CLIENT LOG IN

Margo Borkin

Persistent Perserverance, Consistent Results

248-419-3160
Cell: 248-318-4776
Fax: 248-419-0930
margo@movewithmargo.com
  • Menu
  • Home
  • About
    • About Margo Borkin
    • Client Reviews
    • Margo Vs The Market
    • Professional Resume
  • Communities
    • Berkley
    • Beverly Hills
    • Bingham Farms
    • Birmingham
    • Bloomfield Hills
    • Bloomfield Township
    • Commerce Township
    • Farmigton
    • Farmington Hills
    • Ferndale
    • Franklin
    • Huntington Woods
    • Keego Harbor
    • Novi
    • Oak Park
    • Orchard Lake
    • Royal Oak
    • Southfield
    • Sylvan Lake
    • Walled Lake
    • Waterford
    • West Bloomfield
    • White Lake
    • Wixom
    • Wolverine Lake
  • Property Search
    • Address Search
    • Basic Search
    • Advanced Search
    • Map Search
  • Home Buyers
  • Home Sellers
  • Blog
  • Contact

Does “Aging in Place” Make the Most Sense?

Does “Aging in Place” Make the Most Sense? | Simplifying The Market

A desire among many seniors is to “age in place.”

According to the Senior Resource Guide, the term means,

“…that you will be remaining in your own home for the later years of your life; not moving into a smaller home, assisted living, or a retirement community etcetera.”

There is no doubt about it – there’s a comfort in staying in a home you’ve lived in for many years instead of moving to a totally new or unfamiliar environment. There is, however, new information that suggests this might not be the best option for everyone. The familiarity of your current home is the pro of aging in place, but the potential financial drawbacks to remodeling or renovating might actually be more costly than the long-term benefits.

A recent report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University (JCHS) titled Housing America’s Older Adults explained,

“Given their high homeownership rates, most older adults live in single-family homes. Of the 24 million homeowners age 65 and over, fully 80 percent lived in detached single-family units…The majority of these homes are now at least 40 years old and therefore may present maintenance challenges for their owners.”

If you’re in this spot, 40 years ago you may have had a growing family. For that reason, you probably purchased a 4-bedroom Colonial on a large piece of property in a child-friendly neighborhood. It was a great choice for your family, and you still love that home.

Today, your kids are likely grown and moved out, so you don’t need all of those bedrooms. Yard upkeep is probably very time consuming, too. You might be thinking about taking some equity out of your house and converting one of your bedrooms into a massive master bathroom, and maybe another room into an open-space reading nook. You might also be thinking about cutting back on lawn maintenance by installing a pool surrounded by beautiful paving stones.

It all sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? For the short term, you may really enjoy the new upgrades, but you’ll still have to climb those stairs, pay to heat and cool a home that’s larger than what you need, and continue fixing all the things that start to go wrong with a 40-year-old home.

Last month, in their Retirement Report, Kiplinger addressed the point,

“Renovations are just a part of what you need to make aging in place work for you. While it’s typically less expensive to remain in your home than to pay for assisted living, that doesn’t mean it’s a slam dunk to stay put. You’ll still have a long to-do list. Just one example: You need to plan ahead for how you will manage maintenance and care—for your home, and for yourself.”

So, at some point, the time may come when you decide to sell this house anyway. That can pose a big challenge if you’ve already taken cash value out of your home and used it to do the type of remodeling we mentioned above. Realistically, you may have inadvertently lowered the value of your home by doing things like reducing the number of bedrooms. The family moving into your neighborhood is probably similar to what your family was 40 years ago. They probably have young children, need the extra bedrooms, and may be nervous about the pool.

Bottom Line

Before you spend the money to remodel or renovate your current house so you can age in place, let’s get together to determine if it is truly your best option. Making a move to a smaller home in the neighborhood might make the most sense.


Source: KMC

Posted in: Baby Boomers, Demographics, For Sellers, Generation X, Senior Market Tagged: Real Estate

© Margo Borkin Real Estate 2010

Post navigation

« How to Avoid a Gender Gap When Investing in the Housing Market
Great News for Renters Who Want to Buy a Home »

Facebook

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
Margo Borkin Real Estate
3 weeks ago
Margo Borkin Real Estate

8740 Wise Rd Commerce Twp.
4 Bedrooms
2 Baths
1682 SqFt
.61 Acres
Stop by and see for yourself!
... See MoreSee Less

Message Page

8740 Wise Rd Commerce Twp.
4 Bedrooms
2 Baths
1682 SqFt
.61 Acres
Stop by and see for yourself!
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • Likes: 0
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Margo Borkin Real Estate
1 month ago
Margo Borkin Real Estate

Join me this Sunday from 2-4pm at 6135 Anne in West Bloomfield for an open house tour! ... See MoreSee Less

Message Page

Join me this Sunday from 2-4pm at 6135 Anne in West Bloomfield for an open house tour!
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • Likes: 9
  • Shares: 1
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Margo Borkin Real Estate
2 months ago
Margo Borkin Real Estate

... See MoreSee Less

View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • Likes: 1
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Margo Borkin Real Estate
2 months ago
Margo Borkin Real Estate

... See MoreSee Less

View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • Likes: 0
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Margo Borkin Real Estate
3 months ago
Margo Borkin Real Estate

Ahhh, spring is here, and with it longer days, warmer temps, and a return to outdoor living. Yesss! Spring also means it’s also time to give that home sweet home a serious once over. To help, here’s an April home maintenance checklist to get you started:⁣
⁣
Declutter, declutter, declutter. Yep, I’m beating that drum…again. You didn't think I’d have a home maintenance checklist without decluttering as numero uno, did you?⁣

Replace air filters and schedule a maintenance check of your cooling system to ensure it’s ready for the steamy months ahead.⁣

Wash windows and doors, and don’t forget your porches. Clean out corner cobwebs and spruce up your front porch or stoop with a colorful wreath, a cutesy welcome mat, and stately planters.⁣

Clean and organize your garage; while you're at it, go on and rinse out your trash cans and recycling bins.⁣

Rent or borrow a pressure washer to give your siding, sidewalk, and driveway a fresh look. Check for widening cracks and chipped paint as you go, making a note to come back and address them later.⁣

Clean and repair your gutters and downspouts to ensure they’re in prime condition for spring downpours.⁣

Test your sprinkler or irrigation system and give that lawnmower a good ole crank. (Trust me, your grass will thank you later!)⁣

Clear brush and fallen limbs away from the house and clean out your beds to make room for spring color.⁣
⁣
Join me in rolling out the welcome mat for the easy, breezy season ahead!⁣
... See MoreSee Less

Ahhh, spring is here, and with it longer days, warmer temps, and a return to outdoor living. Yesss! Spring also means it’s also time to give that home sweet home a serious once over. To help, here’s an April home maintenance checklist to get you started:⁣
⁣
Declutter, declutter, declutter. Yep, I’m beating that drum…again. You didnt think I’d have a home maintenance checklist without decluttering as numero uno, did you?⁣

Replace air filters and schedule a maintenance check of your cooling system to ensure it’s ready for the steamy months ahead.⁣

Wash windows and doors, and don’t forget your porches. Clean out corner cobwebs and spruce up your front porch or stoop with a colorful wreath, a cutesy welcome mat, and stately planters.⁣

Clean and organize your garage; while youre at it, go on and rinse out your trash cans and recycling bins.⁣

Rent or borrow a pressure washer to give your siding, sidewalk, and driveway a fresh look. Check for widening cracks and chipped paint as you go, making a note to come back and address them later.⁣

Clean and repair your gutters and downspouts to ensure they’re in prime condition for spring downpours.⁣

Test your sprinkler or irrigation system and give that lawnmower a good ole crank. (Trust me, your grass will thank you later!)⁣

Clear brush and fallen limbs away from the house and clean out your beds to make room for spring color.⁣
⁣
Join me in rolling out the welcome mat for the easy, breezy season ahead!⁣
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • Likes: 0
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Load more

Blog by Category

  • Baby Boomers (25)
  • Buying Myths (108)
  • Demographics (38)
  • Distressed Properties (15)
  • Down Payments (58)
  • First Time Home Buyers (574)
  • For Agents (1)
  • For Buyers (838)
  • For Sellers (672)
  • Foreclosures (17)
  • FSBOs (30)
  • Gen Z (6)
  • Generation X (16)
  • Holidays (3)
  • Home Decor (1)
  • Home Maintenance (2)
  • Housing Market Updates (448)
  • Infographics (183)
  • Interest Rates (145)
  • Investment (1)
  • Local Market Updates (3)
  • Luxury Market (13)
  • Millennials (75)
  • Move-Up Buyers (629)
  • New Construction (30)
  • Pricing (207)
  • Rent vs. Buy (96)
  • Selling Myths (50)
  • Senior Market (15)
  • Short Sales (1)
  • Time-sensitive (6)
  • Uncategorized (14)
  • Weekend Wanderings (1)

Recent Posts

  • Ready to Buy in 2022?
  • What you can expect from me as a buyer
  • Is your home ready to sell? Answer these quick questions to find out!
  • What do I offer for free? Glad you asked!
  • Preparing Your Home for Winter