September 2-September 15, 2015
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COLORADO REAL ESTATE JOURNAL
— Page 15B
A crafted design experience to support your market needs.
Market to
Place
T
here are two
main reasons why
millennials, first-time
buyers and move-up families are
being priced out of affordable
homes. Land development costs
are escalating for typical small-
and medium-size single-family
lots in the suburbs at three to
four homes per acre. Builders
are sold 60- to 70-foot-wide lots
at a range of between $70,000
and $100,000 each. Using the
4-1 ratio, a new home at these
densities costs between $350,000
and $400,000.
In my opinion, the state
Legislature refuses to enact a fair
and manageable construction
defect law, meaning that builders
do not want to build attached or
condominium products due to
the high probability of a lawsuit
and the insurance costs. There
simply is too much risk for
developers and builders to take
on these projects. Therefore,
a major apartment boom is
underway along the Front
Range. Thousands of units are
being built each year and many
more are on the way.
One solution to curb the
apartment boom is to create
higher-density, single-family
detached developments,
reducing costs to an affordable
level for mainstream buyers. Our
firm, along with Godden Sudik
Architects, created architectural
and land-planning layouts at
densities ranging from four to 15
homes per acre – all detached
properties. The layouts provide
pocket parks and open space
to create a less dense and more
wide-open feel. Utilizing side-
yard easements allows the homes
to open up to private rear patios
with usable outdoor space.
There are over 140 million
50-year-old-plus empty nesters
in the U.S., with 12,000 people
joining the group every day.
Many are looking for a single-
family detached home with
maintenance-free open floor
plans and single-level living.
The patio home layouts are in
short supply along the Front
Range. Empty-nest buyers
are downsizing and desire
convenient shopping, common
amenities, open space and
trails, without the outdoor
maintenance responsibilities
found in most developments.
Our research indicates that
buyers want something more
than unaffordable, standard,
car-dependent, suburban sprawl
living. Many people actually
prefer quaint neighborhoods
with a European feel,
especially if they are located
in a sustainable, walkable
community environment.
We created a 21-point
checklist for creating market-
driven sustainable walkable
communities that includes
reusing stormwater, creating
open spaces and xeriscaping.
Higher-density solutions
must be well designed, offer
increased privacy and contain
usable pocket parks, trails and
open spaces. Plans also aim
to reduce the impact of the
automobile, although each
home is set up with a two-car
garage and there is visitor
parking for guests. However,
the more walkable a community
is and the closer in proximity to
retail and services it is, the less
need there is for cars.
I encourage everyone to think
about new ideas and come
up with solutions to solve the
affordability issue. Builders,
developers, planners, architects,
and city and county officials
should be interested in creating
sustainable communities that
will stand the test of time and
provide value, preserve open
space, and contain parks and
trails. Remember, it’s not how
dense you make it; it’s how you
make it dense.
David Clinger
President, David A. Clinger &
Associates, Golden
Photos courtesy: Clinger & Associates
Land-planning layouts provide densities ranging from four to 15 homes
per acre.
Sustainable communities reuse stormwater and contain open spaces.
