Homing in on a need

The first tenants are slated to move into new free-standing cottages on a 7-acre lot in Clarkston as early as late January.

Some of the 58 one-story dwellings in the Dimke Properties development near the Asotin County Family Aquatic Center have already been leased at market rates that begin at $800 a month, said Tiffany Janikowski, a residential property manager at Paragon Equity Management in Richland.

“A lot of people are curious,” said Asotin County Planner Karst Riggers of the homes. “We’ve gotten a lot of questions about them.”

The Dimke Properties’ project is one of at least two new housing options in Asotin County that cater to an often unmet demand for single-level residences.

Another is being developed by Dan Yonge’s Lewiston company, Quality Design Homes, which is selling 41 townhouses at Sixth Avenue and Appleside Boulevard in the Clarkston Heights.

“(The idea) came from searching for a single level for my folks,” said Ryan Higgins, a real estate agent representing Quality Design Homes. “The competition was stiff.”

That’s likely because the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley has a large population of senior citizens, who often prefer single-level homes since they lengthen the amount of time they can live independently, Higgins said.

Yet, trying to buy one can be frustrating because so many of the homes on the market have split-level layouts with stairs that can make simple chores like buying groceries taxing for older people, he said.

Janikowski has observed that trend too. She’s been fielding inquiries about Cottages at the Aquatic Center from seniors as well as young singles and professional couples.

“There’s been a lot of interest,” she said.

Each one has a front porch, a back patio, living room and kitchen equipped with a dishwasher, stove and refrigerator as well as hookups for clothes washers and dryers.

Occupants of the single-bedroom units will have one reserved parking spot, while those who rent the two- and three-bedroom units will get two parking spaces.

“(Tenants) will not have to mow or do any yardwork,” Janikowski said. “It will be a very nice, simple living community.”

Unlike Cottages at the Aquatic Center, the Quality Design Homes townhomes are for sale, not rent.

The townhomes have two floor plans that both have three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a two-car garage. The smaller one is 1,418 square feet and starts at $249,900. The larger one is 1,563 square feet and starts at $273,900.

The prices include landscaping and vary depending on the options buyers choose for items such as flooring and bathroom fixtures, Higgins said.

“It’s a turn-key product,” he said.

The new housing options should benefit Asotin County, Riggers said.

The Cottages at Aqua Center, for instance, will help meet demand for rentals and are in a location that is close to services such as medical clinics, grocery stores and credit unions.

“They’ve done a great job in planning out the development,” he said. “They’re doing well in what they’ve set out to do.”

Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.