You may have heard buzz around the term “universal design” in recent years, but do you know what it is or how it affects the Bergen County NJ real estate and construction markets?

According to Lowes.com, universal design is the creation of products and environments meant to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialization. The intent is to simplify life for everyone by making products, communications and the built environment more usable by as many people as possible at little or no extra cost. Universal Design benefits people of all ages and abilities.

Think this is some “far out” theory just now working its way into the “modern” world?  Think again:  if you’ve ever walked through an automatic door, you’ve experienced a version of Universal Design.   Likewise, a ramp or curb cut is just as welcome to someone with a baby stroller as it is to someone in a wheelchair.
Universal Design has become a hot topic in the Bergen County NJ real estate market as more residents are retiring and making the decision to “age in place,” as opposed to moving into assisted living facilities.  As we discussed previously, this aging generation is already driving the design of new products for the home that will affect real estate in the future.  Even if you are not part of the “mature” population, however, Universal Design should be important to you.  If you are planning to build or renovate, keep in mind the principles of Universal Design and know that it’s more cost effective to add many Universal Design features during the planning stage. There are a number of design features that can be built for little or no cost. Their addition at the beginning saves the need for future retrofits.

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