Boomer Life

from Social Northshore | August 2021

Business After Hours

Boomer

LIFE By Liesel Schmidt

Watch out Millennials—you may have the world pretty much conquered in terms of technological prowess, but Baby Boomers still have the market cornered when it comes to owning a home. But before you break out Google to see who exactly qualifies as Baby Boomers, just keep reading. We know, your fingers are probably twitching, but bear with us. For all of you who don’t know what a Baby Boomer is, they are the part of the U.S. population born between 1946 and 1964 (shout out to your grandparents…maybe even your parents). Believe it or not, there are quite a lot of them running around—in fact, more than 76 million of them. Because they control so much of the housing market, they also dictate a lot of the trends, including types of housing and the special design features they want in their homes.

Generally speaking, these on-trend Baby Boomers are interested in highertech, less traditional home styles that lend themselves to active, social lifestyles but also have practical design that will lend itself to the aging process that is inevitably on the horizon. One of the most popular features that Boomers seek out in new homes or remodels includes technology. Baby Boomers have become pretty tech-savvy in their own right, and they want to stay in touch with family and friends, telecommute, maintain home security, and even automate various systems to make their lives more convenient. In short, they’re looking for smart homes to keep their lives as streamlined as possible.

Natural lighting is another must. Advances in technology spill over into other areas, including housing materials. Innovation has brought the creation of new window designs that make it easier to allow more natural light into the home without sacrificing energy efficiency; so Baby Boomers are now prioritizing natural light, buying homes with these larger windows, skylights, and sliding glass doors.

Accessibility becomes an increasing concern, as well. Homes with spacious rooms, wider doorways, and larger hallways seem less cluttered but also lend themselves to easier navigation and access for seniors as they experience decreased mobility.

While downsizing may be a consideration for Baby Boomers who find themselves with an empty nest, large master bedrooms and bathrooms also become a priority. Empty nesters often look for homes primarily designed for individuals and couples rather than full families. Instead of larger common spaces, many homes designed for Baby Boomers include spacious first-floor master suites with attached master baths, requiring no stairway access that may become increasingly harder as the years go by.

Maintenance and upkeep is a concern for any homeowner, but more so as people age. Many retiring Baby Boomers prefer condominiums or townhomes that require less maintenance and come with amenities including on-site security, recreation, and fitness facilities.

More Boomers are also choosing to create upstairs bonus rooms rather than more expensive finished basements. Throughout the country, outdoor living space has even become more utilized, and Boomers are getting on the trend with sunrooms, screened porches, and covered patios. Upgraded features including outdoor kitchens, water features, swings, and barbecue grills are becoming part of the landscape of Baby Boomer life, as well.