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Home Redesigns for Retirement Years
Three-quarters of Americans say they hope to spend their retirement years right where they are, living out a full and independent existence in their own homes. Most of their dwellings, however, are not equipped to meet the needs of aging seniors. Therefore, home owners would be wise to incorporate senior-friendly designs into their residences now — such as during a remodeling or renovation project — to prepare them for elderly life down the road. Widening doorways and halls, for example, will accommodate a wheelchair that may be needed later in life. Other recommended changes include installing kitchen appliances at such a level to avoid bending too low or reaching too high; and also replacing standard doorknobs, cabinet handles and faucets with easy-to-grip and easy-to-turn models designed specifically for older people. Finally, even if home owners do not feel ready to add such features as benches and grab bars in the bathtub, they still can take steps — such as reinforcing the walls now — that will make adding these accessories later a snap. (cbs.marketwatch.com)
CBSMarketWatch.com (10/15/03) Loeb, Marshall; January, Brendan
The Great American Upgrade
Home owners spent an average $36,200 on kitchen upgrades in 2000, according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association, and many have transformed their kitchens into living rooms. Today's families use this room as a place to eat, work, relax and entertain, making multi-functional accessories the latest trend. Home owners prefer islands that can be used for food preparation, seating and storage as well as fixtures that look like furniture with carved moldings, glass panels and feet. Though stainless steel appliances continue to be fashionable, many home owners are concealing their refrigerators, dishwashers and ovens behind wood panels and hiding exhaust hoods within fireplace-mantel enclosures. These high-end upgrades most often are seen in custom dwellings; but many subdivision builders are beginning to incorporate such amenities as granite countertops, moldings, built-in accessories, islands and butler pantries in homes with $400,000-$600,000 price tags. (www.washingtonpost.com)
Washington Post (10/15/03) P. 10; Dietsch, Deborah K.
Builders Encouraged by Rising Tide of Renters
According to NAHB, the rental apartment market should improve over the next six months. Low interest rates in recent years prompted many renters to purchase homes, softening rental demand and construction activity. Despite today's weak demand, NAHB Multifamily Leadership Board Chairman Ron Terwilliger says apartments are more profitable than other real estate investments. Though calls from potential renters and monthly rents are both on the rise, the high-end apartment market remains sluggish. Furthermore, the average apartment vacancy rate has jumped from 6.3% to 7.9% in the last year. (www.copleynews.com)
Copley News Service (10/13/03) Woodard, James M.
Seniors Choosing to Live in 'All Age' Areas
While most older Americans hope to live out their golden years in their existing homes, frequently those who do move shy away from seniors-only housing in favor of rental communities occupied by residents of all ages. In fact, research from the nonprofit National Investment Center for the Housing and Care Industries shows that about a third of U.S. seniors aged 90 and up rent within the general population. That compares to just 5% who rent in age-specific developments. While some older Americans avoid senior housing because of the higher costs compared to the general rental market, others simply abhor the connotations — such as being infirm — that often are attached to the term itself. Once seniors are exposed to senior-focused housing, however, they usually become more receptive to the idea; and those living in age-specific homes typically are happier than those living in all-ages neighborhoods. Their willingness to explore this option is likely to grow, meanwhile, as developers increasingly strike the words "retirement" and "seniors" from advertising language in order to wipe out negative connotations. (www.bradenton.com)
Bradenton Herald (10/14/03) P. 1; Coombes, Andrea
Business of Building Townhouses Is Booming
Townhomes, a longtime staple of housing markets such as New York and Chicago, are popping up all over Florida as large plots of land become scarce. "This is an important development everywhere in Florida and other states," declares William Friedman, president of New York-based Tarragon Realty Investors. "The increased price of land is a contributing factor. You use up less land with townhomes than with single-family." In Pinellas County, for instance, over 15 such communities are currently in the works. Townhomes command more than $400,000 in some areas, which indicates that they now appeal to more than just first-time buyers or those priced out of the single-family home market. These developments appeal to first-time buyers, singles, childless couples, empty nesters, vacation-home buyers, seasonal residents and others who desire a downtown lifestyle and want to forego the maintenance tasks that accompany single-family dwellings. (www.sptimes.com)
St. Petersburg Times (FL) (10/14/03) P. 1; Scott, Megan
Keeping a Lid on It
Homes located on busy streets or near train tracks often sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars less than those in quieter neighborhoods. Innovative noise-reduction techniques allow buyers to take advantage of these price discounts. Dual-paned windows, stone walls, high fences, waterfalls and fountains are just some of the ways that builders can block out noise. Others incorporate U-shaped designs to close in the backyard; install intercoms to play music throughout the home; and build the master bedroom as far from the source of the noise as possible. (www.sfgate.com)
San Francisco Chronicle (10/12/03) P. G1; Ginsburg, Marsha
A Second Story, Delivered and Installed
Production of manufactured housing units is down by 50% in recent years following implementation of tougher mortgage financing rules for mobile homes. Unaffected by this contraction is the modular housing sector — which involves installing residential systems, from plumbing and wiring to cabinetry and floors, in the factory before the home is shipped to the property site. Modular housing instead is enjoying a growth spurt; in fact, it is growing at a faster clip than stick-built dwellings; and Gopal Ahluwalia of NAHB says that prefabricated components now are used in 85% of U.S. homes. Most modular units are sold to individual builders to use to put together new homes, but they also have a small following among home owners who want to expand and remodel small ranch houses and ramblers, as factory-made "pop-tops" can quickly and easily add a second level to a residence. Advocates of modular construction say the advantages include not only the rapid installation process, the lower costs compared to a conventional project and the sturdy, factory-inspected quality of work. (www.washingtonpost.com)
Washington Post (10/15/03) P. T3; Dietsch, Deborah K.
Kibbles & Glitz
A growing number of builders and remodelers are catering to pets, and pet-friendly designs and upgrades are even being incorporated into model homes. Many home owners are simply adding space to their laundry rooms for pet beds, and some communities are setting aside land for dog parks. Others are undertaking more extensive projects, such as pet doors hidden behind cabinetry; wider windowsills; nooks for pet beds, litter boxes and supplies; and dog houses with showers and air conditioning. (www.orlandosentinel.com)
Orlando Sentinel (10/12/03) P. J1; Burney, Teresa
Natural Insulation Products
Soy-based polyurethane foam is becoming a popular natural insulation product; and while it is more costly than traditional fiberglass insulation, it is cheaper than other foam insulators. Comprised of soy oil, the foam is resistant to moisture, mold and mildew and does not settle, attract rodents and other pests or require a chlorofluorocarbon- or hydrochlorofluorocarbon-based blowing agent. Recycled denim, cementitious foam, a combination of wool or flax and potato starch, and insulation made from recycled newspaper also are touted as natural alternatives to traditional fiberglass application. These environmentally friendly products differ from conventional insulators in that they conserve energy; possess a lower embodied energy; and are nontoxic and derived from renewable plant or animal sources. Meanwhile, fiberglass insulation is undergoing a green makeover with the addition of recycled glass and the replacement of the standard formaldehyde-based binder with an acrylic one. Research indicates that consumers will continue to demand natural products, but limited availability could prevent their widespread adoption. (www.homeenergy.org)
Home Energy (10/03) Vol. 20.5, P. 30; James, Mary; Wyatt, Edward
New Law on In-Laws
In California, local governments can no longer hold public hearings when approving or rejecting applications for in-law or granny flats. According to Con Howe of the Los Angeles Department of City Planning, cities must okay all applications that meet municipal standards for parking, setback, architectural review, lot coverage and maximum size, among other requirements. Supporters of the law, including the California Association of Realtors® and the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, believe it will boost the stock of low-cost rentals and allow home owners to meet their mortgage payments with the rental income. Moreover, Shorewood Realtors agent Candice Carpenter says home values can rise 10%-20% with the addition of a second dwelling unit. Meanwhile, League of California Cities legislative representative Dan Carrigg opposes state control of land-use issues. Others believe these units destroy neighborhoods by creating parking and noise problems, paving the way for absentee landlords and driving down home values. Burbank city planner Art Bashmakian does not expect a deluge of secondary dwelling units as a result of the law, especially since many cities are in the process of tightening the rules that govern such units. However, state lawmakers have crafted a bill that would eliminate maximum sizes, tenant income requirements and rent restrictions, as well as other unreasonable standards. (www.latimes.com)
Los Angeles Times (10/12/03) P. K1; Hofmann, Michelle
Close to a Commune
Co-housing projects involve a group of people who pool their resources and hire contractors to build a community to their specifications, incorporating both private units and shared spaces. Today, a number of private developers are breaking into the market. Bethesda, MD-based developer Donald Tucker recently completed the $12 million, 43-unit Takoma Village in Washington, D.C., and currently is working on the 56-unit Eastern Village in Silver Spring, MD. Tucker has found co-housing to be a profitable sector, basically because the units are pre-sold and he makes the final decisions regarding design, materials and landscaping. Even so, Tucker takes into account the ideas put forth by the buyers. In fact, Tucker will install a high-end geothermal heating and cooling system and alter plans for a rooftop green space to include flower beds, a gazebo and a hot tub for his Eastern Village buyers. Tucker — who expects a $2 million profit from the project — has similar projects in the works in Annapolis and St. Louis. (www.washingtonpost.com)
Washington Post (10/13/03) P. E1; Hedgpeth, Dana
On the Printer Trail
There are a number of printers on the market that can help small businesses cut costs and boost productivity. The most sophisticated laser printers produce photo-quality images at lightning speeds, allowing smaller firms to save money on outside printing services or meet the entire office's printing needs with just one machine. Moreover, many of the newest offerings are priced under $200, such as Lexmark's E220. Not only is the E220 affordable, but it is also light-weight and compact. Among the more costly printers are Xerox's Phaser 6250 and HP's LaserJet 9500, priced at $2,499 and $6,700, respectively. The Phaser prints lengthy word processing documents in less than a minute, while the LaserJet offers a number of folding and sorting options and can print as many as 24 pages per minute. (www.crn.com)
Computer Reseller News (10/13/03) P. A4; Spiwak, Marc
Picking a Provider
More than half of the nation's households continue to use dial-up Internet services instead of broadband, mainly because broadband costs about $40 per month more than dial-up. However, many are now considering broadband because it offers a wider range of services and is declining in price. In addition, consumers are now recognizing the technology's benefits, such as always-on connections and faster downloads. Before they can make the switch, they must choose between cable and digital subscriber line (DSL) services. The two types of broadband are essentially the same; but telephone companies offer DSL for around $30 per month, compared to monthly charges of $40 to $45 for cable. However, cable services are generally faster than DSL, which could make a big difference for those who download videos or PowerPoint presentations. (www.wsj.com)
Wall Street Journal (10/13/03) P. R10; Latour, Almar
PCs Should Not Be Used as Servers
Intel has embarked on a worldwide campaign to convince small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to embrace servers because SMEs tend to use their desktop personal computers as if they are servers. SMEs sometimes use PCs as a central unit for storing customer databases, supplier records and other business information. Accessible to multiple users, PCs employed in such a manner could produce huge losses for SMEs if they break down. Moreover, SMEs are using PCs to handle Web sites, access to the Internet and receive e-mail; thus, overwhelming them with a wide range of tasks and huge amounts of information. According to Ricardo Banaag, country manager for Intel Microelectronics Philippines, servers offer added protection, dependability and the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, which is more conducive for business productivity and growth. Intel has unveiled the Intel Xeon processor, which is designed for server use. Servers with the new processor will be more efficient in handling SME applications. (bworld.com.ph/current/today.html)
Business World (Philippines) Online (10/14/03) Gulane, Judy T.
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