Princeton Town Topics – Let’s Talk Real Estate – October 7, 2009
HOME REMODELING TIPS
The rapidly growing population of seniors – particularly the many Baby Boomers who are now approaching retirement age – is having a major impact on the home remodeling field.
Many of those senior homeowners have opted to stay in their long established family home in retirement or acquire a new home in their community, instead of relocating to a new Sunbelt community home. However, most of these homes have not been prepared for safe and independent living.
There are a number of important modifications that can be made ahead of time that will support ongoing needs. The master bedroom and bath should be on the first floor with door handles that are lever-style. There should be a low or no-threshold entrance to the home with an overhang and non-slip flooring at the main entryway. Bright lighting should be installed in all areas of the home and when possible, there should be an open floor plan, especially in the kitchen-dining area. Handrails should be installed at all steps. As for the landscaping, it should be low-maintenance.
Instead of looking institutional these changes can be seamlessly implemented into the existing look of the house so most visitors will not even know their ultimate purpose.
