Contrary to popular belief, one does not need to be among those receiving social security retirement benefits to consider the purchase of a home at an active adult community, where it takes only one person per household, aged 55 or older, to qualify to live at these a resort-style neighborhoods. Baby Boomers now entering their 50's, at the verge of or already having experienced "empty nest" syndrome, are among those hundreds of builders across the nation are targeting marketing campaigns towards to live the cruise-ship lifestyle at their newly created "active adult" communities.

John Murray, of the Murray Company, and consultant for Jenamar Communities, is a former Vice President and general manager of two Del Webb Corporation active adult communities in Northern California. With his background and expertise, Murray is helping design and plan Toscana at D'Andrea for Jenamar Communities. This is Northern Nevada's first active adult neighborhood and is nestled in between picturesque foothills and mountain ranges in a golf course setting near booming Reno, Nevada. Murray, a well-respected guru of active adult communities, is a wealth of information on why people are choosing this lifestyle in droves, and why such environments will continue to explode in the 21st century.

The most notable reason for the emergence of so many 55-plus active communities is the much-touted "Greying of America" explains Murray. "Baby Boomers are the largest-ever single age group to hit the demographic charts in many years," says Murray and continues, "and this group tends to be more active, healthier, wealthier and more educated than any previous generation." With the recent phenomenon of prosperity due to Wall Street and high-tech industries, such as the Internet, more and more Boomers are choosing an "early out" or semi-retirement opportunity, compared to those in previous generations who marked time for social security and retirement income.

Under Federal Fair Housing laws, these resort-style communities, restricted to those 55 or older, are permitted to be built only if the developer can furnish facilities and services targeted for that population, with the designation of at least one person per household of that age or older. Until recently, the only geographic areas to offer retirement communities attractive enough to relocate for were located in Arizona and Florida, the Sun Belt regions of the U.S. In order for empty nesters and retirees to consider these areas, many had to not only sell the family home, but also pull up stakes and relocate, lock, stock, and barrel to areas far from those they loved and to an a place unfamiliar to them.

Because developers have zeroed in on the statistic that approximately 80% of people who retire stay right where they are, and the other 20% move to within 150 miles of their "roots", so to speak, they began to think. They surmised that if these buyers had the choice between staying in their current home, downscaling within a traditional neighborhood environment, or relocating to an active adult community relatively close to their former homes and grown families, they may opt for the third alternative. And so they are, in numbers unpredicted even by the most astute demographers. Builders have recognized that these adult communities, whether on a small scale or built into large golf course-oriented master planned resort areas, flourish near larger metropolitan areas. Needless to say, communities like these are literally popping up everywhere.

Murray explains that retirement builders try to gear everything they can think of to the active adult; the design of their communities, the location of them, the activities offered, and, of course, the homes themselves. That is a more formidable task than one would think. "Baby Boomers want a small-town atmosphere, but don't want to be far from the action and larger metropolitan areas. As an example, Toscana at D'Andrea, Murray's current consulting project, is located in Sparks, within minutes of Reno, a half-hour of Lake Tahoe, and only three hours from the San Francisco Bay Area. And, although most plans are single level, this will be one of the first such adult-only communities to bring back some two-story floor plans, offering bonus space upstairs for a spare bedroom and bath, bonus/hobby/recreation room, or extra storage. "There's a misconception that people in this age group just don't want stairs any more," says Murray, "but we have found that they sometimes like the option of bonus space for more flexibility, and a second story is the easiest, most economical way to achieve that."

"Their friends have now become almost as important as their families, so a social structure is extremely important as well," says Murray. So are these Baby Boomers relegated to clubhouses whose background music consists of Glenn Miller and Les Brown? "More like the Rolling Stones and the Beatles," laughs Murray. Many of these are from the Korean and Vietnam War eras, not necessarily the World War II generation. They are coming together to enjoy a lifestyle free of tricycles and baby strollers on their sidewalks, but aren't beyond forming Harley-Davidson clubs and improving their tennis games.

Another phenomenon is the amount of money many buying homes within these active adult communities will spend on amenities. Now is the time they may feel secure financially enough to order those gleaming polished granite kitchen countertops, top-grade carpeting and "surround sound" entertainment systems. "This population is the fastest growing computer-literate group," says Murray, "and the amount of high-tech wiring we need to offer is growing just as fast." Indeed, "tech centers" with high speed modems and structured wiring are a common request in the active adult home.

Some of the more customized options offered for empty-nesters and retirees are architectural options such as dual master suites, more natural light, using transoms and skylights, front and back covered patio and porch areas, and the creation of intimate entertaining space, both indoors and out. These are a few of the options not easily found in traditional new home designs. With a focus on the abundance of well-earned free time, the 55-plus set may now have the luxury of entertaining friends and family, making options such as these even more attractive. "Great room" concepts are especially popular, with the elimination of the underused formal living room area. A formal dining room is still incorporated into the list of popular floor plan designs, however, used for increasingly cherished family holidays.

For those of us in our forties and early fifties, the thought of living within what used to be considered a "retirement" community may still send thoughts of denial up and down our spines. The truth is, according to Murray, those choosing active adult communities are getting younger and younger. When in their infancy, these adult communities attracted mostly the 68-75 year old set. Now the average newcomer is in their late fifties and early sixties, with the trend getting younger every year.

Why would such "young folk" choose these neighborhoods? Some want all the amenities a resort has to offer - golf, tennis, social gatherings, fitness centers, and restaurants - without having to travel and pay for country clubs, health clubs or take care of their own swimming pools. Been there, done that. Others who now find the luxury of some time on their hands just want to have fun and enjoy the spoils of their labors on the golf course, lounging around the pool, getting together with people at the same blissful stage in life, or traveling to destinations unknown.

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Published: October 8, 1999

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A veteran of the real estate and homebuilding industries since 1986, Dena Kouremetis first joined Realty Times as a new homes writer in 1998. Since then, she has authored four books, written consumer columns on new homes issues for websites and newspapers all across the country, contributed to builder trade magazines, appeared as a guest expert on several radio shows and even created a ten-chapter podcast for LendingTree.com’s homebuilder website, iNest.com, now available on iTunes, entitled Uncharted Waters; Navigating the Purchase of a New Production Home. Kouremetis recently joined her local Folsom, CA Coldwell Banker office as a broker associate while continuing to write for the real estate industry. For the past three years, she has been training real estate agents for both the resale and new homes industries, putting her experience, research expertise and gift of expression to work to help others entering the business.