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Home Elevators Have Become Inexpensive and Easy to Install -- Check this out!

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Wayzata Lakes Realty: Eric Kodner Sells Twin Cities Homes

One of the latest technologies to appear in homes is the pneumatic home elevator system.  These systems work much like the pneumatic tubes you use at the drive-up window of your bank.  Suction pulls the elevator upward and the controlled release of vacuum gently lowers the elevator as needed.

It takes very little square footage to retrofit one of these in a home.  The tube compartment will fit within just over one square yard!  And for perhaps $25,000 or less, you can install one of these in an existing home or a new one.  Building contractors have discovered that these units are quite easy to install.  They are also far more energy-efficient than conventional elevators or chair lift systems.

This system will be a huge benefit to homeowners with limited mobility and should appeal to just about anyone who would appreciate the convenience of avoiding stairs. 

Check out the online article by Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan in the Real Estate Journal (which originally appearedin the online edition of the Wall Street Journal) about this recent innovation.

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Contact Broker Eric Kodner with Wayzata Lakes Realty about Minneapolis & Saint Paul area properties, including Lake Minnetonka, Edina and the Minneapolis City Lakes area (Lake Calhoun, Lake of the Isles, Lake Harriet). We also sell on the Saint Croix River and on Lake Superior, including Bayfield, Wisconsin and Madeline Island homes.  With sixteen years experience marketing and selling waterfront properties in Minnesota and Wisconsin, we know Lake Minnetonka and Madeline Island real estate.

Wayzata Lakes Realty LLC (Minnesota) and Madeline Island Realty LLC (Wisconsin)

Real Estate Brokerage licensed in Minnesota & Wisconsin

Phone or Text Message 612.670.2539

EMKodner@Gmail.com  or

MadelineIsland@Gmail.com

Wayzata Lakes Realty

 

 

 

 

Comments(11)

Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital
As aging boomers blow out their knees, I think these little elevators are going to become more and more popular. 
Sep 15, 2007 02:44 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Good to know, Eric. I have clients who are looking for a home that has an elevator if it is multistory, but they are also willing ot put one in.

Jeff

Sep 15, 2007 02:51 AM
Faith LaRosse
Springer Realty Group - Limerick, PA
Serving Berks, Chester & Montgomery Counties

Eric, 

This is very informative...many thanks for this post.  My mother in law lives on a two story home and can no longer do the stairs.  She was considering a chair lift...but this is a very interesting alternative.

Thank you!

Faith LaRosse

 

Sep 15, 2007 03:19 AM
Bruce Miller
Friendly Appraisals - Acworth, GA
One of our neighbors just had one installed down the road...the house is a raised ranch and they took off the front stairs and put some type of elevator in its place......does not look bad at all either.....I wonder if it is one of the kind you are talking about.....great post!
Sep 15, 2007 03:37 AM
Jolynne Photography, Creative Wedding Photography, Family Portraits, Bar Mitzvahs
Jolynne Photography - Hemet, CA
Bat Mitzvahs, Senior Pictures, Event Photography
Eric, I just looked at an awesome new PUD for 55+ with my wife's parents...and these beautiful two-story townhomes in the PUD all had elevators.  It really is a growing trend...I suppose that will keep downward pressure on the price.
Sep 15, 2007 03:49 AM
Eric Kodner
Wayzata Lakes Realty: Eric Kodner Sells Twin Cities Homes - Minnetonka, MN
Wayzata Lakes Realty: Twin Cities, Madeline Island

Patricia -- I agree 100% !!  Being a "boomer" myself, the elevator is starting to look pretty good!

Jeff -- thanks for contributing!

Faith -- I like these better than chair lifts.  I have seen clients that had them and they have problems with the mechanisms jamming.  I like the small number of moving parts in these vacuum systems.

Sep 16, 2007 12:29 AM
Eric Kodner
Wayzata Lakes Realty: Eric Kodner Sells Twin Cities Homes - Minnetonka, MN
Wayzata Lakes Realty: Twin Cities, Madeline Island

Bruce -- The ones I've seen installed look great and are also pretty unobtrusive.  They don't "take over" the house.

Joey -- I'm seeing more and more elevators in homes too.

Sep 16, 2007 12:32 AM
Sharon "Toni" Brown
Exit Realty United - South Ozone Park, NY
South Ozone Park - New York City Real Estate
Thanks for the information Eric.  The engineer in me always look at a multi-level home and what solutions can be done if I have a client who needs better access.  I am not going to the site tonight because I will never get to sleep. 
Sep 17, 2007 04:46 PM
Eric Kodner
Wayzata Lakes Realty: Eric Kodner Sells Twin Cities Homes - Minnetonka, MN
Wayzata Lakes Realty: Twin Cities, Madeline Island

Sharon, I'm really hooked on the idea of retrofitting these vacuum elevators in existing homes!  They're fairly inexpensive, they take up little space, they're easy to install..what more could anyone ask?

Sep 17, 2007 05:27 PM
Birmingham Alabama Real Estate, Stephen Wolfe
LivingInBirmingham.com - Birmingham, AL
Eric, those are great. It is amazing to think that elevators are getting somewhat "affordable" for homes these days. I guess we can finally say that the banking industry has helped bring something good.
Oct 31, 2007 03:25 AM
Eric Kodner
Wayzata Lakes Realty: Eric Kodner Sells Twin Cities Homes - Minnetonka, MN
Wayzata Lakes Realty: Twin Cities, Madeline Island

Stephen, I think the pneumatic elevators are so cool!  I rode in one recently and was extremely impressed.

Oct 31, 2007 07:21 AM