Retirees buying 4,000 sq ft houses?

[Anonymous]

Because it's fairly cost-effective to build very large houses due to modern construction techniques and materials, and less cost-effective to build smaller. You'll also find that the highly touted square footage will include garages and basements, so a 2k sqft with unfinished basement 1920s house is going to be comparable to a 4k sqft new build with fully finished basement and garage.

People grow into their spaces so it becomes normal to them.

[Anonymous]

I had a small house 1,300 when kids little. Three kids and lived there 18 years. I now have a big house. I need the big house more now.

My three kids will be visiting with spouses and grandkids. They need a place to stay over.

Kids today are not taking over holidays. My neighbor has a 7,000 sf and five grown kids 20-33. None are married. Only one lives at home. Every holiday there are 7-9 cars in driveway as they all come

[Anonymous]

Lot of boomers being sold houses they don’t need: a tale of American consumerism

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had a small house 1,300 when kids little. Three kids and lived there 18 years. I now have a big house. I need the big house more now.

My three kids will be visiting with spouses and grandkids. They need a place to stay over.

Kids today are not taking over holidays. My neighbor has a 7,000 sf and five grown kids 20-33. None are married. Only one lives at home. Every holiday there are 7-9 cars in driveway as they all come

How many holidays are there in a year? There's two, possibly three times out of the year when you'd be hosting holiday gatherings. I find it amusing people want to rattle around great big barns for the sake of a few holidays a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

Here’s an idea. When someone asks a question, you can answer it or be helpful. The person asking the question might learn something.

Name calling isn’t helpful.

Here’s what I’m asking:
Why do 70 year olds buy into neighborhoods with 4000 sq feet houses, large 2 acre lots.
It’s not a TYPICAL retiree area…I lived in Williamsburg for a long time and it was highly desirable for retirees.

Do I mean that all 70 year olds want the same thing? Surely not!

I would think (and many of you are proving me wrong) that if your kids are grown, you’d want less house, less yard.

If you’re a retiree purchasing a large home in a neighborhood with young families, explain why to me so I can learn.

Because contrary to some posts on here, not all retirees have any desire to be in dense walkable areas with shared walls. They can afford to outsource yard care and house cleaning if they like. They prefer to have privacy and love hosting their family and friends and enjoy their beautiful homes in nice neighborhoods.

The ageism is out of control. Now nice neighborhoods are only for young families? Some days I swear it feels like DCUM thinks the entire region is only supposed to be for young people raising families. That is only one phase of life and in the long run it is a short phase.

[Anonymous]

boomer selfishness and greed, awful generation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

Here’s an idea. When someone asks a question, you can answer it or be helpful. The person asking the question might learn something.

Name calling isn’t helpful.

Here’s what I’m asking:
Why do 70 year olds buy into neighborhoods with 4000 sq feet houses, large 2 acre lots.
It’s not a TYPICAL retiree area…I lived in Williamsburg for a long time and it was highly desirable for retirees.

Do I mean that all 70 year olds want the same thing? Surely not!

I would think (and many of you are proving me wrong) that if your kids are grown, you’d want less house, less yard.

If you’re a retiree purchasing a large home in a neighborhood with young families, explain why to me so I can learn.

Maybe if you wouldn't ask offensive, stupid, ageist questions you wouldn't get name-calling in response. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. And your lack of imagination with this why-would-older-people-want-anything-but-a-tiny-rambler stuff is astonishing, really.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:boomer selfishness and greed, awful generation

Wait, it is selfish to [checks notes] buy a house you like in retirement? Why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
OP here.

Here’s an idea. When someone asks a question, you can answer it or be helpful. The person asking the question might learn something.

Name calling isn’t helpful.

Here’s what I’m asking:
Why do 70 year olds buy into neighborhoods with 4000 sq feet houses, large 2 acre lots.
It’s not a TYPICAL retiree area…I lived in Williamsburg for a long time and it was highly desirable for retirees.

Do I mean that all 70 year olds want the same thing? Surely not!

I would think (and many of you are proving me wrong) that if your kids are grown, you’d want less house, less yard.

If you’re a retiree purchasing a large home in a neighborhood with young families, explain why to me so I can learn.


Because contrary to some posts on here, not all retirees have any desire to be in dense walkable areas with shared walls. They can afford to outsource yard care and house cleaning if they like. They prefer to have privacy and love hosting their family and friends and enjoy their beautiful homes in nice neighborhoods.

The ageism is out of control. Now nice neighborhoods are only for young families? Some days I swear it feels like DCUM thinks the entire region is only supposed to be for young people raising families. That is only one phase of life and in the long run it is a short phase.

Very true. Our parents lived into their 90's. We are empty nesters in our 50's. We could well live another 30 years in this house . . . way longer than our children lived here. We cannot afford HOA fees in an over 55 community/condo for the next 30 years. We have no HOA here. Plus we have sunk a lot of money into fixing up this house. Now it's time to enjoy it.

[Anonymous]

We did because our family grew with weddings and births of grandchildren. We wanted everyone to have a comfortable bed when they visited. They all come together for some visits, and the grandchildren visit often. We live where the kids grew up and have friends and other relatives. Just mind your own business.

[Anonymous]

My parents have about 3500 sf on 2 levels. There is a primary bedroom, 2 guest rooms, and an office. Plus 3 full bathrooms. They get a lot of visitors, and my mom has a hobby that uses up a lot of the basement. She also gardens so the big yard is what she wanted in retirement.

Seems pretty logical to me.

[Anonymous]

Boomers are rich and have the money for these homes. Most Millennial families with kids can't afford them.

There's a good reason that more than 40% of home sales in 2023 were to Boomers (the largest generational cohort of buyers). 2024 is likely shaping up to be the same. They are the ones with the money to buy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Boomers are rich and have the money for these homes. Most Millennial families with kids can't afford them.

There's a good reason that more than 40% of home sales in 2023 were to Boomers (the largest generational cohort of buyers). 2024 is likely shaping up to be the same. They are the ones with the money to buy.

It’s not weird or new for people near the end of their careers to have more financial stability than young people in the throes of raising kids. It isn’t a Boomer issue. My parents certainly had more wealth than we did when our kids were small, just like their parents did when my parents were raising us. The biggest different I see is that older people were willing to live in smaller, not updated homes when they were building their career and raising their families. Everyone now wants the best of the best right away. Whether it’s location or amenities or both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had a small house 1,300 when kids little. Three kids and lived there 18 years. I now have a big house. I need the big house more now.

My three kids will be visiting with spouses and grandkids. They need a place to stay over.

Kids today are not taking over holidays. My neighbor has a 7,000 sf and five grown kids 20-33. None are married. Only one lives at home. Every holiday there are 7-9 cars in driveway as they all come

How many holidays are there in a year? There's two, possibly three times out of the year when you'd be hosting holiday gatherings. I find it amusing people want to rattle around great big barns for the sake of a few holidays a year.

It's because he doesn't want his BIL to look down on him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:boomer selfishness and greed, awful generation

I'd argue it's more Boomer insecurity and need to prove something to the Joneses. They never figured out how to find their self-worth in something other than consuming and the status hamster wheel, or even who they are. I'd also argue that rampant consumerism stems from American isolation and disconnection. They think the bigger house and fancier car will make others finally love and include them.