Building for the Baby Boomer Generation
Two major shifts have entered the real estate industry in the last 15 years – a rise in the demographic of Millenials, a group of young professionals who followed Generation X and are now graduating college and establishing careers in today’s economy and a rise in the number of downsizing Baby Boomer households which is expected to sky rocket in the next 10 years in addition to the impact that it is already having on the housing industry.
The Baby Boomer generation is considered those citizens who were born from right after World War II to right in the middle of the Vietnam War in the mid ’60’s. Much news has been covered about this generation and its impact on social security and healthcare costs, and builders and developers alike have been given a “head’s up” as to the needs and preferences for homes that they would like built to match their lifestyles and habits. Because of the quickly changing technology in today’s world, many of this generation have an established and sometimes expert knowledge of this technology. Therefore, their expectations of “smart devices,” “smart homes,” energy efficiency and green building, and other state-of-the-art building techniques will have an effect on those builders who are interested in providing new homes for these buyers.
Some of the particular features that are trending for the Baby Boomer generation are listed below:
Home Offices: During the Recession, many employers started allowing flex-hours and working from home in order to cut back on salary costs and retain their good employees. Therefore, many people got used to having home offices and were able to utilize the open commerce of the Internet such as eBay to supplement their income. This income could last them into retirement as well.
Tech/Media Centers: Because of their knowledge of technology, having to grow with the next generation in knowledge in order to compete in their workplace, many Baby Boomers will have an impressive array of high-tech media, surround sound, Wifi accessibility, and BlueRay players to be installed in a state-of-the art media room or just their family room. Builders need to be ready to adapt to a complicated wiring system in these rooms.
Flex Space: As Baby Boomers get older, and they no longer want to or have the ability to continue working or “playing with technology,” their living space needs to be accommodating to their changing lifestyles. That is where flex space comes in – making rooms flexible to be used in different ways based on the needs of the occupant – a library or home office can become a guest room or downstairs sick room for people unable to use the stairs anymore.
First Floor Bedrooms and Bathrooms: This feature mainly refers to the downstairs master suite if the home is a two-story home. Normally, however, builders find that many Baby Boomers are looking to downsize and get into a smaller square footage home that doesn’t require such a high amount of upkeep. Ron Lee Homes has many garden homes that we build both in TerraBella Village and Bedico Creek Preserve in St. Tammany Parish that are perfect, low-maintenance homes for Baby Boomers.
Easy to Maintain Exteriors/Landscaping: In addition to having a smaller square footage home that is easier to clean and less space to maintain, garden homes are typically built on smaller lots which have less yard space and landscaping. Also, Ron Lee Homes has built many gorgeous courtyard homes that have an attached, private courtyard that is simply part of the homes architectural construction. This low-maintenance, beautiful design is perfect for an individual or couple who is/are not interested in spending a lot of time working in their yard.
As a builder located in St. Tammany Parish, Ron Lee Homes has been building homes for all ages and generations for over 20 years. We are able to accommodate any of the latest technology designs and are ready to custom-build the home of your dreams. For More Information, Call 985-62-7619 or E-mail [email protected].
