Home buyers want accessible features they can age with

According to U.S. Census data, the number of Americans 65 and older is expected to rise 35 percent from 2010 to 2020. This plays a big part in the upswing of universal design and aging-in-place home features the past few years, accompanying the increase of multigenerational homes. A recent article from The Washington Post cites AARP findings on the subject:

According to AARP, the majority of older Americans want to stay in their homes permanently and live independently. This demographic change translates into demand for residential designs that anticipate changes in health, vision or mobility, and ensures that homes stay safe, comfortable and aesthetically pleasing.

The National Association of Home Builders’ What Home Buyers Really Want report released in 2013 surveyed new and prospective home buyers nationwide to identify which features they want (and don’t want) when looking to purchase a home, one of the most desirable purchases home buyers are making with aging in mind is selecting a garage door 9 ft. or higher to accommodate a raised roof van with wheelchair lift. Besides the accommodation, it’s a good investment as well adding more value to the house itself.

A Door Prize

If you look at the history of building over the last 20 years, there has been too much similarity in basic rooflines and elevations from community to community.

From coast to coast, city officials are demanding changes on the design of the elevations in new projects. Builders, who faced the competing demands of limited lot sizes and buyers who wanted spacious garages, were left in a bind.

Today, the demand for more garage space remains. In fact, one-fourth of all respondents to a recent survey conducted by the National Association of Home Builders said they want at least a three-car garage. But the issue of aesthetics is moving in an attractive direction — with some great-looking new garage doors.

Once designed for function only, garage doors today can turn a dull expanse into an architectural statement. Working actively to create strong curb appeal and diversity, builders, architects and municipalities are aggressively specifying steel carriage doors for their projects. In fact, architects are designing more and more communities in the neotraditional style using nostalgic elements creating strong curb appeal. The character of a carriage house door fits the style which also enhances the home’s appearance. If the garage is going to cover a large percentage of the house, why not have something better-looking?

Today’s carriage house doors look attractively retro, helping us to recall the charm of that turn-of-the-century swinging barn-door style, but open overhead like any other modern sectional garage door. The door has created true excitement in the building community. With a reputation for their beauty, functionality and durability, their worth in increasing home values is the ultimate “door prize”.