There’s a lot to love about home ownership, but at some point, it can lose its luster once the daily maintenance and upkeep shift from being enjoyable to overwhelming. Pool maintenance, lawn and landscape work, and simply cleaning more rooms than you use can cut into prime time that could be spent relaxing, traveling, or pursuing favorite hobbies.
Dallas builders have noticed the need for low-maintenance living and are designing and constructing luxury homes designed to do just that. Think moderate square-footage single-story homes on zero-lot lines thoughtfully designed smaller two-story homes with only a guest suite upstairs, laundry rooms situated right off the master bedroom closet, and high-end “single touch” energy-efficient features throughout.
“There comes a time for home owners who have lived in their homes 15 to 30 years to decide whether they want to invest money into remodeling or just move,” says Kelly Ongena, director of sales for Hawkins-Welwood Homes. “For many of our clients, the question becomes, ‘Do we really want to remodel the same size home that suited our family’s needs 20 years ago, or do we want a fresh start in a home that meets our needs of today?’ At Hawkins-Welwood, our goal is to design the perfect home and community that satisfies our customers’ unique needs, as well as present-day lifestyle.”
Hawkins-Welwood’s newest low-maintenance living community, The Lawn at Glen Abbey, is located right beside Dallas’ coveted Glen Abbey community at Preston and Keller Springs roads. Many of the homes here, such as one pictured at 36 Fawn Wood, have swapped traditional back yards for breathtaking greenway views. Ongena says many home buyers seeking low-maintenance living are empty-nesters who want a lock-and-leave lifestyle to travel more, as well as families who don’t want their time to be consumed with the upkeep of an expansive home. “These homes are perfect for anyone looking for low-maintenance luxury.” she says. “They’re effortless.”
The goal of a low-maintenance home is livability. Unique, custom, and open floorplans take into consideration how the owners live. For instance, if you spend 90 percent of your time on the first floor of your current home, the new home can be designed so that everything you need is easily accessible on the first floor – no more running up and down stairs for something you forgot. If an extra bedroom and bathroom are needed for guests and grandkids, those can be the only rooms upstairs. Homes can also be designed to “live in place”. For example—pre-wired elevator closets for ease of second-story access. This space can serve as a storage closet or work as an elevator should it become necessary.
And, of course, there are the perks of new construction in a luxury community, such as builder home warranties and security. The Lawn at Glen Abbey is a gated community with a 24-hour guard which provides an added level of security. Low-maintenance homes are designed and constructed with efficiency in mind. They come standard with tankless water heaters, HVAC units situated in designated zones so you’re only cooling and heating the areas you use, and lawns maintained by the HOA. Top-of-the-line Sub Zero and Wolf appliances, white-oak hardwood floors, and 11-foot ceilings are certainly nice, but it’s the ease of living that a luxury low-maintenance home offers that buyers appreciate the most. Says Ongena, “The ability to truly utilize every part of your home, while not feeling overwhelmed with maintenance and upkeep, creates priceless peace of mind.”
