HERE’S WHAT’S NEXT
So you’re over 55, and are looking for your NEXTadventure in a new home designed specifically for your demographic. Then you should check out the NEXTadventure Home, a joint project of builder Taylor Morrison and building-oriented media company Hanley Wood.
The showhome was designed based on detailed research into the wants and needs of 55-plus buyers. It debuted as part of the National Association of Home Builders’ International Builders Show, which ran January 10-12 in Orlando.
The NEXTadventure Home won kudos from industry professionals around the U.S., and can now be seen at Taylor Morrison’s beautiful 55-plus community, Esplanade at Highland Ranch in Clermont. The amenity-packed, 1,500-home community is just a 25-minute drive from Orlando.
The NEXTadventure Home will anchor a special Grand Opening event, La Bella Vita!, on Saturday, February 11, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. There’ll be food, wine, live music and tours offered of the showhome, the clubhouse and three additional new model homes.
During the event, Taylor Morrison is reaching out to you to support and donate to HBI (formerly the Home Builders Institute), which is NAHB’s training program for youth, veterans, displaced workers and other underserved populations seeking careers in residential construction. Taylor Morrison will match dollar for dollar donations received to support this outstanding organization.
Plenty of thought — and plenty of research, including two separate studies — went into designing the NEXTadventure Home.
And it’s no wonder. Baby boomer household formations are projected to grow at a rate of 700,000 per year until 2024, when their total will reach 56.9 million. As a growing number of boomers enter their latter working and early retirement years, their demand for inspired designs will continue to grow.
Leading up to the NEXTadventure Home project, Phoenix, Arizona-based Grey Matter Research & Consulting was hired to gauge values, preferences and attitudes of 55-plus buyers and potential buyers via a scientifically selected focus group that encompassed hundreds of participants.
Grey Matter’s top-line report revealed that first impressions are important to 55-plus buyers. More specifically, they want to sense a warm and welcoming ambience when they enter a new community.
Amenities such as clubhouses, pools and walking trails were found to be important drivers of decision-making. Location was also key, with proximity to shopping, dining, medical services and entertainment considered to be major pluses.
As for individual homes, space was an essential factor, with a strong preference for open floorplans. Other important factors included large common spaces, high ceilings and plenty of natural light flooding the interior rooms.
Integrated indoor and outdoor space was also paramount, as were sheltered areas and native plants as well as sustainable and energy-efficient technology and materials. In addition, 55-plus buyers said they wanted ample storage space.
“These influential homebuyers want a fresh start in a vital, connected, accessible new-home environment,” says John McManus, editorial director of Hanley Wood’s Residential Group. “The insight we gathered helped us develop a theme to define the NEXTadventure — for the 55-plus homebuyer and for the industry.”
In a separate Homebuyer Study conducted by the Indianapolis, Indiana-based Farnsworth Group, participants who had recently bought homes revealed specific data on why they made their purchasing decisions
The top three factors were area/location (50.2 percent), price/affordability (37.4 percent) and home layout (19 percent). The top three most important rooms or areas included the kitchen (82.8 percent), master bedroom (59.2 percent) and great room (36 percent).
Technology was also important, with 55-plus buyers preferring wireless security systems, lighting that senses your movement, and integrated home technology, including “smart” thermostats and lighting controlled by mobile devices.
“Having the focus-group information and the research was insightful and helpful to us,” says Graham Hughes, Taylor Morrison’s chief customer officer. “As we constructed the NEXTadventure Home, the feedback helped us to build a home that provided the perfect backdrop for their NEXTadventure.”
At 2,268 square feet and encompassing three bedrooms, the NEXTadventure Home provides a palette for customization, including an outdoor living area with a pool fireplace and summer kitchen.
Inside, you’ll find a big kitchen island, a “super shower,” a beverage center, a secondary bedroom (more aptly called “a snore room”) and walk-in pantry.
Among the dozens of leading-edge companies involved in the NEXTadventure Home was Housing Design Matters, an architectural firm with offices in Jacksonville and Tampa.
Denver-based Lita Dirks & Co. designed the interior with a style that melds excellence with livability, while Bonita Springs-based Waldrop Engineering created the ultimate outdoor sanctuary.
Scottsdale, Arizona-based Taylor Morrison is a leading national homebuilder and developer. In 2016, the company was recognized as “America’s Most Trusted Homebuilder” by Lifestory Research, a market research firm focused on homebuilding.
“At Taylor Morrison, listening to our consumers is one of the most important parts of the development process,” says Sheryl Palmer, the company’s president and CEO. “Boomer homebuyers are very discerning in their tastes, and have a very clear vision for what their next chapter of life should entail — and we make that lifestyle a reality in our communities.”