The current Boomers are the healthiest, wealthiest and most active generation to ever pass the 50 year mark. They do not see the years ahead in terms of slowing down, they see them in terms of opportunity and fulfillment!  Their optimism for the opportunity in their future provides a wonderful opportunity to homebuilders.

So what do you offer to a Boomer, to entice them to leave their comfort zone? What will it take to make this optimistic, but comfortable buyer make the move?

This buyer won’t settle for just any old house!  Instead of a new house, Boomers are looking for a LIFESTYLE that lives up to their dreams! The ‘Boomer-savvy’ builder will find innumerable ways to demonstrate that they understand their buyer, and offer the lifestyle that can’t be matched in the Boomers’ current residence. 

What does this mean? How do you build LIFESTYLE?  Every element of the Boomer home must be evaluated in terms of LIFESTYLE benefit. If it doesn’t contribute to the LIFESTYLE of their dreams, then leave it out!

FLEXIBILITY!

Let’s start with FLEXIBILITY. The best Boomer homes (like the people who live there) have to wear a lot of hats. The home has to FLEX to allow for all of the owners’ unique dreams to be lived out within.  Dreams come in all shapes and sizes. It may be a personal fitness room, a car-lover’s garage, a huge craft room, or a wonderful place for entertaining friends and family. Some rooms will have to serve multiple functions, and serve them WELL! 

I have to throw in a quick segue way here to say that for many Boomers, down-sizing is a relative term. ‘Right-sizing’ is a better term. This home will not be chosen based on its bedroom and bathroom count. This home has to provide the exact space to meet the needs of its owners on a daily basis.  Boomers are an incredibly diverse group! The best homes will take into account all of the diverse interests of this active, vibrant market! Floorplans that offer flexibility are the most marketable. Consider a plan where you can offer a home office and a guest suite on the main level. Some buyers will trade the guest suite for his and her home offices (for the couple that both work from home). Others will require the guest suite to allow them to care for an aging parent.  Still others will turn the space into a library or music room. Remember that a number of Boomers still need a place for the baby grand!  A plan that has built-in flexibility allows a builder to meet the needs of this diverse market!

FUNCTION!

So what else do we need to consider as we focus on LIFESTYLE?  Boomers want to see a noticeable…no, HUGE improvement in the way their new home FUNCTIONS with their LIFESTYLE. They look for specific, well-designed spaces for the STUFF that fits their lifestyle. These may include a butler’s pantry with wine captain, art and book spaces, a pet wash, well-designed mud room, teen laundry, command center, truly functional home office or carefully thought-out technology to enhance their lifestyle, not over-complicate it. 

One of the main reasons that a Boomer won’t leave the current ‘comfy’ home is the lack of storage in new homes. Don’t forget the linen storage, the cleaning supply and vacuum storage, the food pantry, and the ‘COSTCO’ pantry. One of the big benefits of new homes are the spacious master closets, but DON’T forget that they will need other storage space as well!

FRIENDS AND FAMILY!

Marti Barletta of the Trendsight Group calls women 50-70 ‘Prime Time Women’. These women care about the fullness of experience, and prize warm honest relationships above all else. This is why the formal dining area still has a place in many Boomer homes. Keep in mind that this room is often tied to an heirloom piece of furniture. If it isn’t large enough to hold the heirloom piece, it is worthless space. A wonderful thing about the formal dining room is that it can easily be converted into a home office or library/music room for the buyer that doesn’t desire the formal space. For the buyer that pictures Thanksgiving dinner with all the kids and grandkids around the table, no other room will do! 

What other rooms are important when the focus is on FRIENDS AND FAMILY? It’s no big surprise that the kitchen is still the heart of the home. Kitchens are not just about cooking. The kitchen is the place for relationships to thrive! Yes, you still have to cook there…but now the kitchen is also an entertainment focus.  Make certain that your kitchen allows for easy conversation with guests in the great room!  

Outdoor living areas also can provide places for FRIENDS AND FAMILY relationships. Pay attention to the courtyards, outdoor living rooms and kitchens, covered decks and patios, and porches. One of the most important LIFESTYLE trends for today is the blurring of the line between indoor and outdoor spaces. These outdoor living areas add some often-ignored flexibility to the Boomer home by expanding the homes usable square footage. Don’t’ forget to offer important lifestyle features like outdoor fireplaces, BBQs and kitchens!

FULLY MINE!

No one wants to have the exact same home as their neighbor. Today’s Boomer buyer is looking to create a home that is theirs alone!  Allow for some truly unique design options.  Don’t misinterpret this to mean unlimited options. Strive for reasonable options, within the context of service. Show your buyers that you have taken the time to understand who they are, and your options reflect this level of research and service. 

Details matter here. It is the unique details that will make you stand out as they compare your home with your competitors’! Most builders will offer an array of interior finish selections. Don’t stop there! Do the research and offer the option packages that are desired by the buyers in your area.

Make your homes unique starting with the streetscene. Offer elevation styles that will distinguish one home from another with the same floorplan. This will take more than just offering a different color of brick! Offer elevation styles that will match the individuality of your buyers.

Consider landscape option packages that include the design of outdoor living areas.  If possible, offer maintenance packages as well. This is a buyer that travels, and can’t be tied to home and yard maintenance. 

IT IS ALL ABOUT LIFESTYLE!

LIFESTYLE is the key! Today’s Boomers want a home that perfectly meshes with their lifestyle. The Boomer-savvy builder pays attention to the LIFESTYLE hot-buttons of FLEXIBILITY, FUNCTION, and FRIENDS AND FAMILY. Don’t forget that this buyer won’t settle for a home that is anything less than ‘FULLY MINE!’ If you pay attention to these key areas in the design of your Boomer homes, you will find yourself well on your way to capturing the attention of your next Boomer homebuyer.

Anne Olson, A.I.A., Olson Architecture, Inc. brings over 20 years experience in market-driven residential architecture to her clients. Located near Boulder, Colorado, Olsen Architecture works with homebuilders throughout the United States, servicing clients such as Standard Pacific Homes, Village Homes and Masterwork Homebuilding Company, and more. Olsen is a regular speaker at the International Builders Show. [Return to top]