Building for 50+ buyers means creating homes and communities that cater to a wide spectrum of lifestyles. Boomers — leading edge, trailing edge and everyone in between — are as diverse as the rest of the population, and their more mature counterparts have their own distinct preferences. Product for these age segments has to appeal to buyers who are:

• Recreating what home means. Some “rightsize” into smaller homes; others want room for extended families and the options they’ve always dreamed of.
• Reinventing themselves. Passing the “50” threshold is an opportunity for people to change course and redirect their energies.
• Refocusing their lives. Long-dormant interests are resurrected; priorities get reshuffled.
• Re-imagining their careers. Less work or a new vocation often calls for new living situations.

Households headed by someone age 55 or older account for 21% of new home sales and 18% of the total new home buying market. And although the overall housing market is facing challenges, most 50+ builders report little to no change in sales and traffic. It’s a good place to be.

Find out about this market at the 2008 Building for Boomers & Beyond: 50+ Housing Symposium^SM coming up May 19-21, 2008, at the Sheraton New Orleans in New Orleans, La. The focus of this year’s conference is “Redefining Lifestyle Communities,” an in-depth look at the transformation taking place in the industry. The conference provides the most valuable resources for today’s builders and other housing industry professionals through exceptional education sessions, dynamic speakers and unlimited opportunities to network. Attend and discover ways to:

• Refine marketing concepts: what attracts buyers who aren’t retiring? How do you market to people who won’t be making a decision for another year or more? Learn how to capture the imagination of all kinds of prospects.
• Refresh design ideas: 77% of age-qualified buyers chose their new home based on room layout and design of the unit. Find out what they’re looking for.
• Renew sales confidence: learn techniques that work for this completely different buyer.
• Revolutionize your knowledge of the latest trends: new technologies and lifestyle choices are transforming the way we live. Find out what’s new, what’s now, and what’s coming.

The Symposium’s stellar education tracks — design, development and operations, trends, sales and marketing, service-enriched and, new this year, technology — cover every aspect of the 50+ building industry from the big picture down to the tiniest details. You also can earn the Certified Active Adult Specialist in Housing (CAASH) designation by completing the three CAASH courses, all of which will be offered at the Symposium.

Please visit www.nahb.org/build4boomers for details on next year's Symposium. Please contact NAHB’s University of Housing at 800-368-5242 x8338 or registrar@nahb.com  if you have any questions or click here to receive updates on the Symposium, including registration information. Remember, NAHB 50+ Housing Council members can take advantage of the members-only discount.  [Return to top]