Seniors are Looking for their Dream Home Upon Retirement

Now that the baby boomer generation is reaching retirement age, it’s time to make their dreams of the perfect home near the sunny beaches of Florida come true. Today’s seniors are not just buying or building a home just for shelter. They want their last home to be their best, and to satisfy all the home design and decorating desires that have gone unfulfilled until now.

Some builders and real estate agents are surprised that seniors are looking to build or buy their last home are interested in such extravagance. For these professionals, it’s important to keep a few tips in mind:

Listen – Make sure you’re not just selling what you have or what you’re used to. Make sure you’re listening to what they want, and then give it to them.

Let Them Live Their Dream – A payback and a return on a housing investment is not as important for someone buying their last home. They want to enjoy their years in this house, and it’s up to you to make that happen.

Info – Provide literature, computer renderings, and information that will enhance their mental picture. Seniors are more likely to have done their research, and want to know exactly what they’re getting for their money, so make sure you provide them with as much information as you can.

Get it Right – Detail and accuracy are of the utmost importance during all phases of the project. Dreams don’t come true with mistakes and miscommunications.

Aside from a possible move to a new dream location, senior homebuyers want a lot of the same features that first-time homebuyers are looking for, because they’ve never gotten to have such things in their previous homes. In fact, now that they’ve had time to fully realize what they like and don’t like, seniors will likely be even more particular about their new home.

Seniors are interested in customizing their homes to their own personal wants or needs. Man caves, sewing rooms, tricked out garages, and outdoor porch areas are all popular requests for senior homes. But they want quality basics in the home, as well, from countertops to flooring.

The irony is, while most seniors will consider the home they buy upon retirement to be their last home, it is not uncommon for them to move within their first five years of settling in their new home. Oftentimes the reason for this is that the dreams they had originally no longer suit their new lifestyle.

The best advice for seniors looking for a home is to take your time, know what you want, and find a builder or a real estate agent who will listen to you.