Housing trends for baby boomers

Were you born between 1946 and 1964? Then, according to generation researchers, you are a baby boomer and quickly approaching retirement age. Is your home "an empty nest?" Are you spending months away in warmer climates? Perhaps, like many baby boomers, change in your family household has caused you to take another look at how you use your house.

The National Association of Home Builders discusses the changes they are seeing in baby boomer housing choices in "Housing Trends for Baby Boomers" (www.nahb.org). Builders and remodelers are finding popular features include home offices and tech/media centers, adding wider doors and hallways, first-floor bedrooms and baths, and flex space. Take, for example, the Tates of Yorktown, VA. They are retired and decided to update their home. They found a contractor certified in "aging in place" and remodeled with future needs in mind.

Some boomers opt to downsize to smaller homes or move to warmer climates or cities with more affordable housing, lower taxes, or activities attractive to older populations. The Shapiros raised a family in a Chicago suburb but decided to return to Neil's roots in Boise, Idaho after rediscovering the city while a daughter attended college there. They found the city appealing with its cultural activities and a single-level home that would serve their needs well. To read more about these two couples and their experience with housing and retirement, go to www.seattletimes.com/business/real-estate/boomers-near-retirement-chang…. For baby boomer housing trends, go to www.nahb.org/en/research/design/housing-trends-for-baby-boomers.aspx.

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