March 2008
Stephen Thomas Homes – EasyLiving Homes

According to Stephen Thomas “Building new homes and renovating existing homes is more exciting – and challenging – than ever”. Life happens to everyone. We see our parents aging. We ourselves age. We may personally suffer an injury and temporarily lose our own mobility, wondering how in the world we will ever be able to even get into our own home until we heal. Stephen Thomas Homes “gets it” and hopes to change the way new housing and renovation needs are addressed within our community by responding to the increasing demand for user-friendly and visit-able housing. “We are privileged to be part of the Virginia replication of the Easy Living Home Coalition which originated in Georgia in 2002”.

The concept of Easy Living Homes is to promote visit-ability for everyone, regardless of physical circumstances. At least one stepless entry, a master bedroom, full bathroom, cooking facilities and an entertainment area all on the ground level of these homes welcome everyone and create a user-friendly and comfortable environment for everyone from grandparents to the young couple with toddlers in tow. “We are proud to be involved with the introduction of this new certified home concept to the Commonwealth of Virginia”. Thomas, a 29 year home buildingveteran, says: “The formation of the EasyLiving Home Coalition is almost complete. The 501-c-3 is now legitimate and all we're waiting for is a finalization of the license agreement with the Georgia organization.” The philosophy behind these welcominghomes enables not only agingin place, but gives peace of mindto owners, knowing that they will notnecessarily have to experience the stress of sellingtheir existinghome in the faceof an unexpectedchange inhealth or mobility, or purchasing a new home and suffering the ordeal of moving. According to Stephen Thomas Home’sPenny Anderson: “We hope to be able to care for our aging parents in the comfort of their own environment rather than seeing them unhappily relocated to an extended care facility”.

The thoughtful design of Easy Living Homes gives us the opportunity to welcome our loved ones into our daily lives and understand the many blessings of sharing all those great times we may well have otherwise missed. Small changes make these homes not only easy to visit, but highly marketable as well”. Anyone at least in their 40’s, considering a new home investment, may want to think carefully about how many more times in their life they expect to move, and if they really want to face the possibility of maneuvering in a home with unwieldy exterior steps, unmanageable interior stairs, narrow halls and doorways, and completely inaccessible bathrooms. If you love entertaining and are a baby-boomer, how long will your existing home lend itself to gracious entertaining for everyone in your personal circle? If you love your neighborhood and hate the thought of moving, certain home modifications may also yield the result you desire, enhance your property values, and increase resale potential if you decide to move later.

The concepts of both EasyLiving Homes and Universal Design are relatively new to central Virginia, and Stephen Thomas Homes is committed to educating both its’ neighbors and fellow builders about not only the benefits these design concepts embrace, but also the importance of including ‘green’ building elements and energy efficient products that contribute to personal health and the health of our environment as well. According to Thomas “A couple of years ago, we realized the importance of re-thinking our new home designs to reflect our commitment to building accessible and efficient housing that is livable for a lifetime for everyone. With each passing day we see a startling and growing need for homes that are friendlier and more convenient for us all, and we will strive to help our community meet this expanding demand”.

We invite everyone to experience the first certified EasyLiving Home in Virginia, located at: 2332 Thomas Kenny Drive in the new Spring Lake subdivision in Glen Allen during the annual Dream Home® Tour from 11am-5pm on March 8- 9th and 15-16th. Please stop by and experience the comfort, freedom, and mobility an Easy-
Living Home provides for everyone. We encourage you to visit these websites for additional information:
www.easylivinghome.org , www.earthcrafthouseva-sf.org , www.energystar.gov
For more info contact Stephen Thomas Homes at: 804-672-6806 www.stchomes.com  or visit the Home Building Association of Richmond’s site at: www.hbar.org.

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