A new survey of Baby Boomers and members of the Silent Generation commissioned by brokerage and listings portal Redfin has dismaying news for anyone hoping for a “silver tsunami” of downsizers bringing their houses to market.
The poll, conducted in February, found 71 percent of American homeowners 60 years and older will “definitely” or “probably will consider” aging in place in their current home. Another 7 percent said they have already chosen this path.
Coming in a distant second was moving to a 55-plus community, with only 16 percent saying they definitely or probably will do this, and a further 3 percent saying they had already done this.
Redfin’s researchers explained that older American homeowners are exhibiting such a strong preference for aging in place because they have strong financial incentive to do so, since over half have no mortgage on their home and those that are still paying off a loan have a very low interest rate.
“Older Americans are aging in place because it makes financial sense, but also because it’s human nature to avoid thinking about challenging scenarios such as needing help as you get older,” Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather said in a statement. “In reality, many homeowners and renters will need to move somewhere that better meets their needs as they age, like a senior-living community or a one-story home in an accessible neighborhood. But the government isn’t prioritizing building housing for seniors, which is further encouraging older Americans to stay put, exacerbating the inventory shortage. Politicians should focus on expanding housing stock that meets the needs of older Americans, which could help with housing affordability and availability for all.”
The same survey found that about half of Baby Boomers who didn’t plan to move said the decision was motivated by the fact they like their current home and don’t have a good reason to move, while 27 percent cited a low- to no-debt load and another 21 percent said they felt home prices are too high for them to afford a new home.
Economists say a lack of senior home-sellers is one of the key drivers of inventory shortages in housing markets across the country, when combined with a general lack of building.