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Design Principles for Aging in Place

September 3, 2015/by Canin Associates

Many recent surveys show that homeowners are staying in their homes longer. It could be due to the economy with decreasing home values making it difficult to buy a new home or the cost of assisted living facilities or the desire to continue to live in a familiar environment. Many people who plan to stay in their current home consider remodeling over buying a new one.

If you’re staying put for a while, then a well designed home should accommodate your current needs for comfort and safety and also be designed with enough forethought to evolve with your needs as you grow older or as your lifestyle changes. Aging-in-Place design considers creative solutions for wheelchair users, people that rely on mobility aids such as walkers, or crutches and people with visual or physical impairments.

Consider using these Aging-in-Place design ideas for the ongoing future enjoyment of your home:

Floor Level Changes

Minimize change in floor levels. Have the least amount of steps possible. If a ramp is needed, then install one with 12” of length for every inch of rise. For example, if there is an 8” difference in height between floors, than the ramp should be eight feet long.
Seniors prefer one level homes over two levels. Stairs can be difficult to climb.
The step between the bathroom floor and the shower floor can be inconvenient for wheelchair users. Roll-in showers offer an option – the transition between the bathroom floor and the shower floor is relatively flat – the shower floor slopes from that point down to the drain. This option requires a larger shower to mitigate the shower spray from getting on the bathroom floor. Non-slip tile makes sense for everyone.

Pathway Clearances

Hallways and other circulation paths through rooms and around furniture should be between 36”-42” wide. Use this same minimum distance between countertops in a kitchen.
All doors should be a minimum of 32” wide with lever handles.

Kitchens

Lower the countertops from the typical height of 36” to 32”-34”.
Provide roll-under cooktops and sinks. (These are counters with drop-in fixtures at 32”-34” high with knee space below them).
Outfit base cabinets with drawers instead of doors. The drawers provide easier access to kitchen items with less bending.
Mount built-In wall ovens or microwave ovens at lower heights so the controls are no higher than 48” above the floor.

Bathrooms

Use an elongated type toilet bowl with the seat 18” above the floor.
Provide blocking in the walls for future grab bars between 33”-36” off the bathroom floor. Install the blocking behind the toilet (24” wide), on a wall beside the toilet (42” wide) and in a shower or around a tub.
Specialty accessible tubs are available with a seat and they have doors for easy lateral transfers from a mobility device – grab bars are already pre-installed.
Sinks heights are determined for each individual’s needs – 32”-34” for wheelchair users or for people of short stature, 36” for people with bad backs.
Good lighting helps those with poor vision.

Laundry Rooms

Mount shelves at convenient heights for easy access to cleaning supplies.
Choose front-load washers and dryers with lower folding counters.

You can make these accessible accommodations by retrofitting your current home, including them in remodeling plans or even in a new custom home design. If you are buying a new home from a homebuilder, ask for these considerations that you are entitled to by law. In any case, work with your design professional to implement these and other universal design principles to ensure the barrier-free use and enjoyment of your home for years to come.

Canin Associates to Present at the 2015 Southeast Building Conference

June 18, 2015/by Canin Associates

On Friday, July 17, 2015, Canin Associates’ Tony Weremeichik will present at the 2015 Southeast Building Conference (SEBC) in Orlando, Florida. Now in its 37th year, the SEBC has been a meeting place for building industry professionals from the areas of contracting, remodeling, architecture, engineering, and development. The three-day conference includes exhibits by more than 265 companies, as well as offering over 40 continuing education credits worth of workshops, panels, and presentations.

The topic of Tony’s presentation will be Buyer Magnets for Gen X, Gen Y, and Boomer. He is scheduled to present on Friday, July 17, at 1:00pm. Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook for more information.

Canin Collection: Paseo Cottages

June 12, 2015/by Canin Associates

A new addition to the Canin Collection, the Paseo Cottages, feature unique three-bedroom plans that fit perfectly on 50′ by 50′ lots and achieve a density of 10 units per acre.

We anticipate that the theme in homebuilding for 2015 and 2016 will continue to center around the idea of reaching higher densities in single-family homes. Our Paseo Cottages respond to these modern requirements with three new 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath designs ranging from 1,539 to 1,840 square feet. Situated comfortably on 50’ by 50’ lots, these homes engage the entire yard with strong indoor/outdoor connections throughout the living spaces. While the site may be compact, the homes are anything but. Expansive master bedroom suites feature spa-like baths, while separate domestic suites and generous walk-in closets offer the highest levels of convenience and utility. The open-plan, oversized kitchens offer ample cabinet storage, prep areas, and optional islands for cooking and seating. These beautiful cottages reside on intimate, pedestrian-friendly paseos and have room for three cars on-site (two in the spacious garage and one in the private driveway).

Do Home Buyers Really Want Smart Home Technology?

April 27, 2015/by Canin Associates

As a home designer, for many years I’ve been greatly anticipating a time when we will see useful and affordable electronics as standard items in our homes to make our lives easier–whether they offer convenience or save us money. I am still waiting. Options are all out there; we have the technology, but the costs are not quite attainable yet. But new cars, at all price points, offer integrated Bluetooth technology, fuel monitoring, navigations systems, WiFi, etc. The auto industry has responded to consumer demand, so why hasn’t the housing industry done the same?

“I want that!” Home electronics and automation selections can be overwhelming. If you have ever researched the latest home technologies, or ever heard a presentation, you may feel like a kid in a candy store as there are boundless options. For most, it’s a dream come true to live in a technologically advanced, fully automated home as if you were George Jetson yourself. You may find you “would really like this” or you “gotta have that”…and the list usually grows.

But home electronics come at a cost, and frugal consideration must be given to home buyers’ needs and the conveniences they are willing to pay for.

What matters to homebuyers? A recent technology survey, “What Home Buyers Really Want,” presented at the 2015 International Builders Show, reveals what ranks at the top of buyer’s tech wish lists:

Since not everyone can afford it all, practicality rules. Level-headedness must prevail. But almost every type of buyer wants at least home security and programmable thermostats.

Millennial buyers seem to be the most tech savvy, but most are not in a financial position to be able to afford extras like central vacuums or lighting control systems. They are fine with their iPad controlled Apple TV and a wireless home theater surround sound system from Best Buy. For the most part, the same is true with the Gen-Xers and Boomers. Simple and easy-to-use gadgets that can be controlled with your smartphone seem to be what’s mainstream now.

Here are a few new, yet attainable, technology ideas that buyers may find to be “must haves” are slowly creeping their way into new homes, and Home Design and Building Professionals must adapt new plan designs to accommodate these needs:

Charge Electronics Devices: Most new home designs have a drop zone, a small transitional area where you “Drop” things when you come home, usually located between the garage and the kitchen. This convenient space allows you to drop your keys, purse, phone, mail, etc. on your way in without having to drop it all on the kitchen countertops. Instead of equipping this counter with a normal duplex outlet to recharge your phones, use the new USB Duplex outlets here, which provide two USB plugs for any smartphone charger. Already growing in popularity in hotel rooms, these USB duplexes come in handy behind the nightstands in the bedroom or in the home office as well.
Programmable Thermostat: Nest is a Learning Thermostat that learns your schedule, programs itself and can be controlled from your phone. Teach it well and the Nest Thermostat can lower heating and cooling bills up to 20%. ($250, nest.com).
Front Door Locks: The bluetooth-controlled Kēvo is a new way to lock and unlock your front door without a key. Using your smartphone or keychain fob, this smart lock will unlock at the touch of a finger. The smartphone app lets you send e-keys, track entries and lock your home remotely. ($220, kwikset.com)
Healthy Home: How much is clean air worth to your buyers? How do you eliminate the unpleasant microscopic, particle-sized pollutants that surround you indoors and how do you remove them from the air you breathe? Innovated in Sweden, Blueair purifiers use HEPASilent® technology to silently and effectively remove triggers like dust mites, allergens, volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), pet dander, mold, cigarette smoke, and more. ($330+, us.blueair.com)
Wrinkle Free Clothes: Save yourself time and money from having to go to the drycleaners, and do it yourself, sans the iron and steamer. Available at Best Buy, Whirlpool’s new Swash is a 10-minute clothing care system ($500, Swash.com). In new home or remodel design, consider a space to store it in the laundry room or master closet, and provide an outlet for it as well.

Home design is constantly changing and evolving to meet the needs and lifestyles of today’s homebuyers – much like the invention of the toilet that launched bathroom design in homes, refrigerators replaced ice boxes and furnaces replaced fireplaces, home electronics are now making a significant impact on the way we live and the way we have to design homes today for tomorrow.

Single-Family Can Be Urban, Too

February 10, 2015/by Canin Associates

American housing design is in need of a paradigm shift. Recognizing generational preferences, increasing affordability constraints, and sustainable solutions are needed to start a new chapter in the planning of our cities, especially when it comes to housing. But that doesn’t mean the single-family home is dead. In fact, if we begin to build houses around the principles of density, efficiency, and flexibility, a modern version of the single-family home could bridge the gap between what incentivizes builders and developers, and the new reality faced by many potential homebuyers.

Seattle, 1947. Photo © Seattle Municipal Archives

The nation’s changing demographics are a driving force behind a new focus on the often overlooked needs of two explosive market segments: singles in both Gen Y and Baby Boomer cohorts. With over half of all American adults single¹, it’s no surprise that 28% of new-home buyers (18% women and 10% men) are single². Additionally, Generation Y (now between 20 and 34 years old) and Baby Boomers (currently between 50 and 68 years old) make up nearly two-thirds of homebuyers³. While the housing industry has begun looking at the opportunity to serve Baby Boomers, it often fails to completely understand the needs of Gen Y and single buyers.

While three-quarters of Americans across all cohorts still prefer to live in single-family detached homes⁴, it has become difficult for Gen Y and single buyers to find affordable, tailored homes in the current stock of home designs and builder offerings. Financial pressures are increasingly affecting young homebuyers’ decisions. Adjusted median household income has remained virtually unchanged since 1989⁵ and is one of the factors behind increased credit card debt and high student loans. Combined, stagnant earnings and growing personal debt are reducing the buying power of many young Americans, which is reflected in a 12% drop in first-time homebuyer market participation in the past decade⁶. Because the conventional building model does not take these restrictions into account, it misses out on a large portion of potential homebuyers.

Changing demographics, increasing financial constraints, and modern preferences create the perfect springboard for a new era of very different single-family offerings. For example, without losing the quality and appeal of a traditional single-family community, micro homes (under 1000 sq. ft.) can create neighborhoods of truly detached single-family homes at densities of over 20 units per acre. For builders, higher densities can mean lower land costs per unit; for developers, micro neighborhoods can yield significant margins in per-acre sales; and for buyers, the ability to afford a detached home can once again become an aspirational reality.

In our site planning tests, we found that micro neighborhood designs can fit between four and six specially-designed homes (ranging from 500 to 900 square feet) onto a quarter-acre lot, allowing for densities of 16, 20, or even 24 units per acre. This model gives developers the ability to create complete, intimate neighborhoods. By limiting the size of the offerings to no more than 20 to 30 homes per neighborhood, it becomes possible to drive rapid absorption by matching demand and opportunity on a finely calibrated scale. Developers can create a sense of buyer urgency with flexible pricing that they can adapt to demand, available inventory, and market pricing.

With diversifying preferences and changing economic conditions, increasing residential density is the next logical step in American home design for builders, developers, municipalities, and, most importantly, buyers. By adapting the single-family home to a more urban context, we can take these considerations into account and create walkable, authentic communities.

Sources:

[1] Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014
[2] National Associates of Realtors, Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 2011
[3] National Association of Realtors, Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends, 2014
[4] National Association of Realtors, National Community Preference Survey, 2013
[5] US Census Bureau, 2012
[6] National Association of Home Builders, Wall Street Journal, 2014

ULI Central Florida: 2015 Emerging Trends in Real Estate

February 5, 2015/by Canin Associates

On January 30, 2015, ULI Central Florida held its annual Emerging Trends in Real Estate conference. At the half-day event, guest speakers and panelists shared their 2015 forecasts and projects with over 200 registrants from industries including real estate, development, urban planning, and architecture. With a recovering economy and positive job growth particularly in Orlando, the general outlook for 2015 was positive, albeit cautious. Jobs, oil, and Millennials proved to be steadfast topics of discussion throughout the event.

Back by popular demand, local political commentators Lou Frey and Dick Bachelor of WMFE’s Intersection opened the conference with their trademark banter on the local and national political scene. Mr. Frey, a former Florida Congressman (R), and Mr. Bachelor, a former Florida House Representative (D), gave their thoughts on the presidential race and what it could mean for Central Florida.

The event’s Keynote Speaker was Jeff Korzenik, Chief Investment Strategist at Fifth Third Bank. He summarized his economic outlook for 2015 into five points:

The US economy will continue to grow.
The GDP gap is shrinking.
Oil will a big deal.
The Federal Reserve will a bigger deal.
Investment opportunities are narrowing.

Mr. Korzenik went on to describe each point in detail, using jobs as a context. Despite the slowing growth of emerging markets worldwide, the United States has seen the strongest job growth since 1999 by adding over 200,000 jobs each month. Still, two challenges remain: employers are having a hard time finding qualified labor and aging Baby Boomers, who are retiring en masse, are leaving behind a diminished available workforce.

Other observations included:

Oil prices will rise again, but not to previous levels.
While bonds are still lagging worldwide, US bond yields are still attractive enough to draw local and international investments.
If your business is labor-dependent, it will be a tough year due to rising wages.
Slowly rising interest rates are not destructive to the economy, but will affect industries like real estate and development more than others.

Overall, Mr. Korzenik’s forecast was positive for Florida’s land-use related disciplines. The state is set to benefit from continuing to expand and improve its infrastructure, as well as the growing population in areas like Orlando and Miami.

Following Mr. Korzenik, Andrew Warren gave the event’s signature Emerging Trends in Real Estate presentation, based on the Emerging Trends in Real Estate – United States and Canada 2015 book, which can be downloaded here (PDF). Mr. Warren, the Director of Real Estate Research at PwC, called for more awareness and “sustainable momentum.” He noted the importance of “keeping an eye on the horizon and how much of the runway is left, more so than in 2006.”

Some of the takeaways from the Top 10 Emerging Trends for 2015 were:

Millennials and Baby Boomer are still affecting the market, notably through urban preferences.
The “18-Hour City” and diverse infrastructure will play important development roles.
Land costs are up, which translates into people taking greater risks.
While domestic government gridlock threatened to derail the economy in the past year, 2015’s biggest uncertainty will be worldwide geopolitical events.
One side effect of global events could be higher construction costs.
Despite growing job numbers, income is lagging behind, causing affordability to decrease.
More information on the presentation can be found on the PwC website.

After Mr. Warren’s presentation, two panels took the stage. The first group featured John Classe of Crescent Communities, Tony Eelman of FBC Mortgage, LLC, Maurice Johnson of Taylor Morrison, and Trip Stephens of ZOM. Together with moderator Lisa Dilts (Compspring), the panelists discussed Housing Trends for 2015. Once again, jobs were a major topic of discussion: “Job growth will stoke Millennial household creation, who prefer urban areas,” said Mr. Classe. Therefore, Mr. Johnson argued that “single-family homes should have all the features and amenities of city life to attract Millennials.”

The second panel, Commercial Trends, was moderated by Michael “Doc” Terry of the UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management, whose panelists discussed commercial trends with a focus on Orlando’s tourist corridor: International Drive. Mr. Terry was joined by Jim Bagley of Encore Housing Funds, Carl Kernodle of Hyatt Hotels, and Josh Wallack of Mango’s, SOBE, and Skyplex. One major trend expected by the panelists will be the diversification of hotels, including urban hotels with a city atmosphere, hotels geared towards longer-staying international tourists, and families looking for multi-generational accommodations. Meanwhile, attractions in the district are becoming more aware of pedestrians and their safety. For International Drive itself, this means improved infrastructure such as pedestrian bridges.

The 2015 Emerging Trends in Real Estate conference concluded with the 2015 Trendsetter Award. This year’s winner was The Church Street Exchange. The team behind this effort took a defunct mall in downtown Orlando with nearly complete vacancy and leased it fully within 18 months, creating a model for adaptive reuse that serves Orlando’s growing tech, start-up, and non-profit scene. Other nominees included the City of Tavares, Laureate Park at Lake Nona, and First Green Bank.

Millenials Want to Be Green: Taking Sustainability to the Next Level

May 15, 2014/by Canin Associates

Labeled as the generation to turn around the housing market, Millennials (born between 1980 and 2000) represent a huge new segment of current and future homebuyers. But what has garnered them so much attention in the world of urban planning, design, and development? One major characteristic of this group is its attitude towards wanting to a live a more conscious lifestyle. Studies love to label Gen Y as “green” and “sustainable.” But delving deeper, new research shows that Millennials are thinking greener than they are acting. This presents the perfect opportunity for home builders to create products that help Millennials reach their sustainability goals, while creating the type of independent and customizable homes they desire.

One of the major reasons green building practices have piqued the interest of homebuilders in the past decade is the overwhelming support for them in market surveys. According to a recent McGrann Associates survey, a whopping 91% of respondents said that they would be likely to consider green or energy efficient features in a home—if the cost isn’t drastically different. This attitude applies to both new and existing homes. Interestingly enough, the two groups that seemed to know the most about green building practices were those aged 25 to 34 and those aged 55 to 64. In short, Millennials and Baby Boomers (the two demographic heavyweights that represent today’s largest home-buying segments) are most interested in leading a green lifestyle.

What “Green” Means to Millenials

Gen Y is a generation that equates “green” with “high-tech.” In fact, according to a Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Survey, a substantial 84% of 18 to 35-year-olds say that high-tech appliances are must-haves. The three most popular high-tech home features are energy efficient washers and dryers, security systems, and smart thermostats. After “green” and “sustainable,” Millennials are on the lookout for the next buzzword: “high-tech.”

Still, it’s important to realize that this generation interprets “being green” differently than other generations. Most notably, according to the 2013 Eco Pulse Study, Millennials are more attitudinally green than behaviorally green. While they theoretically support everything sustainable, few practice what they preach. For builders, the key is to make a conscious lifestyle easier to implement. Gardens for growing food at home and places to store recyclables are inexpensive quick fixes for creating greener homes. Furthermore, Millennials are more likely to buy homes that already feature energy efficient appliances and upgraded thermostats, rather than installing them themselves. This is where builders can step in and make homes more appealing to Millennials by supporting their desire to live a green lifestyle.

In addition to technology-driven homes, it’s undeniable that Millennials are seeking adaptive places to live. Cookie-cutter is out, unique is in: This generation wants more than the stereotypical luxury home their parents always dreamed of. In lieu of mega-mansions, 77% of Gen Y-ers actually prefer “essential” homes. These are smaller and more adaptive than conventional houses. For builders, that means flex rooms should also serve as home offices, in-home technology outweighs curb appeal upgrades, and houses must be as unique as their inhabitants. And if there’s something for Millennials to fix up themselves, even better (at least according to the 30% of survey respondents who are ready to get their hands dirty in a renovation).

Millenials Want to Be Sustainable Outside the Home

For Millennials, having a green attitude isn’t confined to the home itself. The National Association of Home Builders found that 30% of first-time home buyers (generally of Gen Y), select a home based on its location to where they work. This is especially underscored by reports of automakers left flabbergasted by this generation’s seeming indifference to owning a car. With Gen Y auto sales down and only 54% of Americans getting their drivers licenses before turning 18, the need for walkable, transit-conscious housing is sure to increase in the coming years.

This generation may be more aware of the total cost of ownership than any other. Transportation costs and commute time are often as important to Millennials as the opportunity to reduce their utility bills. The McGrann Associates survey found that 83% of respondents understood that the initially higher investment in green building practices is eventually evened out. Like most investments, Gen Y has the benefit of time when it comes to reaping the rewards of their green homes.

Millennials are an important demographic for builders. Their habits are reflected in their immense numbers, giving them the ability to change the course of American home building. While their interest in living an eco-conscious, high-tech lifestyle should be celebrated, many Gen Y-ers lack the resources to translate their attitudes into actions. By providing unique, efficient, and progressive homes, designers and builders can begin to bridge the gap between what Millennials want, and what they can attain.

This article also appeared in Green Home Builder Magazine.

Appealing to a Booming Market: 5 Must-Haves for the Baby Boomer Generation

March 19, 2014/by Canin Associates

With a growing number of baby boomers looking for their ideal new homes, designers and developers are turning their attention to this explosive new market. When creating the perfect baby boomer residence, architects must strike a balance between features that are needed now, and features that will be essential in the coming years.

Our country’s diversifying housing market has made it possible to craft specific homes for every niche, leading to accelerated sales and more satisfied residents. For the baby boomer generation, we’ve pinpointed five must-have elements that are important to every community’s success:

1. A Single-Story Experience

The ideal boomer home focuses on the present, but looks to the future: designs should feature a single-story experience for those who wish to age in place; an optional second story gives flexibility and extra space to those who need it.

2. Multi-Generational Living

What do retirees do with that second story when they no longer require it for themselves? Smart floor plan designs ensure that the house can be used for a single generation (baby boomers) or expanded for multi-generational living (baby boomers and their children or grandchildren).

3. Great Indoor/Outdoor Relationships

Many homebuyers move to Florida for one simple reason: the weather. To make the most of a transplant’s new lifestyle, homes should be designed with a focus on great indoor/outdoor relationships.

4. Parks and Street-Side Patios

Baby boomers will be looking for ways to meet their new neighbors. By socializing the street and promoting it as a community space through parks and street-side patios, residents have the opportunity to be part of an active neighborhood network.

5. Modern, Open Floor Plans

Finally, this is a generation whose members have worked hard to afford their dream homes, and what better way to enjoy it than with modern, open floor plans? A frontrunner in market research, open plans are perfect for living, dining, and entertaining.

By implementing these features, architects and developers can deliver homes that are tailored to the growing demand of baby boomers. Focusing on these five primary elements ensures that a house will become the perfect home, for now and in the years to come.

Visit our Portfolio for these and other exciting new market-focused home designs.