Wait! Did you read Lita’s post about the First E: Experiences?
What about the Second E: Ease of Living?
Reprinted with permission from Lita Dirks & Co.
In this third blog of our series, the Four E’s: Design that Attracts the 55+ Buyer we’ll focus on Efficiency.
Typically, the 55+ buyer is not a first-time home buyer, or even a we-need-a-bigger-house-for-our-growing-family buyer. They are in the downsizing phase of their home buying journey, they want more time (and space) for fun and as such, efficiency is a critical consideration when building and designing for the 55+ buyer. These factors should be kept top of mind to help them enjoy their new home and lifestyle.
Efficiency
Downsizing isn’t always easy. For some moving into a smaller home provides an opportunity to clean and purge, making way for a new, simpler life. For others though, downsizing can be fraught with anxiety. The challenge is to create an environment wherein buyers can maintain the memories (and often) the items, they have acquired over the years, while simultaneously making room for new hobbies and a new lifestyle. This means being efficient with space. Sometimes the size of the home isn’t smaller, it’s just the use of space. Being efficient with space will provide a better fit for how 55+ buyers want to live today.
Offering flex rooms – rooms that can be used for multiple purposes such as a home office in the morning and den at night – is a great efficiency promoter as they allow homeowners to customize their space to accommodate guests, a telecommute job, or whatever else they may need, when they need it.
Further, as many 55+ home buyers are purchasing a new home as part of a whole new chapter in their lives, they usually find more time to enjoy activities they’ve had less time for in the past such a cycling, fishing, paddle boarding, more golf: all activities that require equipment and storage space for these new “toys.”
Taylor Morrison NextAdventure Home
It follows then that strategically placed storage spaces will be key in designing a home for the new very active Boomer buyer. Ensuring that any storage area is safe, well-lit, and easy to access will be key. Walk-in closets and pantries as large as possible and entries and laundry rooms that are well thought out will be appealing because of accessibility and additional space they offer.
When building and designing for the 55+ buyer, the key to success will be keeping in mind that no space should go unused; all the nooks and crannies of the house are being used efficiently. It is critical to design a home for the 55+ buyer efficiently; where every space serves a purpose.
Stay tuned for our last blog entry in this series: Exceeding Expectations, or view more posts on the Lita Dirks & Co. blog.
