Latest Boomer Home buying trends

Baby Boomers already account for a large portion of home buyers today. It should come as no surprise, then, that Boomers may soon dominate trends in features and fixtures for new homes and even renovations.

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal explains, designers and architects are catering toward this fast-growing segment of the population. The influx of aging home buyers exhibit needs for wider halls and doorways for walkers and wheelchairs, and master suites and laundries on the ground floor so residents can avoid stairs (most builders offer 1st floor master models).

Now, the technology behind home appliances and fixtures is making all kinds of appliances and home electronics more senior-friendly. Some of the innovations appliance re-design include:

• Stoves that monitor pots to prevent boiling over.
• Adjustable typeface on appliance control panels.
• Faucets that turn on and off with just a touch any where on the spout.
• Dishwashers designed to be mounted at a more comfortable height.
• Refrigerators with storage designed to reduce bending over (readily available now).
• Adjustable volume/pitch of oven alarms.
• There's even a toilet on the market with an electric-blue night light built in and a motorized heated seat cover that rises with the touch of a button.

These trends will certainly continue to evolve, as buyer average age advances and Boomer life style preferences emerge.