THE WONDER YEARS

They’re tough, they’re demanding, and they account for 25 percent of the population. When you consider the impact that baby boomers had on politics and pop culture, it comes as no surprise that they’re now helping to shape the future of homebuilding.

More than 76 million baby boomers, defined as those born between 1946 and 1964, are retiring or quickly nearing retirement age. Plus, some estimates put boomers in control of 70 percent of the country’s net worth.

Because the youngest boomers turn 65 in 2029, their influence isn’t waning anytime soon. 

Whether they choose a smaller new home within an active adult community, or to splurge and upsize with a luxurious estate home, this generation is definitely not headed to your grandparents’ retirement village.

Power in Numbers

Homebuilders already knew boomers were smart and usually had cash on hand, even after the downturn. “A staggering amount,” says Rick Cover, president of Kolter Homes, who estimates that nearly 75 percent of boomers pay cash for their homes. 

“These people didn’t get in that position by being uninformed,” adds Covell, who has spent the last 15 years developing active adult communities throughout Florida. So, not unexpectedly, boomers do their homework before making a buying decision. 

“When buyers come through the door, they know everything about the product,” Covell says. “In most cases they know more about the product than the salespeople. They’ve done their research.” 

Research has armed boomer buyers with the tools to demand more from builders — more options, more choices, more upgrades. 

According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), boomers have driven such trends as home offices, flex space, media centers, better lighting, bigger windows and aging-in-place features such as wider doors and hallways and first-floor bedrooms and bathrooms. 

“Boomers didn’t come from cookie-cutter homes, and they don’t want to retire in one either,” says Lauren Leetun, a spokesperson for Solivita, an active-adult community developed by Avatar Properties.

Where to Live?

Two developers, Avatar and Kolter Homes, lead the initiative to tap the baby boomer, or active-adult, market. 

For more than 10 years, Solivita has defined the region’s active-adult, lifestyle. The community, located in Poinciana, has been named one of America’s nest master-planned, active-adult communities by Where to Retire magazine.

And “active” is what Solivita is all about. The community offers more than 120 clubs, ranging from scrapbooking to yoga to veteran’s affairs, along with two award-winning championship golf courses, 14 community pools, two state-of-the-art fitness centers and a Tuscan-style village center with restaurants, an arts and crafts studio and a theater. 

Inside the gated community are a dozen distinct neighborhoods with homes offering an array of amenities and environmentally friendly features, including separate dens, large kitchens, swimming pools, outdoor living areas and dual master suites.

Knowing that boomers appreciate flexibility and options, Solivita offers more than 19 floorplans from which to choose, with open designs, spacious kitchens and breakfast nooks, welcoming Florida rooms and master suites with breathtaking bathrooms. 

Solivita was named the world’s first “Younger Next Year” community for its focus on “turning the clock back.” The initiative encourages residents to incorporate activity, community, healthy eating and physical fitness into their daily routines. 

A staff of fitness trainers, activity managers and chefs help residents meet their goals.

Farther up I-4 in DeLand, Kolter is the developer behind Victoria Gardens, an active-adult community that opened in early 2001. The original developer, Arvida, devised the initial concept after conducting extensive market research into the housing wants and needs of boomers. 

Kolter, a leader in building several 55-plus communities in South Florida, purchased the project in 2010. 

Shay Homes, the lead builder in the community, offers several floorplans that feature plenty of natural light, large great rooms for entertaining and “smart spaces,” which are rooms that can be used for arts and crafts or home offices. 

Buyers can choose from among three packages for their homes: the Complete Package, the Plus Package and the Ultra Package. All Plus Package homes are built to an ESL standard — the highest standard for heating and cooling. This makes Shea Homes the most energy-efficient builder in the active-adult market right now, says Area Vice President Jeff Gersh. 

Victoria Gardens offers a full array of activities, with a 2,500-square-foot clubhouse, a pool, an arts and crafts room, a fitness facility, a media center and a ballroom with daily buffets and themed dinners. 

Project manager Carol Duchscher says Victoria Gardens residents are very specific about the types of amenities they want. If something’s missing, they aren’t shy about asking that it be added.

“Most of our residents are active and very energetic,” she adds. “They’re asking for a pickle ball court. It’s a takeoff of badminton and tennis.” 

Del Webb, part of the Pulte Homes family, has focused on retirement communities since 1960. Today the company boasts more than 50 projects in 20 states. In Central Florida, Del Webb Orlando in Davenport and Del Webb Stone Creek in Ocala each offer several single-family options for active adults. 

“Over and over we’ve seen that these buyers are looking for more than a place to live,” says Sean Strickler, vice president of sales, Pulte Homes North Florida Division. “Del Webb communities are full of clubs and activities, where neighbors can become best friends.”

In Lake County, Shay Homes and Lennar Homes have created their own active-adult communities. 

Shay offers Trilogy, a community in Groveland, which features a 57,000-square-foot clubhouse, an indoor/outdoor pool, a restaurant and a fitness center. Single-family homes at Trilogy start at $124,900.

In Clermont, Lennar has opened Heritage Hills, a community that takes advantage of the area’s rolling topography. A hilltop gazebo offers a spectacular view of the nightly fireworks show staged by Walt Disney World.

There’s even an on-site vineyard with a Bordeaux room, a 21,000-square-foot clubhouse, a fitness center, a golf simulator, a crafts studio and a pool and spa.

Mark Methany, president of Lennar’s Central Florida division, says the biggest draw for Heritage Hills buyers is the company’s villa product line — single-story, detached homes with about 1,200 square feet of living space.

“They’re choosing smaller homes that they don’t have to spend as much time maintaining,” he says. “We’re seeing a lot of customers who like to upgrade their homes with granite and stainless steel, but smaller square footage is important.”

Centerline Homes has found success with boomer buyers by focusing on three key areas: the home’s entertainment area, its master suite and the relationship of key spaces to the outdoors. 

“Each home includes a large kitchen that can accommodate several people,” says Deb Marton, vice president of sales. “The kitchen opens onto another large living space. From there, it flows out to the courtyard and/or pool area. It’s a great place for entertaining, whether it’s a party for four or 40.”

Centerline’s Eagle Creek in Southwest Orlando offers smaller, “jewel box” homes that include top-of-the-line luxuries and appeal to older boomers. For younger boomers who want to upsize, there’s an estate home collection featuring larger, golf-front homes with up to 5,000 square feet of living space. At Keene’s Pointe in Windemere and Bella Vista in Seminole County, the company offers large estate homes with an array of custom touches. 

Marton says he knows that boomers can get what they want — so if they don’t offer it, buyers will find it someplace else. “Our approach to boomers is simple: to offer a variety of beautiful homes that are designed just for them, in prestigious communities that offer the amenities they want.”

The Future

As more boomers settle into retirement, Covell predicts they’ll continue to demand more from builders as their needs change. 

“Boomers are shaping the industry because they’re buying now,” he says. “And because they’re buying, they’re causing builders to really, really listen to them and to build what they want.”

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