I just read a very insightful and thoughtful article by George Mantor on RisMedia, about the homes of yesterday and today, and trends for tomorrow.
We find ourselves in the early 21st century with McMansions. The average 920 sq ft home of the 1950s has become 2,400 sq ft and in many places, 6,000 to 7,000 sq ft. Why?
Mantor states, "Well, because we wanted them, for one thing. They were the ultimate status symbol and maybe always will be. If a man's home is his castle, it darn well better feel like one.
"As much as a castle-sized home is a status symbol, it is also a symbol of wretched excess and the general contempt of its owner for those of us being crushed under the boot-heels of his enormous carbon footprint. Free market economy or not, no one is entitled to such a gluttonous amount of the planet's limited resources."
The homes of the affluent in the last 20 years are larger than they need to be, use more resources to create more materials, have too much of a negative impact on the enviroment, take up too much space, and require too much energy to maintain. He wonders, "How do you keep track of a kid in 7,000 square feet?"
The new reality is sustainability, reuse of existing structures, green alternatives. Homes of such size represent the end of an era, as we - as a nation - face the new reality of carbon footprints and the limits of developable land.
Mantor sees not only the need for, but the process of, "a shift away from building single family suburban homes in favor of multifamily housing as land around large metropolitan areas disappears and the limitations on energy discourage commutes longer than drivers in many metropolitan areas are now making. Today's long commutes are the result of moving business parks far from urban centers and the desire for ever larger homes.
"Coupled with the movement toward sustainability, a desire to reuse existing structures and a search for greener building alternatives, many communities are rethinking planning, zoning, and special use permits.
"In an effort to create more pedestrian friendly communities, more thought is being given to bringing lifestyle-elements such as jobs, services, and recreational opportunities to the residents, rather than have them drive elsewhere. Among the tools employed to achieve these results are adaptive reuse, live/work zoning and mixed use zoning."
Read his article for descriptions of what the communities of Seaside in Florida, downtown LA, San Elijo Hills in San Marcos, CA, Carlsbad, CA - are doing to meet our new reality. The home of tomorrow will be many things we don't even envision today (well, maybe Bill Gates does) but it won't be larger. We will move out of the "age of stuff" to a greener, more environmentally-friendly lifestyle. Perhaps you will live in a smaller community and drive less and walk more. Or at least live in a home which is more sensitive to our limited resources.
It's exciting to think of the many opportunities which will arise in all phases of real estate to meet the sustainability model. And, of course, now is the best time in a generation to become a homeowner. Contact me for opportunities in the Daytona Beach area.
Sherry Armstrong, Realtor
386-679-3191
www.sherryarmstrong.com
sherry@sherryarmstrong.com
p.s. George W. Mantor is known as "The Real Estate Professor" for his wealth building formula, Lx2+(U²)xTFP=$? and consumer education efforts. During a career that has spanned more than three decades, he has amassed experience in new home and resale residential real estate, resort marketing, and commercial and investment property. He is currently the founder and president of The Associates Financial Group, a real estate consulting firm. Mantor can be reached at GWMantor@aol.com.
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