Live life your way at K. Hovnanian’s new Cooper’s Landing development, which offers single-family detached homes with a limited-maintenance lifestyle
By Mitch Allen
My wife and I are turning 60 this year and our “hobby” is gardening. I put “hobby” in quotation marks because it hardly seems like one anymore. It’s beginning to feel forced upon us. The stress of mowing, edging, weeding, planting, fertilizing, mulching, pruning, etc. often prevents us from doing what we really want to do, not to mention home maintenance. Just last week, I climbed an extension ladder to patch a couple of large holes woodpeckers had made in the columns of our 1958 brick Georgian home.
It was dangerous and foolish. Although the ladder was secure, I still felt a little loopy up there; I just can’t tolerate heights like I used to.
In addition, our attic and garage are filled with things we never use; our children left home more than a decade ago; we have two extra bedrooms and a living room that are rarely occupied, and our master bedroom is two flights of stairs away from the basement washer and dryer.
Worse, in our front yard, there is a large flowerbed we call “the Paris Garden” because we built it instead of going to Paris.
More foolishness.
It’s time for us to consider downsizing.
“Right-sizing” at Cooper’s Landing
“We call it ‘right-sizing,’” says Michelle Arocho, sales manager for K. Hovnanian Home’s new Cooper’s Landing development near the Lorain/Amherst border (the address is Lorain but the neighborhood is located in the Amherst Exempted Village School District). “Cooper’s Landing is a brand new, limited-maintenance development of detached, single-family homes, so you can put away the lawn mower and the snow shovel,” she adds.
One of the secrets to smart retirement living is freedom—reducing concerns in your life so you are free to do what you want to do. My wife and I are becoming increasingly introverted as we approach retirement, so one of the things I like most about this neighborhood is there is no pressure to participate in activities. There is no swimming pool, no clubhouse, and no notices inviting you to the latest ice cream social.
“Some people like all those activities, but not everyone,” explains Michelle. “Our residents don’t have the expense or the stress associated with a clubhouse environment. In fact, rather than an HOA fee of hundreds of dollars per month, ours is just $75. Combine that with home prices in the mid-$200s, and Cooper’s Landing is remarkably affordable.”
Wow, we could save enough to really go to Paris.
Many people apparently appreciate this relaxed lifestyle. Of the 24 homesites in this phase, 13 have already been snatched up.
Two Different Floorplans
Cooper’s Landing offers two different floor plans: the Bedford, which is 1,574 square feet, and the Eastwood, which is 1,780. Both feature a great room/dining/kitchen combination indicative of an open floor plan, along with two bedrooms, two baths, and a “bonus room” with optional double doors
“Lots of our residents use this space for a home office, while others turn it into a hobby room or even a third bedroom for grandchildren or other guests,” says sales consultant Marlene Huffman, who will likely be the person who answers the phone when you call. “It’s completely up to you.”
Both floor plans are also designed with private views so you’re not looking into your neighbors’ windows and they’re not looking into yours.
One of the defining characteristics of Cooper’s Landing is that the homes are built on solid concrete slabs so there are no dark, musty basements. I’m from Alabama/Georgia where virtually no one had a basement. My wife and I didn’t become underground mole people until we moved to Northeast Ohio. In the first house we looked at back in 1994, the real estate agent opened the basement door and my wife said, “I’m not going down there. Haven’t you seen Silence of the Lambs?”
Of course, the absence of a basement or a second story means there are no stairs anywhere except for a small step-up from the two-car garage. That’s not just important to me; it’s also important to both my knees. And as new construction, your home qualifies for a tax abatement, which means you don’t pay property taxes for 15 years.
Finally, Cooper’s Landing is conveniently located near both a Lowe’s and a Home Depot, but with a brand new home in a limited-maintenance development—you’ll never have to go there.
The on-site sales office for K. Hovnanian’s new Cooper’s Landing is located 3502 Cooper’s Trail in Lorain. For more information or to schedule a tour, call 440-271-8384. For more information, visit Khov.com/cooperslanding.