What Does Health Have To Do With Buying A Home?

One of today’s buzzwords is wellness and it is a strong selling point

By Joseph Wong

The wellness of a home is important for both its appeal and its worth in a world where people have just grappled past the coronavirus crisis and its impact on society’s behaviour.

It is given that buyers view their homes as investments in their own well-being, therefore a structure’s contribution towards health and wellness is becoming more and more significant.

This is in part due to the rise in the awareness of self-care, a trend that is growing among the Malaysian population as they realise that ultimately their well-being lies in their own hands.

Many believe that the term self-care equates to things like relaxation, me time, spa visits, sleep or vacations, with some people still viewing it negatively as being selfish, indulgent or neglecting obligations.

In truth, self-care is the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health provider, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

This perspective encompasses much more than just actions or behaviours involving self-indulgence or pleasure. Self-care can take many different forms, depending on the individual’s own circumstances at the time. Each person might practise self-care very differently than someone else.

The major objective is to improve general health and well-being. Self-care is not something one does merely because the person has the time or the chance to. It is the conscious decision to engage in activities that will replenish or renew yourself rather than drain you.

Getting enough sleep, eating healthily, and engaging in activities that are intellectual, practical, physical, or spiritual according to interests are some examples of self-care. At the same time, the health of a building is also becoming more and more paramount.

“Health and wellness always play a major role in selecting homes when the buyers have bigger budgets to spend and can afford to choose their own place. If there is a limited budget, the roof above his head and other more critical

factors, for example, total apartment size, number of rooms and location come into play,” said Savills Malaysia managing director and head Datuk Paul Khong.

People’s everyday habits and lifestyles are strongly influenced by their homes, communities, and environment, which combined account for 80% to 90% of health outcomes. It makes sense that since a home is often the biggest personal investment and expense, it should also be an investment in health and well-being.

The non-profit Global Wellness Institute claims in a 2018 research report, Build Well to Live Well, that the majority of homes built in the last century “are encouraging lifestyles that make us unwell, agitated, alienated and unhappy.”

As Malaysia is a leading global destination of choice for healthcare tourists, and if the goals of the Malaysian Healthcare Travel Industry Blueprint 2021-2025 to elevate medical tourism in the country are to be realised, more players need to be on board this programme.

Affordability issues

Considering that such a concept is still a niche concept to many Malaysians, market absorption of such developments may take time and move at a more gradual pace. Affordability also presents another question, leading further to issues of accessibility, inclusivity and sustainability.

“As we have moved on out of the pandemic era, the expectations for these two factors have gone off the limelight as many have gone back to the office and are spending much less time working from home.

“In property terms, both health and wellness at home cost a lot of money and equates to larger homes and higher monthly repayments. Affordability will determine the application of these factors into a residential property purchase or an upgrade,” said Khong.

Building on the sustainability movement, which over a decade earlier gave rise to green building standards, the trend of placing human health and well-being at the centre of the housing and neighbourhood design emerged in the early 2000s.

Beyond environmental performance, wellness lifestyle real estate is characterised as residences that are purposefully planned and constructed to promote the total health of their occupants.

Wellness properties give attention to indoor air quality, light, acoustics and sleep as well as provide chances for physical activity and social connection, aside from design elements like plants, water features, and yoga or meditation areas. According to Johnston’s analysis, customers are willing to pay a premium for this tendency, which he refers to as “the new urbanisation.”

A home is now more than simply a showcase for exquisite design; it’s also a place to recharge and reenergise. Luxury now includes everything from expanded exercise centres, yoga studios, massage rooms, and more, to cupboards with regulated humidity and temperature.

Now, at a time when Malaysians are fresh from practising in-home quarantine, wellness-focused features incorporated into their lives and in their homes are more important than ever.