Making Your Home Last a Lifetime
They thought this home would last a lifetime. Geared up with a checklist and a budget, the new owners met with the contractor. They identified changes and initiated a major rehab project on their just purchased home. In their fifties, this was to be home for the rest of their lives. They moved in two months later and soon realized it wasn’t going to be. Their initial pleasure turned into regret that they hadn’t consulted with an expert on aging in place.
Pam Dent, REALTOR® with Gayle Harvey Real Estate, Inc., sees this scenario play out in so many ways. Whether a homeowner wants to stay put and upgrade, or a move is in the works, many of the decisions are the same. And most often, those decisions are better informed under guidance from a pro. For renovations, that can mean an Aging-in-Place Specialist or Living in Place Professional. “When purchasing a home, your best bet is to seek the guidance of a Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES®).”
Those pros will help you consider the best options for safety, comfort, accessibility, and ultimately, value; regardless of where you are in the typical life cycle. Some houses are easier to keep for the long haul than others. But finding a home that will last a lifetime is truly exceptional.
Building in flexibility is key to adjusting to life situations. Know where you are in relation to major life cycle pressures. Evaluate layout, amenities, technology, and location to create a home that you can enjoy over several life stages.
Life Cycle Pressures
You may not hit every typical milestone that may trigger a change in housing. The typical ones are leaving your parents’ home, marriage, kids, empty nest, retirement, declining health. But most likely your path will see similar pressure points, and in many ways, those pressures call the shots on what kind of home serves you best.
Two significant milestones triggering the need to upsize are getting into a relationship and having kids. And then there’s the other end of that spectrum. You may want to downsize due to an empty nest and the end of a relationship (typically divorce or death). Other life events like job changes, retirement, diminished physical or financial capacity, are sprinkled throughout life.
If your house can handle two or more of these life phases, you may have found a home that really can last a lifetime.
Buying for the Long Haul
According to the National Association of REALTORS®, homeowners stayed in their homes an average of 13 years in 2018. This is up three years from 2008. That could be expanded further if buyers look at homes that will accommodate their current and the next predictable life cycle, e.g. the beginning of empty nest through the years where health may be declining.
SRES® Cynthia Hash, Find Homes Team Leader with Keller Williams Alliance – Charlottesville, says, “All real estate should be viewed as a long-term investment. Even if you don’t hold on to it for the long haul, go into a transaction thinking about the long-term implications and possibilities.”
Sometimes the most affordable choice costs more in the long run if it requires an eventual move that could have been avoided. Sharon Donovan, REALTOR® with McLean Faulconer, Inc. says, “Creating your ideal living situation costs money. You’ll spend money upgrading an existing home that doesn’t quite meet your needs or moving to a home that does. The best scenario is finding a home that allows you to age in place, that will last a lifetime.”
“Answering the age-old question of master bedroom on the first floor or second is always a tough decision. Especially so for parents with young children at home. One of the area developments offering ground floor masters nearly 30 years ago was Glenmore. Because the house footprint is larger, the lots were too, meaning more work for the homeowner.”
Decoupling first floor master and a large lot has been addressed in several ways. Peacock Hill, as far back as the 1970’s kept lot sizes small, even for ground floor masters. Many neighborhoods, such as the Redfields neighborhood southwest of Charlottesville, offer attached garden homes with exterior maintenance provided.
“An elevator is one way to solve where to put the master bedroom,” says Donovan, “as in Craig Builders’ Out of Bounds community off Barracks Road. While their original offerings of luxury villas and elevator townhomes are sold out, this model is growing in popularity. Another solution is to have two master suites, one up and one down. This is the ultimate house for aging in place. It has a great guest suite on the ground floor when your kids are young, and when you’re ready, you can move downstairs.”
Builder Magazine agrees. Smaller first floor master homes and homes with dual master suites are in demand. Owners see these as giving them options to stay in their home for a lifetime.
Fixing Up for the Long Haul
If you love your home and location but it doesn’t feel particularly accessible, don’t despair. With the right bones, you make your current home accommodate whatever life throws at you. An open floor plan makes everything else easier. With open space you can situate furniture and functions with easy navigation in mind. Wide halls and 36-inch wide door widths are the standard for easy wheelchair access.
After general navigation is handled, the true test of a home that can last through all the life stages comes in the kitchen and bathrooms. These are where things can get downright dangerous. Whether renovating or designing a new home, homeowners should seek guidance from skilled professionals, like Ann McKinley, Owner/Designer at Ann’s Kitchen and Bath Design.
McKinley will walk you through the basics of accessibility, like bathrooms with a true walk-in shower, bench, handheld shower head, and grab bars. And then she’ll take it one step further by converting function into elegance. “Everyone is at risk of falling in the shower, but there’s no reason to settle for an institutional look. Safety can be achieved with elegant curves and beautiful pieces. Towel bars, shampoo and soap holders, or toilet paper holders can all serve as grab bars, if specially designed pieces are installed and supported correctly.”
The Invisia Collection is one of the luxury lines that McKinley recommends to serve double duty. “Buyers should remember that you can’t use a standard towel bar and expect it to hold a person’s weight. You need to be careful about what you are buying and how it will be installed.” A regular contractor may not be an expert in accessibility features and installation.
On to the kitchen. Whether renovating or buying, the long view will almost always pay off. If you’ve been in your home for a while, the first, easiest, and least expensive improvement to make is the lighting. McKinley has seen way too many homes with a single light in the center of the kitchen. “This can be hazardous to your health! Simply add lights under cabinets or around the periphery of the kitchen and be amazed at the difference it can make; even in a small kitchen.”
The other half of the lighting comfort equation is glare. McKinley says, “As we age, glare becomes increasingly problematic. One strategy to mitigate glare is to choose your kitchen countertop wisely. Quartz and some other popular choices contribute to the problem, while countertops with a matte finish will reduce glare.”
Consult with a Professional
Cabinets that roll out and raise and lower, controls on the front of the oven. The list goes on and on of strategies that can create a kitchen and home that will work for the long haul. Simply raising outlets and lowering light switches increases accessibility for everyone. Whether you’re a young parent carrying a baby and a diaper bag, a student coming home with books and a laptop in each arm, or an arthritic elder that can’t get a tight enough grip to turn the doorknob, lever door handles are another simple solution that improves life at all stages.
Find an accessibility checklist online. But that list is only the starting point.
To get the most from your real estate investment, consult with the right professionals. That lever doorknob will show up on nearly every list of accessibility features. But a Certified Living in Place Professional will make sure the lever has an end return to prevent your hand slipping off and clothing getting caught.
If you’re approaching middle age, an SRES® agent will review the major factors affecting seniors in a real estate purchase, even if you don’t quite qualify for senior specials yet. These REALTORS® have been trained to help figure out the ideal living arrangement as you approach your senior years.
Whether buying or renovating, technology can play a huge role in making a home livable for the long haul. Professionals are aware of cutting edge features. Everything from more charger stations, positioning Wi-Fi, to utilizing voice-activated or condition-automated appliances, showers and lighting. We’ve come a long way since the clapper lamp in 1985. Make sure you are reaping those lifestyle benefits.
Location That Keeps Delivering
The Covid19 pandemic has given some people a newly found freedom to live anywhere, rather than close to where they work. For a location that will keep you happy for the long-term, Central Virginia fits the bill. (See post on why seniors love Central VA.)
From climate to culture and beautiful backdrops, Hash sees clients choose Central Virginia because it is great for all life stages. “You can come to UVA as an undergrad and be just as enthralled with the area 60 years later.” Outdoor lovers find enough enjoyment to stay their whole lives.
“When compared to the Northeast and to Northern Virginia, this area is affordable. That draws people in and makes it easy to stay. And all four seasons show up here. Any further south, winter disappears; further north and the winters are too severe.”
Education, medical care, restaurants and a vibrant social scene appeal to all ages.
“Condos, farms and estates, single family and attached housing, resort living, and gated and golf communities abound,” says Dent. “Choose the level of maintenance compatible with your lifestyle. If you will be traveling part of the year or have had enough mowing and trimming for a lifetime, communities that provide exterior maintenance may be a priority, at any stage of your life.”
With the right home in the right location, your home really can last a lifetime. A home configuration with flexibility. Amenities that support multiple life stages. A location that meets employment, recreation, social, and service needs. Central Virginia is a great place to find them all.