Will the next home you buy be your last? With the right combination of features and floor plans, some Atlanta area builders are offering houses that buyers can purchase today and still be comfortable in years from now. The focus is on creating spaces that allow owners of all ages to enjoy an ease of living, whether they’re toting a double stroller or maneuvering a wheelchair.
“Our buyers may not be consciously thinking about what’s coming, but we want their homes to be prepared to go forward with them,” said Carrie Roeger, operations manager for Windsong Properties. “Doing that is really simple, and it doesn’t require more expense, but it does require more thought in the design process.”
Builders in Georgia have a program that has thought through all the aspects that go into making a house a place where the owners can age gracefully. A Livable Lifestyle (ALL) lays out specifications from stepless entryways and showers to easy-to-turn lever door handles. Overseen by the Home Builders Association of Georgia (HBAG), the voluntary certification program encourages builders to erect more accessible homes suitable for buyers of every age.
The program sprouted from work already being done by builders in the state’s active-adult market. Many of them already incorporate these “easy living” features into their plans, said Bettie Sleeth, an HBAG regulatory affairs consultant who helped establish the guidelines.
“Those in the active-adult market have embraced it,” she said, “Having the ALL certification sets builders apart as people who are meeting the needs or our aging population. They can show the public and their customers that these homes meet certain standards. But there are also a number of other builders who incorporate these features. We don’t say the ALL program is just for the active adult market; it’s really about designing a house for all ages.”
Those standards cover the entire house, starting outside. An ALL house must have at least one no-step entrance on the main floor, and there must be a smooth walkway leading to it. The main living level must incorporate a kitchen and living area, at least one bedroom and a full bath wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair. Doorways across that level must be at least 32 inches wide.
For Roeger, that’s just the beginning for Windsong communities in Cherokee, Paulding and Cobb counties.
“All of our doorways are three feet wide, and we set up the blocking in showers so it’s easy to add grab bars later,” she said. “But the thing we hear most is, ‘Get rid of the stairs!’ Single-level living is the big selling point. We do have homes with second floors and basements, but buyers can configure the home with everything they need on main level.
“Since Windsong Properties started in 2004, more than 90 percent of our homes are built to ALL specifications.
“It serves our niche market, even when our buyers may not be consciously thinking about what’s coming next,” said Roeger. “Even though our buyers may not be in wheelchairs, their friends may be. Or a mom with a double-wide stroller can now take it right in the front door. The specs that make a home more livable aren’t just for the active-adult market.”
Blue River Communities, developers of Olde Town Grayson in Gwinnett County, are taking the same approach, building attached and single-family homes to ALL specifications for buyers 55 and older.
“We’ve embraced the program and use it throughout our homes so there are none of the typical impediments to mobility,” said broker Meg Thompson. “Many of our buyers are downsizing from larger homes that did not accommodate them; they had little bathrooms and choppy rooms. They don’t have to worry about here; they can age in this home.”
Olde Town’s plans feature minimal hallways, and the ones that do exist are exceptionally wide. Master baths have stepless entries, and doorways are three feet wide. The one-story homes have two or three bedrooms, and while the main living and master bath areas are on the first floor, most plans also feature an optional bonus room or bath to accommodate guests or provide additional flex space. But what makes the community attractive to many buyers is the price, starting in the low $200,000s.
“There’s such an underserved population looking for affordable houses like these,” said Thompson. It’s a huge confidence booster for our buyer to have these amenities in place at this price. And they’re basic and easy for a builder to do. At the same time, ALL specs make homes accessible to everyone, not just those over 55.”
Marketing consultant Betsy Sheppard, who was part of the program that created the ALL specs, agreed that the ALL guidelines apply across generations of buyers.
“We’ve found that even Millennials want many of the same things Boomers do, especially the one-level house,” she said. “They like not having to bend over the bathtub with two kids in it or tote groceries up the stairs. That’s why we call it ALL for everyone. It’s not just about where we’re going; it’s where we are.”
Information about ALL is online at www.aliveablelifestylehome.com.
About the Author
