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| Mature Market News - Thought Leaders and Noteworthy Events |
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Builder's Bible: Active Adult Popular Home Features "Active adult housing" is a preferred term these days for accommodations geared towards retired and almost-retired occupants. Baby boomers and youthful seniors don't want to be classed as "old" or defined by their retired status. And they are particular about more than just terminology. Builders are finding that today's mature market is made up of thoughtful customers who know what they like and dislike. Cookie-cutter sameness will leave them cold, says architect Quincy R. Johnson III, of Boca Raton-based Quincy Johnson Architects. A few really original touches can make a big impression, he notes. He offers the following list of amenities sure to wow today's mature market: Neighborhood-Like Environments Through Clustering. Planned developments often mean that neighborhoods, in the organically-developing sense, don't exist. Clustering homes to provide a more neighborhood-like environment, is popular with mature consumers. They seek the features common to "real" neighborhoods: more open space, a sense of security and a better-looking community in which all the homes aren't lined up at the same density. Hidden Garages. Mature consumers have discovered that front-loading garage can be an eyesore. Johnson suggests setting the garage somewhere off the street or, if this is impossible,moving it back about forty feet from the street. The garage will then be concealed or downplayed, showing off the front of the house to best effect. Courtyards. Courtyards are an unusual feature that can make a house more interesting, and also create a private space in which to relax. A courtyard can be in the front or the rear. In the front, a courtyard can create a striking entry and evoke a sense of lifestyle – key to what today's mature market buyers are looking for. Covered Entrances. Cover front entries or create a front porch. Upon entering, a long, open view is essential. Most home buyers will have an immediate reaction, whether positive or negative, on entering a house. Make the first view impressive. Tech Centers. Tech centers will be essential to active adult home buyers of the future. Many baby boomers, surveys have shown, intend to work from home in their "retirement" years, and most are computer-users. Today's small computers, printers, and fax machines need not take up a whole room and can be accommodated by a small space near the family living area. More Kitchen Storage and Flexibility. Kitchens are a major focus point for mature consumers. Coveted features include islands, including moveable ones placed on rollers. Breakfast nooks, and a butler's pantry between kitchen and eating area, are also big sellers. Large pantries store extra supplies. Flex Spaces - A flex space is a standard modification to the floor plan, optional to active adult home buyers who want to customize their new home. Spaces can beome a garage, extra bedroom or a den. Many pre-designed developments offer no such choice, but when dealing with the growing mature market, privileging consumer choice will pay off. Back To Mature Market News → Go To The GenerationTarget.com Mature Market Bookstore → |
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