LUXURY FEATURE
Bonnie Wegerich
A4 – A5
2009 CREB® President
A7
FREE sept 30 to oct 6 2016 issue 06-38 editorial 403-781-1324 advertising 403-263-4940 crebnow@creb.ca
real estate news from industry experts
BREAKING BARRIERS Visitable housing offers more than accessibility for disabled individuals; it could be the future of single family homes in an increasingly aged society. So why isn’t it catching on?
PHOTO BY WIL ANDRUSCHAK/FOR CREB®NOW
JOEL SCHLESINGER for creb®now
C
arla Berezowski looks at many of Calgary’s new neighbourhoods from the last decade and sees missed opportunities. A specialist in barrier-free design, the consultant works mostly with aging Calgarians, retrofitting their homes to accommodate mobility needs. “People are usually reacting to a situation like, ‘My mom fell’ and they want to make their house accessible to accommodate aging parents,” said Berezowski, owner of Aging in Place Calgary. And judging by the way detached homes continue to be constructed in the city, she said business is likely to grow as society grays and people choose to remain independent instead of moving to assisted-living facilities. “I think we’re stuck in the past with old ways of building,” she said.
Despite advances in the accessibility of public spaces in recent years, new homebuilding has yet to catch up – and, so far, most people don’t see that as problematic, said Berezowski. But they’re likely to soon enough. According to Statistics Canada, one in seven Canadians currently has a disability. One-third of Canadians ages 64 to 75 have a disability, and more than half 75 and older are disabled. In Calgary, the need for visitable dwellings could soon number in the tens of thousands, said Mark Stewart, an Alberta-based knowledge transfer consultant for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., who works with housing industry officials to foster more barrier-free housing. The City of Calgary expects one in five Calgarians will be over 65 by 2036. “As the population ages and the incidence of people living with mobility issues increases, visitable housing will become an important means of providing accessibility in housing,” he said.
CITY OF CALGARY
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AS THE POPULATION AGES AND THE INCIDENCE OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH MOBILITY ISSUES INCREASES, VISITABLE HOUSING WILL BECOME AN IMPORTANT MEANS OF PROVIDING ACCESSIBILITY IN HOUSING.” MARK STEWART CMHC
While barrier-free home design can involve many modifications — from lower countertops and cabinetry to
MLS® NEW LISTINGS* AUG ‘14 – AUG ‘16
in-home elevators – visitable housing involves three main elements, said Alberta-based architect Ron Wickman, who specializes in universal design. First conceived of in the U.S. by advocate Eleanor Smith, a visitable house must feature a no-step entrance, doors wide enough for wheelchairs and a main-floor bathroom, again large enough for a wheelchair. While many builders have already adopted wider doorways, and most homes have at least a half bathroom on the main floor, no-step access has proven a difficult construction barrier to overcome. “The no-step entrance is very easy to build, but it’s not commonplace, and that’s been one of the problems with getting visitability traits to be more common in the housing construction industry,” said Wickman. Higher cost is an issue, initially. But Wickman said he has worked with builders who have found with each visitable home they construct, cost
REAL ESTATE COUNCIL RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL AWARDS
AUG14 SEP14 OCT14 NOV14 DEC14 JAN15 FEB15 MAR15 APR15 MAY15 JUN15 JUL15 AUG15 SEP15 OCT15 NOV15 DEC15 JAN16 FEB16 MAR16 APR16 MAY16 JUN16 JUL16 AUG16
1,381
1,491
2,093
2,182
3,219 3,147 3,259 2,919
3,288 2,950 3,136 3,064 3,161 3,122 2,733 3,081 2,678
2,741 2,906 3,227 3,217 3,319 3,078 2,683 2,759
CREB® STAFF
*All statistics based on monthly data compiled by CREB® via MLS® activity. Includes detached, attached and apartment.
MLS®C4083850
decreases as familiarity with building techniques improves. Wickman said the main impediment is the misconception that universal design traits — such as a no-step entry — are undesirable. He said that is manifested in the architectural guidelines of many new developments in the city that require three-step front entries. But visitable homes do sell, argues Stewart. He pointed to overwhelming interest in a newly built community in Winnipeg called Bridgewater that was mandated by the Manitoba government to have a minimum number of singlefamily dwellings with visitable design. “It was actually the fastest-selling neighbourhood in Winnipeg,” said Steward.
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MARKET A3
715 75 AV SW
#102 2144 Paliswood RD SW
Location, Location! Central to all amenities! Kingsland 4 Level Split on large mature Lot. Original hardwood flooring throughout. South backyard with detached oversized single garage. Three bedrooms up with full bathroom. The third level has large family room and half bath. New Shingles in 2013, New Hot water heating system. Newer hot water tank. Close to LRT, Chinook Ctr, schools.
Welcome home to this beautiful 1163 sq. ft. ground floor quiet end-unit 2 bedroom 2 bathroom condo in one of the best buildings in the southwest! Brimming with natural light! 2 large covered balconies overlooking a beautiful courtyard with one having a natural gas hook up for your barbecuing pleasure. Master bedroom boasts a very large walk-in closet and large ensuite with tub and shower. Condo price includes ample caged storage and 2 titled side by side underground parking spaces.
KINGSLAND
$415,000
T
he Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) was recently recognized for its educational and communications efforts with two awards from the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO). RECA, a non-government agency responsible for governing the industry under Alberta’s Real Estate Act, won an education award for its pre-licensing education course, the Practice of Rural Real Estate, and a communications award for the 2016 edition of the Advertising Guidelines.
A ging in Place owner Carla Berezowski said Calgary is stuck in the past with old ways of homebuilding.
$350,000 MLS®C4083855
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