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Housing

Housing Fulfills Human Needs

• Physical

– Protection from the weather

– A place to eat, sleep and be safe

• Emotional

– Allows a place to relax and pursue interest in privacy

– Decorate to reflect your personal taste

• Social

– Gathering place for friends and family

– Place to work, play and relax together

Influences of Housing Decisions

First consider needs and

wants and then find a way

to balance those needs and

wants with available

resources.

What needs and wants should you

consider? • Family size

– How much room is needed?

– How many are in the family?

– Married, single, Number of children

• Family life cycle – What are the ages of the family members?

– Newly wed, new parents, empty nest

• Special needs of family members – Do any family members have special needs?

– Elderly, handicapped, space for hobbies

– Does anyone need a wheelchair or walker?

Special Needs

• Kitchens

– Lower counter tops

– Special faucets

– Braille knobs

• Bathrooms

– Grab bars

– Non-slip strips on the shower floor

• Floors

– Hard finishes are easier for wheelchairs and walkers

• Stairs

– Railings on both sides

– Ramps

– Wider hallways and doorways

• Lighting

– Lights turned on at entrance and exit

– Brighter lights for people with vision problems

Needs continued…

• Location

– Do you need to be close to your job, a school, or

transportation?

– Do you want a quiet or busy location?

– Do you want access to stores and amenities

• Environment

– Do you want to be away from noise and pollution?

– Do you want to be in a community that recycles

resources?

More needs and wants…

• Technology

– Do you want access to high-speed internet

and cable?

• Lifestyle

– What are the interests and activities of the

family?

– What needs and wants are associated with

these interest and activities?

Consider Family Resources • After deciding what the family needs and

wants, consider the financial aspects of

buying a home.

• Experts recommend spending no more

than 28 % of your income on housing

expenses.

• These expenses include: insurance, taxes,

repairs, and utilities (basic services, such

as electricity, gas, oil, water, and sewer

services)

How to stretch your housing dollars

Human resources can stretch your

housing dollars:

– Construction skills

– Decorating skills

– Time

– Energy

– Creativity

Types of Housing

Single Family Homes

– Do not share walls with another housing unit

– May be small or large

– Give more privacy

– Usually are more expensive than other types

of housing

– Includes manufactured (mobile) homes

Multi-family Homes

Share one or more walls with another dwelling

– Often more affordable

– Costs varies with size and features

– Laundry, pool and special features may be shared

with other families

– Give less privacy

– Limited storage space

– Little or no yard area

– Pets may not be allowed

Multi-family Dwellings

Duplex

– Two separate units sharing one wall or they

may be located on different levels of the same

building

Duplex

Multiplex

• Similar to duplex, but has three or more

units sharing one building

Town Houses

• Built in rows and attached to one another

at the side walls

Townhouse

• An apartment building covers any

structure that has rental units for more

than two families. Apartment building

range from large older homes divided into

three or four apartments to a high-rise with

hundreds of units.

Renting

• Rent means paying money to live in a housing

unit that is owned by some else.

• Owners of rental property are called landlords.

• When you rent housing you must sign a lease or

written rental agreement. The lease states that

you agree to pay rent a for a certain number of

months. It specifies the monthly fee and rules

you must follow to remain in the building.

• Always read before signing.

Renting Continued…

• A security deposit is required before

moving in the unit.

• The land lord may keep a portion or all of

the deposit if you do not leave the unit in

order when you move out.

Rental Terminology

AEK

A/C

applcs

appt

Apt

Avl

Ba

Bldg

Blk

All electric kitchen

Air conditioning

Appliances

Appointment

Apartment

Available

Bath

Building

Block

Terminology continued…

Cpl only Couples only

Cpt, crpt carpet

DW Dishwasher

Dntn Downtown

Elev Elevator

Entr Entrance

Facils Facilities

Frig refrigerator

Frplce fireplace

Terminology continued…

Grbg Garbage

Gar Garage

Hdwd flrs Hardwood floors

Dntn Downtown

Hskpg rm Housekeeping room

Incl Includes

Info Information

Inq Inquire

Kitch prv Kitchen privileges

Advantages of Renting

• Convenience

– Landlord does repairs

• Flexibility

– Do not have to sell your home to move

• Financial Advantages

– No unexpected costs for repairs

– No taxes

Buying a Home

• Many people buy a home because they

value the feeling of permanence

• Owning a home also offers freedom to

redecorate or remodel

• Buying a home is the most expensive

purchase most families make

Home Buying Terminology

• Mortgage – a long-term loan for the house

– Typically mortgages last for 15 to 30 years

– Longer mortgages amount to more money repaid

• Down Payment–

– Money paid before the loan

– Typically 10%-20% of the cost of the house

• Interest –

– Percentage charged for the use of the money

– Higher interest means you pay more money back

Watch the Interest

• A 30 year mortgage for $100,000 at 10%

will cost $215,000 to repay

• Having a mortgage has some advantages:

– Tax deductible

– Allows money to be invested in ways that

might earn more money than you would

spend on the interest payments

Buying

• All repairs are paid by the owner

• Yard work is done by the owner

• Property Taxes are paid by the owner, but

can be can be taken off on your yearly tax

Many People want a home, but

do not want the responsibilities

of yard work. For these people

two options are available:

• Condominium

• Cooperative or Co-op ?

Condominiums

• Individually owned units in a multiple-family

dwelling

• The owner pays a fee to help cover the cost of

maintaining hallways, landscaping, parking lots

and other common areas.

• The area from the walls in belongs to the owner

and may be decorated or remodeled to fit the

owner’s personal taste

• Rules of conduct are voted on my all owners

Cooperative

• Residents form an organization that owns

the building

• Members buy shares in the organization

and contribute to its monthly costs

• Each member receives one of the living

units

Sharing a Home

• Individuals combine finances to better

meet their housing needs

• Sharing a home only works if people are

thoughtful of one another

• If possible, every member of the

household should have some

degree of privacy

Choosing a Place to Live

• People often change housing as needs

and resources change

• The decision to move should be made

carefully

• Moving is expensive

How can housing reflect your

individuality?

Check out these unusual homes!

Strange Homes

Assignment

• Your row is forming a cooperative housing

group. Each desk is an individual unit.

• Make up a name for your housing

complex.

• Make a list of restrictions for tentants.

• Make a list of rules for your housing unit.

• Include what will be done if the rules are

not followed.

Housing Trends

• Culture

• Demographics (number of people in the

area)

• Economics

– Jobs in the area, cost of housing, interest

rates

• Society (moving south to retire, moving

often)