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Chapter 4Choosing a Place to Live

Housing Decisions

By Evelyn Lewis & Carolyn Turner

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LocationLocation

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• When choosing a place to live, you will need to carefully consider the following:

a. Region or area of the world, country or state.

b. Community-country, suburb, or city

c. Neighborhood or section of the community

d. Composition of the population

e. Site or lot within the neighborhood

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Region

• A region is a specific part of the world, country, or state in which your live.

HoustonHouston

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Community

• A region is divided into communities.

• A community may be a large city, small village, or rural area.

• Cities are high-density areas where many people live together.

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• Rural areas & the outskirts of towns and cities are low-density areas.

• Some communities are for specific groups (i.e.: retirement communities)

• Some are developed by businesses for employees and their families.

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Neighborhood

• Regions = communities

• Communities = neighborhood

• A neighborhood consists of a group of houses and people.

• The buildings in a neighborhood are normally similar in age, design, and cost.

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Physical Neighborhood

• Physical neighborhood is determined by the way the land and building are used.

• Some neighborhood are residential (houses), commercial (shopping, stores, businesses), industrial (factories, warehouses and plants).

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Zoning Regulations & Other

• Zoning regulations control land use in certain areas.

• Housing developers subdivide land and making improvements such as streets and street lighting before building structures. They set limits called restrictions.

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• Planned neighborhood is usually in a zoned area with restrictions.

• In a planned neighborhood, the size and layout of individual lots are determined before dwellings are built.

• All houses must fit into the overall plan.

• Construction & types of design are sometimes controlled.

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• Many planned neighborhoods include recreational facilities.

• Parks & playgrounds are built in locations that are convenient to the people living in the neighborhood.

• Clubhouses are built for meetings/social activities.

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Planned Neighborhood

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Population Composition

• Type of people in any neighborhood may be quite varied = heterogeneous.

• If the residence are very similar to each other, the neighborhood is = homogeneous.

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Site

• A location within a neighborhood is called a site, or lot.

• A site is the piece of land on which the dwelling is built.

• Each site has its own character (size, shape, contour, soil type).

Natural Restraints

• Natural restraints are those that come from nature.

• Topography is the configuration of a surface including its natural and manufactured features showing their relative positions and elevations.

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Topography

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• Landscaping is altering the topography and adding decorative plantings to change the appearance of a site.

• Orientation is placing a structure on a site in consideration of the location of the sun, prevailing winds, water sources, and scenic view.

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Space Planning & Zoning

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Public Zone

Is the part of the site that can be seen from the street or road.

It is usually in front of the house.

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Service Zone

The part of the site that is used for necessary activities.

Like: sidewalks, driveways, and storage (trash cans, lawn equipment, firewood, & cars).

Many, have this area screened from view and should be directly connected to the indoor service areas (i.e.: kitchen /laundry area)

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Private ZoneThis is the part of the site hidden from public view.

It has space for recreation and relaxation.

Can be separated by using shrubs, hedges, screens, fences and/or walls.

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Types of HousingTypes of Housing

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Multifamily Houses

• Multifamily house is a structure that provides housing for more than one household.

• Examples:

a. High rise apartments

b. Low rise apartment

c. Triplex apartment (3 households)

d. Duplex apartment (2 households)

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Rentals

• Vary in number and type of facility.

• Amenities (laundry, appliances, tennis, swimming).

• Examples:

a. Penthouse…top of apartment building

b. Garden Apt… one story with landscape

c. Efficiency Apt…one main room, kitchen, and bathroom

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Condominium

• Ownership where the buyer owns individual living space and also owns an undivided interest in the common areas and facilities of the multiunit project.

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Single Family Home

Designed to house one family. Can be rented

or owned.

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Townhomes / Row House

• Have at least two floors.

• Attached by a common wall.

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Freestanding House

• Not connected to another unit.

• Contractor is a person who contracts, or agrees, to supply certain materials or do certain work for a special fee.

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• Factory Built House…Constructed in a plant and moved to a site.

• Modular Housing…coordinated in a series of modules.

• Manufactured Housing…built in a factory.

Moving to a New Home

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• Changes in lifestyle, occupation, socioeconomic status, or other life situations also cause people to move.

• Relocating family and possessions is likely to cause stress.

• Get rid of items you don’t need/want.

• Have a garage sale, recycle, or donate to a charity (good for tax deduction).

• Use the moving checklist.

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Moving Yourself

• There are many good reasons for tackling the job yourself.

• First the cost is about one-third that of a professional mover.

• Second, you can move on your own schedule.

• Third, you & your goods arrive at the same time.

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• Plan ahead.

• Estimate the amount of items to be moved. This helps choose the correct truck.

• Have on hand, furniture pads, dollies or moving cartons.

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Hiring a Moving Company

• Choose only licensed movers and obtain at least three written estimates to compare.

• Ask them about insurance. Read the fine print. Ask about additional cost.

• Ask about discount moves and nonpeak moving time.

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• How much packing will you do, if any.

• Cost of packing boxes and the service of packing & unpacking are not included in the actual moving expenses.

• Make sure the dwelling is clean and ready for occupancy.

• Decide how you want the furniture to be arranged & supervise.

• Check for damages.

• Bill of landing, the receipt of goods shipped.

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Assignments

• Chapter Notes• Flash Cards for Types of Houses• SAG: Activity E “Choices”, pg. 35

Homework Due: ___________________________• SAG: Activity B “Evaluating a Place to Live”, pg. 31

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