You are what you eat and apparently you are where you live. Yes, wellness real estate is a thing. Author and spiritual guide, Deepak Chopra lives in a multi-million dollar health-centric condo in New York. And while that’s not the norm, as a PMC or HOA, creating a community that focuses on wellness should be on your radar. Here’s why:
Real estate wellness is a $134 billion industry, according to a 2017 Global Wellness Institute study. And it’s growing annually by 6.4%. The researchers also found that the environment we live in influences our health.
“Our homes, communities, and surrounding environment directly affect our daily behaviors and lifestyles, and together these determine up to 80-90% of our health outcomes. Since our homes are typically our most important personal investment and expenditure, it is only logical that they should also be an investment in our health and wellbeing.”
Happy and healthy residents means less turnover and a more stable and strong community! As an HOA or PMC, you can definitely foster community wellness in just a few small steps.
- Encourage physical activity like taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Share resources about local CSA’s, farmer’s markets, and healthful meal delivery services. Or better yet, build a community garden and have residents plant and maintain their own plots of veggies.
- Install more secure bike racks or if you don’t have any in your community, consider purchasing them.
- Landscaping can make a big difference in how your residents use your community. Do you have room to develop a pocket park or walking/running paths?
- Make sure the bike paths clearly marked and branches and bushes are trimmed back so that sidewalks and paths are usable.
- Consider applying for a grant. Google community wellness grants and there are tons of opportunities for grants for everything from trees to playgrounds.
- Show your residents that you are committed to making your community a better place installing energy efficient light bulbs, clean and modern-looking recycling bins, water-saving faucets, etc.
The tangible ROI for this kind of investment may not be immediately measurable but taking any of these inexpensive steps can have great impact. I remember in one airline bathroom (I think it was Virgin America …) and it said, “we’re all in this togethernear the hand soap. It’s a simple message but speaks loudly about the need for everyone to pitch in however they can.
Focusing on wellness can help improve resident experience in your community. Download your copy of our free Six-Step Guide to Providing an Exceptional Resident Experience for more tips!
