. Cities without Affordable Homes

The scene is getting tougher for home buyers with more complex home loan procedures and prices moving upwards.  

According to a recent study, for middle-income families, purchasing middle-priced homes is affordable in only 8 out of the country’s 25 biggest metropolitan areas.

Here are the top 5 cities where buying a home is not an affordable option anymore for most people:

Baltimore

This city has become 16% more unaffordable than the previous year. Buyers prefer Baltimore because of its proximity to Washington D.C. Last year there was a fall in the median sales price of homes in the metro area which led to a surge in demand and a spike in prices. Buyers were planning to stay put in homes long term and didn’t mind paying extra. In many cases, buyers were willing to up their offers if sellers received better offers.

Phoenix

The affordability of homes here has come down as compared to last year. The housing meltdown is warming up again. In Phoenix, many buyers are investors intending to rent out homes. This is bringing down inventories and increasing prices. Institutional investors such as private equity firms and hedge funds are causing prices to increase by purchasing many properties and refusing to resell them.

This trend has led to an increase in values of existing homes. Homeowners are waiting for their home values to go up further before deciding whether or not to sell their homes.

Los Angeles

Homes in L.A. are 17% less affordable as compared to last year. In the county area, the median sales price this year has been considerably higher than last year. This is because investors have been making a large number of purchases and many young adults have entered the region due to a growing tech industry. Bidding wars among buyers have almost become the norm. Some buyers are removing offer contingencies in an attempt to get past other offers.

Sacramento

Homes here are 19% less affordable against last year’s figures. Sacramento is witnessing rising prices due to a spillover effect. With prices in the bay area of San Francisco continually rising, many buyers are unable to afford real estate there. Instead, they’re looking east towards the Central Valley which is more affordable. There’s been a significant spike in luxury real estate prices during the third quarter in the Sacramento metro area as a result of increased demand and reduced inventory.

In the first part of this year, almost all homes in the market were sold within a week. In a healthy market, there’s usually about six months inventory for sale. Sacramento saw listings of just under a month which pushed prices upwards.

Detroit

Detroit has become 28% percent more unaffordable than last year. Though Detroit had a bankruptcy filing in July, real estate prices have picked up and are getting out of reach for many buyers. July saw a spike of 17% in home prices in the Detroit metro area as compared to this month a year ago.

Most of the price increase can be attributed to many car manufacturers getting back into business. This has helped in boosting consumer confidence and more buyers are entering the market. Many other large companies have also moved their offices out of the suburbs into downtown Detroit. This has boosted real estate demand and brought down supply.

How to Save Money by Building a Low Cost Home

Even if you are not an expert, there are still ways to save money on home construction. Here are some cool tips to keep your home building budget within reason.

Split the costs

If you feel that you can’t afford the property because it is too large, you should consider buying it with a family member or friend. After purchasing the lot, you can split it into smaller lots. This saves money. Better still, you will be able to get a great lot for an attractive price.

Choose a problem lot

Some lots are less desirable than other lots. For example, a narrow lot or a hillside lot will have fewer takers. As a result, these lots are usually sold for much lower prices. If you can find such a 'problem lot' for a great price, don't hesitate to buy it. With the right floor plan and a great contractor, you can build the house of your dreams on any lot.

Waterfront lots

If you are looking for a waterfront property, you should opt for a lot facing a bay or a canal. These lots are much less expensive than lakefront or oceanfront properties. You will still have easy access to a water body.

Use low cost materials

Choose building materials that require less maintenance. Examples are: metal roofing and vinyl siding. Of course, these materials are more expensive, but they will easily recover their costs because you will not have to spend money on repairs or replacement.

Visit demolition sites

You will be able to collect used bricks, wooden doors and old barn wood from demolition sites. These materials are perfectly usable and usually don't cost anything. Of course, you will have to haul them away on your own.

Don't splurge

Avoid the temptation to splurge except for those truly important items. You can't, for example, skimp on doors or windows because they are important for the safety of your home.

Bigger isn’t necessarily better

Don't build a house that is bigger and better than any other house in the neighborhood. These monster homes are unlikely to command a good price when you decide to sell them.

Monitor all the materials used for construction

Don't let the contractor use low quality materials unless they are ready to make a cost adjustment.

Hire a certified contractor

An experienced will have established good relationships with subcontractors and suppliers.

Avoid site preparation

Site preparation can be expensive. Avoid lots that require extensive preparation work. Blasting rocks and clearing trees can be expensive.

Don’t alter blueprints

Don't change materials or blueprints during the building process. These changes can cost a lot of money.

Add width not depth

If the depth of the home is more than 32 feet, you will have to use specially designed roof trusses. This can be expensive. If you want a large house, add width or extra stories.

Consider vinyl flooring

If you feel that you can't afford to have hardwood flooring or ceramic tile at the moment, use vinyl flooring. You can add tile or wood directly on top of vinyl at any time.

Use a stock plan

Getting a plan custom-drawn can be expensive. Instead, choose one of the readily available stock plans. You will be able to customize it to get what you want.

Don’t build huge garages

If you have just two cars, you probably don't have to build a garage that can accommodate three or more vehicles. If you are looking for storage space, you should consider putting up a shed in the garden.

Great Small American Cities to Live in

With homes in the metros of America becoming unaffordable for most people, it’s time to consider moving to the smaller cities. Here’s a list of the best small cities with a population of under 60,000 on the basis of demographic and other criteria.

Read on for details regarding the economy, housing scenario, and crime stats of each city.

1. Rowlett, Texas

This is a Dallas suburb. The median household income is 56% above the national average.

The crime rate is low at 42% below average and the residents sleep peacefully in homes costing 19% less than the U.S. average. You’ll find one home for every 164 persons in the city. Rowlett’s unemployment rate is 6.3% which is 12.5% below the average in the country.

2. Idaho Falls, Idaho

The city of Idaho Falls was called Eagle Rock till 1891. This city stands out with respect to the cost of living which is 12 points below average. This is above all the cities in the list. The crime rate is 5% lower than the average, and the median home price is 37% lower than the national average. There’s one marketable home for every 92 persons. The median household income is 13% below the nation’s average. The unemployment rate at 5.6% is 22% below the average in the country.

3. Cedar Park, Texas

Cedar Park near Austin has a lower crime rate than any of the small cities in my list - 51% below the nation’s average. The median home price is 30% above the U.S. average and the median household income is 34% above average. There’s one house up for sale for each group of 182 people, so it may be more difficult to find homes here than in other cities on the list. The employment rate is second-lowest at 28% below the average in the country.

4. Noblesville, IND.

Noblesville, near Indianapolis lies in the center of the nation’s Corn Belt. This small city has a crime rate 38% below average. This comes at a premium with the cost of living being 7 points above average. However, the median household income is also 27% above average. The median home price is 6% lower than the national average, and the market has one home per 84 people. As far as unemployment goes, it’s 11% below average at 6.4%.

5. Hendersonville, Tenn.

The Nashville, Tenn. suburb of Hendersonville has a median household income which is 18% above the national average. Cost of living is 8 points lower than the average. The crime scene is much lower, at 37% below the national average. Regarding housing, the median home price is 25% above average, and there’s one marketable home for every 101 people. Unemployment rate is 9.7% below average at 6.5%.

6. Mansfield, Texas

This is a Fort Worth suburb in Texas and is equidistant from Dallas. It’s possibly one of the most competitive real estate markets with one home up for sale for each group of 239 people. Prices of homes are 12% over the nation’s average. There’s a low crime rate at 43% below average and the cost of living is 3% above average. In Mansfield, the median household income is pretty good at 74% above average. There’s an impressive unemployment rate of 5.4% which is 25% below average. The median home price is 7% lower than the national average and on an average, for every 127 people, there’s one home up for sale.