A good example comes from the 14 new model homes at Pulte/Del Webb's Sun City Lincoln Hills in Lincoln, CA, which Ambrosia is merchandising.
Ranging from just under 1,200 to more than 3,000 square feet, these homes are designed to appeal to boomers — in both architecture and merchandising. The homes are larger, with bigger kitchens and more space for entertaining. There is enough room for example, for a large dining table for family gatherings and there are special places for hobbies, home offices, exercise and relaxation.
Fill the Home With Their Favorite Things
A home’s personalization is key to its appeal to active adults, Newell points out.
“Buyers are looking at this home as the one they can finally do their way,” he says. “They want everything to be the nicest they’ve ever owned.”
Most buyers have owned and decorated several homes over the years. They’ve learned from their mistakes and want to fill this home with their favorite things.
“If the buyer’s passion is cooking, they will spend a large amount of their option dollars on things like granite or Cesarstone countertops, and glazed cabinets with glass doors.” adds Newell.
Buyers at Sun City Lincoln Hills are spending $50,000-$60,000 for architectural upgrades and options such as flooring and countertops.
Low Maintenance Is Another Hot Button
Although active adult home buyers desire the best in everything, they do not want a home that requires plenty of upkeep. Low maintenance and high quality are the hot buttons for these buyers, and creating a balance between the two is essential.
Newell says that the interiors of active adult homes should be lighter and brighter than what is found in a typical single-family home.
“We see 35% less light as we get older, so the rooms are painted in warmer, lighter colors and awash in at least three light sources,” he says.
At Ambrosia, designers use this lightness as a backdrop for accesories and fabrics that add color and texture throughout the home.
As in the single-family home market, active adult homes are becoming more themed.
Not Every Buyer Wants to Vacation at Home — But Most Do
“Since this is their dream home,” says Newell, “most of these buyers want it to have the relaxed feel of a vacation retreat.”
Ambrosia often incorporates the design and color palates associated with plantation, seaside cottage or Tommy Bahamas interiors to satisfy this desire.
“Of course, we still design models that include traditional, classic and more eclectic interiors, but the vacation feel is very hot right now," Newell says. “We don’t want to get so caught up (in what's hot) that we don't reach the buyer who desires a home with the builder’s more standard amenities.”
For the active adult buyers who would rather spend their money on an actual vacation than a “vacation-feel” home, "we work with the builder to show everything he includes as standard, adding special touches to make the home just as enticing,” Newell says.
Whether merchandising to include the ultimate in what the active adult buyer desires or what they can realistically afford, understanding that the active adult is an individual who continues to participate in the excitement and rigors of everyday life is essential.
Kendall Carre is the marketing director of Tustin, CA-based Ambrosia Interior Design, Inc., and a veteran of the home building industry. Carre also has served on the board of directors of the Building Industry Association’s Southern California Sales & Marketing Council for the past seven years and currently holds the office of vice president. She can be reached by e-mail or call her at 714-573-3855.
To learn more about seniors housing or boomers, join the NAHB Seniors Housing Council. The council provides information, education, networking and recognition opportunities for its members and represents NAHB on seniors housing issues. For more details, contact Jeff Jenkins or call him at 800-368-5242 x8292 .
BuilderBooks.com offers a variety of publications about the seniors housing market. To view or purchase these publications, click here and type “seniors” in the search engine.
2004 Seniors Housing Symposium
To learn more about the seniors housing market, plan to attend the 2004 Seniors Housing Symposium, Building for Boomers & Beyond: It's All About Lifestyle in Chicago from April 14-16. The symposium will focus on the lifestyle component of 50+ seniors housing.
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