Peter G. Miller
OurBroker®

The road from Larmie to Fort Collins probably runs 75 miles and for the most part you will see no townhouses, no condos, no subdivisions, and not much of anything else. It's a beautiful place; there are a few houses and ranches, and if Manhattan-sized stretches of open space seem attractive this is one area to consider.

Across America there's a new real estate boom, one powered by changing demographics, technologies and lifestyles. As the population grows we have a ready market both for the existing housing stock as well as demand for a new class of houses and a wider choice of locations.

It looks like 1998 will be a banner year for realty sales, with existing home purchases topping 4.75 million units according to the National Association of Realtors -- up more than 12 percent over 1997, a record year itself. These are remarkable figures when you consider that most people already have a house, so why all the moving and building?

• Demographics. The prosperous baby boom generation is getting older and now wants homes more attuned to a changing lifestyle: first-floor master bedrooms; less yard to maintain; bigger baths, kitchens, and closets; garage space for two and three cars, a "great room" rather than a living room.

• Lifestyles. We're less formal than our parents and grandparents, so new designs tend to be roomy and relaxed. Bigger spatial volumes have become practical because we have more efficient heating and cooling, better windows, and new designs.

• Location. Faxes, modems and the Internet mean that telecommuting and home offices have become real for millions of people. For many workers it's no longer necessary to locate near the factory or office -- living in remote areas, the mountains, or near oceans is increasingly practical.

• Designs. Residences with built-in home office features -- extra phone jacks, additional storage, separate entrances -- are now entirely common.

• Nesting. More and more homes are becoming sanctuaries where we not only sleep and eat, but also where we vacation -- think of the homes built on golf courses and ski resorts, the homes with spas and saunas, the communities which offer extensive amenity packages.

What's the commotion in Minnesota? Reading most news reports you might think the citizenry there has opted to dismantle the state government by electing a former wrestler as governor. Or is it a good thing to have an election won by someone who did not accept PAC money or large contributions? Consider the issues and views of the new governor for yourself by turning to the Jesse Ventura home page.

Published: December 1, 1998

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

Editor's Note: This article reflects the opinions of Peter Miller only and not necessarily the views of this or any other publication, organization or Website owner.