What Today’s Baby Boomer Buyers Want in a Home
In this article written by Carolina Feeney for Inman, she says new research shows that for Baby Boomers looking for a new home, it’s all about location, lifestyle and open space — and not so much about ‘downsizing.’ If you’re in that 55+ age group, is that true for you?
I’m surprised to see no mention here about one-level homes. In my experience with Boomer buyers, they are usually looking for homes with no stairs, or at a minimum the master on the ground level. What are you looking for in a home?
What today’s 55-plus buyers want in a home
By Carolinee Feeney, Staff Writer, Inman
- A focus group and survey together gathered information on the preferences of Baby Boomer buyers.
- The results showed that 55-plus homebuyers value amenities, community, flexibility, design — and locations that put them close to all the action.
- Although tradition says that many boomers are looking to downsize, the largest percentage of those surveyed indicated their preference for a mid-sized house.
On your stroll, you wave to the people you know and later plan the afternoon in your mind: perhaps a little shopping or live music to top off the day. Why not? All the action’s only a few blocks down the road.
Baby Boomers’ Wish List:
Great location close to the action, nice community, open layout
The results are gleaned from the findings of two separate studies: a focus group involving boomers and a separate survey of recent homebuyers in the 55-plus age group that gathered information on their values, preferences and attitudes.
Much like anyone going through the homebuying process, the wish lists of buyers 55 and up seem to largely reflect the lifestyle they desire.
- Open floor plans
- High ceilings
- Natural light
- Integrated indoor and outdoor space
- Sheltered areas
- Native plants
- Sustainable and energy-efficient technology
- Sufficient storage
- Area/location (50.2 percent)
- Price/affordability (37.4 percent)
- The layout of the home (19 percent)
- Quality of construction (9 percent)
- Safer neighborhood (8.4 percent)
- Better floor plans (8.2 percent)
- Architecture/overall design (8.1 percent)
- Kitchen (82.8 percent)
- Master bedroom (59.2 percent)
- Great room (36 percent)
- Wireless security systems (7.1 percent)
- Lighting that senses and adapts to you (6.3 percent)
- Integrated home technology, including “smart” thermostats and lighting controlled by a smart phone (6.2 percent)
- 18.1 percent want a house under 2,000 square feet
- 48.6 percent want a house between 2,000 and 2,999 square feet
- 20.8 percent want a house between 3,000 and 3,999 square feet