Retirement: The Best Home Features for Relaxation and Enjoyment
Retirement should be a blissful time in your life, filled with comfortable living and all the amenities necessary to get the most out of your life. Many decide to move into a new home for this very reason, as their older homes require constant renovations and maintenance. Additionally, many want to move to a warmer climate, thus requiring a new property to accommodate these needs. Many homes don’t have the items necessary for an easy style of living, making it difficult to ensure you’re truly getting the most out of your golden years. Many seniors begin to struggle with the abundant time on their hands a few weeks after they stop going into work. As a result, these idle hands breed issues with depression and the like. Determining what you need to fully enjoy these later years of your life will help direct you as you try to find or build a home to fit these needs. From distinct, serene neighborhoods to those near golf courses, the right home for retirement will be decided upon your personality and what you hope to gain from this new chapter in your life.
Permanent Vacation
Your home should reduce your need for travel by surrounding you with all of the amenities you would experience on a vacation. This means no stairs and a quiet, gated neighborhood. The goal should always be comfort. You may be alright with stairs now, but you’ll want less of a hassle as you age. Additionally, a gated community will mean less crime and fewer noise disturbances, which cater to those requiring a serene environment. Nothing will ruin the feeling of comfort more than a noisy area, with an increased fear of crime. You’ll also want to travel less to get to the hobbies you enjoy the most, as travel is one of the largest excuses given for not regularly attending community groups or outings. If the amenities you enjoy the most are nearby, you’ll spend more time being active. The neighborhood should be equally important to the comfortable amenities inside the home.
Custom Builds
Many retirees struggle to find a home that fits all of these needs. Talking with a professional builder will allow you to create your dream home, in the environment you so desire. In fact, those with specific desires in mind can often find themselves disappointed when they realize it’s nearly impossible to find a property with all of these features. As you should only move into a home that requires no maintenance or upgrades, building a home is the best option. In this way you can prevent stairs, choose your specific piece of land, upgrade to lower countertops and even install a jetted tub. You can work with these builders to ensure your property has all of the features needed to get the most out of your retirement. You can also ensure the home is large enough for visits from family members, but also not so large that you can’t enjoy the property.
Amenities
Choose a property close to community halls and golf courses. Even if you don’t golf, you can still benefit from the socialization that occurs in the clubhouse. Often book and garden clubs will meet here, helping you to build social relationships as a way to get more from retirement. As a general rule, these homes are often in quieter a neighborhood, which increases the value of your home and level of comfort.
Materials
Choose only homes with the best materials, as you don’t want to dip into your retirement fund to make these changes; you also don’t want to live around constant construction. Consider these elements and investment for the future, protecting your nest egg, should you choose to resell in the future. Choose stone or granite for entryway floors and countertops, while hardwood is much more durable than cheap laminate flooring. Carpet should be plush for your comfort, but also durable to ensure it will last throughout your retirement age. The same idea should be applied to your appliances and faucets, built from high-quality materials that are designed to last. Select a larger bathtub for late-night soaks, but also jetted tubs may help to keep relaxed during these retirement years. In the end, you want to choose items that won’t need constant upkeep, thus allowing you to fully revel in your retirement years. There’s something about coming home to a pristine, well-built home that makes it easy to live in comfort.
About the Author: Thomas M. Bird is a contributing author and former contractor. For 30 years, he worked with clients to design and build their dream homes using sustainable and affordable materials. After he retired, he worked with the top builder of distinctive custom homes to build his retirement property.