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WHEN
SMALLER IS SMARTER
She's 59. He's 61. And their kids have
finnaly moved out for good!
Retirement's just around
the corner. Their 2,700 square foot two-story served its purpose
well, but it's been too big for the two of them for years. They
want to build a new home. Something they can live in for a long
time, maybe forever. What's it look like?
We discovered the answer,
along with a builder who's become a specialist in meeting the
needs of age-in-place buyers, in the picturesque Pennsylvania
town of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Max Marbain built
77 town homes and 120 one-story, single-family homes from 1,200
to 1,800 square feet, specifically for downscaling empty
nesters, retirees and an ever-growing sector of home buyers
-older single
women. The setting for these homes is Marbain's 65-acre development
of Evergreen. Featuring relatively small lots that offer
simple maintenance for homeowners, Marbain designed Evergreen
as a
cluster development and incorporated aesthetic open spaces
and walking paths to allow his buyers community interaction
and recreation.
We recently spoke with Max to glean
a few of his insights into the wants and needs of home buyers
who are looking to build one last time.
DBI: What is the age range of your
clients?
Max: Typically,
in the single detached homes, they range in age from 50 into
their 70's, maybe even the 80's. In the town homes, they
tend to be older and more single women. Pennsylvania has
the second largest population of people over 65, so we have
a unique situation. Most of our buyers are from the area,
or have come here to be closer to their children. However,
with aging baby boomers, this will be a very viable market
across the country.
DBI: What do age-in-place
buyers want in a new home?
Max: Open
space and plenty of natural light, even in smaller homes. And
of course, convenience! I always look for open floor plans
with lots of light. Many of our windows are oversized and I
put either cathedral or vaulted ceilings in the living spaces
to give an illusion of a larger space. Also, I require the
garage entrance to lead immediately into the kitchen so residents
don't have to carry parcels very far. And the kitchen must
open into a living space. Since we have very few people looking
for separate living and dining rooms, that becomes the primary
spot for entertaining. They also want a relatively large dining
area for the family gatherings at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
DBI: Are large, opulent
master suites important to this market?
Max::
Unlike younger demographics that are used to luxurious master
baths, most of our buyers are moving from older homes where
that wasn't the standard. Our bathrooms are not exceptionally
large, although we generally have two sinks, a tub and a shower
plus the commode.
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