Would you believe that you could be looking at pictures of new homes in a catalog one day and just a few weeks later that one of these homes could be built for you from several boxes of materials? That is just how over 100,000 people built new homes across the United States during the period between 1908 and 1940. This offered affordable housing to people who would otherwise not have been able to own a home of their own. Also, when the boxes arrived at your door the home could be assembled and completed that day!

Many people received the Sears catalog and would look through more than a hundred different models to find the one that would suit their needs. They ranged in price from about $400 for a three room model without a bathroom to over $3,000 for a seven room home with oak doors, shutters, and a granite bath tub.

These homes were referred to as “kit houses” and were very popular during this time. Sears offered a payment plan, a cross between a credit card and a mortgage, so that people could live in the house while they were still paying for it. You could also pay extra to have a construction supervisor assist you with putting the kit together.

Other companies like Montgomery Ward and Aladdin also sold homes by mail, but Sears was the most well known and sold more than the others. This was seen as an affordable and quick way to build a house for your family. Entire neighborhoods across the United States consist of these homes. Sometimes a company needed housing for its workers and ordered a dozen or more at a time. Water and sewer lines were connected and the new neighborhood could be completed within a week of receiving the materials.

Today there are still kit homes available from many companies that specialize in them. They are primarily used as vacation homes or cabins. Many communities prohibit manufactured homes in certain areas of town because of the belief that they will bring down property values.

Sears destroyed many records over the years so it is now impossible to find all of the homes. There are people who have made a hobby of locating them and listing them as historic buildings. Many times someone currently living in a kit home is not even aware that their home is of that type.

This is another part of the history of home building across the United States. The American dream of owning a home can take on many different forms and this is just one of them.

Many people consider departing UK shores and creating a new life in Spain. Such a consideration is not limited only to those approaching retirement, but encapsulates the entire age spectrum; and those that do make the move find that they are stimulated and invigorated to adopt a new and refreshing alternative lifestyle. In excess of a half million people have purchased a property in Spain – and many have now made their home in the country.

But, what is the attraction of living abroad from the UK? Often, it is a growing element of dissatisfaction with living in the UK which often triggers the deliberation process. The most common complaint is the UK weather with its short summer period and lengthy dull winter; however issues such as security, congested roads, expensive living costs and the demanding pace of life are also becoming more prevalent considerations.

Once the decision to consider living in another country has been made, Spain rapidly becomes the number one choice. Spain was originally recognised as a place to spend holiday time, but recent years has seen Spain grow in stature as a country - particularly since joining the EU. Only a short two hour flight away, the people of Spain are warm, friendly, welcoming and accept those who arrive to develop the country. However, Spain has much more to offer potential property buyers than a warm welcome.

As a country, Spain is modern in outlook yet retaining an old world charm, and despite being a country five times the size of the UK, Spain has many obvious appeals, such as a lower population, an excellent communications network and a massive coastline, as well as mountains ranges in the north and inland all waiting to be explored. Meanwhile, all of Spain’s major cities have magnificent buildings, parks and museums to satisfy the most discerning culture vulture; while age-old traditions are maintained, with celebrations and fiestas occurring throughout the year.

Being a warm and substantially Mediterranean climate also has its advantages in dietary terms; masses of fresh, locally produced fruit and vegetables; an abundance of fresh fish caught the same day, and cooking with olive oil are all staples of typical Mediterranean cuisine. Furthermore, embracing the outdoor life also lends itself to a healthier lifestyle. All types of sport and leisure can be enjoyed in Spain, with football, basketball and cycling being especially ardent activities; additionally buying a Spanish property near to the coast affords the option of water sports. And of course, there is golf; courses are available for play every day of the year with no winter greens or course closures, and Spain boasts a superb choice of courses from nine holes to championship courses.

However, it’s not just the attractions that Spain offers that make it a popular choice. Everyday living costs are generally lower than in the UK, with the weekly food bill being the obvious one; as for motoring, not only is petrol cheaper but also road tax is lower. Plus, the need to heat a Spanish home is a rarity, thus considerably reduced heating costs are attained. Furthermore, Local authority service charges are also low in comparison to the UK.

Moving abroad doesn’t mean cutting yourself off from your friends and family left behind either. With the UK being only two hours flight time away, visits to family in the UK are easy, with an array of flights serving most UK airports. This travel time compares favourably with driving time from Manchester to London, for example, and can prove to be a lot less stressful.

For those considering moving to Spain, a key element in finding a suitable property is to make contact with a reputable, established property agent. In Costa Calida and Costa Blanca - two of the most established and growing areas - many companies offer a search-and-find Spanish property service. However, it is essential to choose an agent carefully so that professional advice is provided to cover all aspects of the buying process. SpainDirect4U, for example, not only provide a full search-and-find operation for new build Spanish properties, but can also effect introductions to companies providing all the necessary services to cover every eventuality arising from ownership of Spanish home.

“Accessibility”, as it pertains to the design of buildings, is a term that most of us are somewhat familiar with. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (the “ADA”) mandates that most buildings used by the public be designed for ease of use by persons with many kinds of disabilities. We’ve all seen accessible parking spaces, ramps, and washrooms in retails stores, airports, and office buildings.

Homes, too, should incorporate design features and products that are easier to use by people of all ages and abilities. It’s a concept called “universal design”. For most people however, the image of an accessible home is one of fluorescent lights, wheelchair ramps, and white porcelain plumbing fixtures – more like a clinic than a home.

But an accessible home needn’t be like that at all. In fact, many design features and fixtures that work well for accessibility are also well suited for just about anyone. Accessible design is often just plain good design - a well-integrated accessible home design can and should extend a home’s usability through more than just one phase of family life.

Start In The Kitchen

Making a house more accessible isn’t particularly difficult or expensive. You might even have some universal design principals at work in your kitchen now.

“Side-by-side” refrigerators are more usable by a person in a wheelchair - unlike a unit with the freezer mounted on top. Inside the refrigerator, sliding shelves eliminate the need to reach all the way to the back to retrieve what you want.

A very common disabling condition associated with aging is reduced physical strength, which can make cooking in a large pot difficult if it has to be lifted into and out of the sink to fill with water. Instead of a standard kitchen faucet, install a “goose-neck” spout that allows the pot to be filled without lifting it into the sink. And place the cooktop nearby so that the pot can be easily slid across the countertop to the burner – no lifting required.

The latest in dishwasher design is the “drawer” type like those from Fisher & Paykel and KitchenAid. Drawer dishwashers don’t require as much bending over to load and unload and because there’s no door in the way, they’re more easily used from a sitting position.

Staying Home

As the American population ages and as housing prices escalate, many homeowners are trying to stay in their homes longer. Too often however, family homes are primarily designed for young families and become rapidly obsolete when they can no longer provide the convenience and safety that older citizens need. It’s an unfortunate result of a “disposable home” mentality – but that’s a topic for a future article!

A few simple design changes can make almost any home better able to support changing lifestyles, as ease of use and safety become important issues. One of the easiest is the installation of blocking for grab bars at appropriate places in the bath when the house is built. These simple and inexpensive structural supports are used for the future installation of grab bars, which provide increased safety in showers, tubs, and at toilets.

Another easy change is using “lever-type” door hardware - popular because of its looks and ease of use but also a requirement for persons with reduced strength or restricted mobility. Widening the doors a few inches can also extend the useable life of the house. Standard thirty-inch doors aren’t wide enough for wheelchairs and can be difficult for anyone with trouble walking. A thirty-six inch wide door solves both problems and makes moving furniture a lot easier, too.

Ups and Downs

Stairs are the biggest obstacle to making any home accessible. Typically, a fully accessible home must be all on one level – no stairs, step-downs, or even door thresholds. But a one-level home is more costly to build than a two-story and may require a larger property.

A better solution is a residential elevator. Sound expensive? Compared to the cost of a one-level home on a larger lot, an elevator is a very reasonable expense. It only adds about sixty square feet to the floor plan, and enables easy access to the first floor, the second floor, and the basement. Even better, only the elevator shaft need be installed now – the actual elevator equipment doesn’t have to be in place until it’s needed, maybe many years down the road.

Easier Than You Might Think

In most cases, accessible or universal design isn’t much more than good design sense and a desire to make houses usable by everyone – and isn’t that a worthy goal for any house, regardless of the current occupants? Our houses are sometimes a little too disposable – we can easily make them less so by making them more functional for a wide range of homeowners with and without disabilities. We’ll all benefit from design that helps people stay in their homes longer.

The growth in Benidorm has been occurring at a rapid rate. There are many reasons for this. It ranges from people building a vacation home to those that are using the property as an investment to use as rental or lease property.

Here are some tips for buying property in Benidorm, Spain. First do your research. Look into potential areas of growth as well as locating the hot spots. Look at the trends and determine where people are buying the most property or which section is the most likely to be developed so as to attract the most people if you are looking at investment property. Look at the location and talk to local realtors to determine where the best spot will be.

Make sure that you go and look at several areas on your own to determine what you view to be the best investment. Look into making multiple trips or making multiple stops on a single trip in order to help you in your decision making process.

Make sure you know how much you can spend when you are looking into getting these properties. Determine your limits and figure out how much house or rental property that you will be able to maintain. You do not want to lose your primary property in the process as it will in most cases be used as collateral.

When you do decide to go and visit different locations on your visit to Spain make sure that you use a real estate agent. They will be able to get you in and out of properties easier as well as be able to set up multiple visits in one day. If you do not speak Spanish, be sure to locate an agent that speaks your language.

Make sure that you have an attorney who is familiar with real estate law in Spain to make your purchase go smoother. This will make your Benidorm property purchase smooth and easy.

Determine If You Will Rent Or Own In Benidorm

Make sure that if you will be renting during your visit that you do book far enough in advance so as to secure the property that you want to use while you are there. Make sure you know when the peak seasons are on the Costa Blanca so as to determine what will work best for you.

If you want to own and do not want to live in n area that is very busy you may want to consider looking into one of the outlying areas of Benidorm.