A recent MetLife report titled “Housing for the 55+ Market: Trends and Insights on Boomers and Beyond," found that about two-thirds of respondents plan to age in place, while only 12 percent plan to buy another home. Most want to want to live in close-in suburbs, and less than 10 percent want to live in a central city. Here are other findings:
- Nearly 80 percent of respondents want a single-story home;
- The preferred floorplan is a 1,900 square foot, three-bedroom unit, with the master bedroom on the first floor;
- The median price respondents plan to spend for the new house is $189,426;
- Preferred features include the following:
- In-unit washer/dryer;
- Storage space;
- Easy-open windows;
- First-floor master suite;
- Easy usable thermostat.
- About one-half either don't care about the environmental impact of building a home, or are concerned about the environment, but the concern doesn't influence their purchase. A mere 12 percent said they'd pay more--an average amount of $6,732--for an environmentally-friendly house;
- Proximity to shopping is the most important consideration for the location of the housing, followed by proximity to medical care.
- Perhaps most surprising is the fact that 83 percent of respondents rated high-speed Internet access as "somewhat" to "very important."