An AIA architect offers alternatives that benefit the first-time home buyer on Long Island

Although the country is experiencing a drop in home prices and sales, the same cannot immediately be said for Long Island. With the exception of Hawaii and Alaska, which are not part of the greater continental United States, Long Island's geographical features along with its proximity to the financial institutions of New York City, has kept Long Island from experiencing the same slumping real estate market. The lure of living on Long Island has been drawing people here since the early 1900s, when at the turn of the century, the wealthy discovered the beauty of Long Island and made this their place to create numerous elaborate mansions and held sophisticated parties. Even today, some one hundred years later, the attraction with our world class beaches, the enticing short commute to work in New York City and the obvious American Dream of owning a home in the suburbs has continued to draw Americans to the unparalleled beauty and benefits of living here on Long Island. The current market conditions have obviously caused a significant downturn in the economy and thus has created difficulties for first-time purchasers to obtain approvals from lending institutions for mortgages. And although the number of new building permit applications at many of the Long Island townships have recently subsided, the inventory of existing housing (both new and aging) on Long Island still affords many opportunities for present homeowners to intelligently increase the value of their homes by retaining the services of an AIA Architect. Many of the homes on Long Island are now reaching a mature age in terms of adaptability for future generations and life-span of the structure. Depending upon the previous owners attention to caring for the "vital organs" to a healthy home, some aging homes have met the unfortunate faith of the wrecking ball. However, working with an AIA architect, the first-time buyers or present homeowners have the opportunity to explore the creative and economical opportunities that they would otherwise not realize. A generation ago, the retiring population of Long Island made an exodus to the south, primarily, Florida. Now, many Long Islanders reaching retirement age, are electing to stay on Long Island, closer to the family, friends and grandchildren. Today's AIA architect has the resources to offer many alternatives, including cost effective design solutions, applying energy efficient methods and technology to reduce energy cost, and recommending eco-friendly materials to transition the older structures to today's environmentally sensitive lifestyle. All in all making for a better place to live, work and play for this and for future generations of Americans who chose living here on Long Island. Joseph Chearmonte is the president of Joseph J. Chearmonte Architect, PC, Bellmore, N.Y. and the president of the Long Island chapter of AIA.