This post sponsored by Park Springs.

Jay Cohen, President of Monterey Wealth, writes a weekly newsletter, the Monterey Wealth Report.

Last week these results were featured. I thought readers would like to see what “boomers” are thinking and feeling about retirement.

WHAT ARE BABY BOOMERS’ LATEST THOUGHTS about retirement? Here are some highlights from a survey released by MFS Investment Management® on April 12:

• 59% of non-retired Boomers agree with the statement, “I’m more concerned than ever about being able to retire when I thought I would.”
• 50% agreed that they have lowered their expectations about what life would be like in retirement.
• 30% of Boomers reported a net decrease in the risk they were willing to take to achieve higher returns over the last 12 months; only 12% reported a net increase.
• Boomers are approximately evenly split when describing their primary investing goal: 34% reported it to be growing assets/increasing portfolio value as much as possible while 33% reported protecting principal/not losing money as their primary goal.
• Nearly four times as many Boomers would describe themselves as protective investors (37%) vs. opportunistic investors (10%).
• Only 13% of Boomers surveyed reported having $1 million or more in median household investable assets, while, on average, retirement was within 10 years.

If you’re a Baby Boomer, do these survey results surprise you?

Anresa Davis
Senior Residency Counselor
Park Springs
anresadavis@parksprings.com
www.parksprings.com

This post sponsored by Windsong Properties.

Many active adult buyers dream of living the lifestyle of an active adult community but can’t seem to take the next step. There many obstacles and objections that can derail the dream. The idea of downsizing their home and belongings can be paralyzing and often they are unaware, or at least not discussing this objective.

Sorting through a lifetime of accumulations weighs heavily on a buyer’s mind. Moving from a large, 4 or 5 bedroom family home to a 2 or 3 bedroom ranch home requires a significant reduction in furniture and belongings. The emotional attachment to belongings accentuates the difficulty and can make the task unbearable.

Professional organizers can help find the path to a downsized home. For a fee, organizers help decide which pieces of furniture can be moved, and even where to be placed in the new home. They are not emotionally attached to the belongings so they ask the tough questions (sell, donate, pass to children, keep) and expect the answers. Organizers get the job done quickly and as painless as possible.

For the “do-it-yourself-er”, here are a few tips. The rooms, (attic, garage, storage) that are furthest from the family center are the best place to start. They are typically full of things that are seldom used. Each item has a decision: Keep, donate, give to children, sell, or trash. Create 5 locations in your home for each of these actions, regularly taking things to the donation center or the trash so the piles don’t become overwhelming.

Sticky notes become a useful tool in downsizing. Using color coded stickies, apply to each item in a room as you are filtering through. This way the items do not need to be immediately relocated and when moving day comes, there is no confusion.

Openly discussing solutions to this buyer objection can help active adult buyers make the next step in the purchase decision. Arming them with a plan to tackle it themselves or connecting them to a professional downsizing and organizing company may give them the confidence and assurance to go to contract on a new home.

This post sponsored by Park Springs.

Last night TBS aired “The Wizard of Oz.” For those of us old enough to remember this used to be an annual event. My mom would have all six kids bathed and in pj’s, popcorn popped and Kool-aid chilled minutes before air time. My first recollection of being scared to death by Miss Gulch/Wicked Witch of the West was when I was five years old.

Well, here I am a few years past five and that impression is just as vivid today. The “fun fact” is that Margaret Hamilton who played the wicked witch was only in the movie for a total of 9 minutes. NINE MINUTES of screen time for her and a lifetime of memories for the rest of us. That is what I call a lasting first impression. Her infamous line; “I’ll get you my pretty” still reverberates down my spin as I recall running down the hallway to my bedroom, only to return after house fell on her.

This brings me to present day. We are all in the business of working and caring for older adults. What kind of first and lasting impression do we offer when our buyers come to visit our communities or inquiry about our services? Is it scary like the Wicked Witch of the West or warm and friendly like Glinda, the good witch?

Look around you. Are the extrinsic features ready for show? Are the grounds manicured and fresh? Is the office neat and clean, free from odors? Do you have welcoming refreshments appropriate for the season? Is there comfortable seating with good lighting? Are the models “show ready?”

Look at yourself. Are you prepared and ready to greet a prospect? Are your procedures and plans ready to be executed? Are you familiar with what leisure opportunities are scheduled for the week? Are you ready to greet your guests by name? Are you ready to make a sale by having all paperwork prepared and available? How will you plan and personalize the follow up through written and telephone correspondence?

You’re seeing the yellow brick road; the one that will lead us to our “Oz” of success. Please add your thoughts to this message. We can help each other make a sale and not have the appointment land on our heads!

Anresa Davis
Senior Residency Counselor
Park Springs
www.parksprings.com

This post sponsored by the Atlanta Real Estate Forum.

The first Boomers turned 65 in 2011. As this large population continues to mature, the housing market must in turn mature with them. Boomers know who they are and what they want. According to Dr. Bob Deutsch of marketing firm Brain Sells, “Boomers need for companies to be transparent and honest about their efforts to conduct environmentally sustainable business practices and genuinely collaborate with their customers rather than try to dictate to them.”

The Atlanta Regional Commission estimates that one out of every five Atlanta residents will be over the age of 60 by 2030. As more and more people continue to approach retirement age, many will be looking to downsize their homes in exchange for something that requires less maintenance.

A recent joint study by the 50+ Housing Council and the MetLife Mature Market Institute reveals that 55+ buyers are more practical than ever, caring less about the design and appearance of homes and more about proximity to friends, family and work. In today’s market, the focus is more on utility as opposed to amenity.

What does all of this mean for Atlanta real estate? Well, Atlanta home buyers are fortunate to be in a market with many home builders entrenched in building homes for the 50+ buyer. A quick browse through the recent posts in the Active Adult Communities category on Atlanta Real Estate Forum quickly reveals a variety of builders and housing choices.

Soleil Laurel Canyon offers residents the opportunity to participate in more than 50 social clubs and regularly scheduled activities that range from Friday night movies to arts and crafts classes, cooking demonstrations and wine tastings. Exceptional recreational amenities include a 28,000 sq. ft. clubhouse with a heated indoor saline pool, billiards parlor, gourmet teaching kitchen, fitness center and aerobics studio, library, card rooms and an arts and crafts studio. Outdoor amenities include a performing arts center, outdoor amphitheatre, outdoor lagoon-style pool, six clay tennis courts, full-time tennis pro, walking trails and greenhouse. To learn more call 678-880-3071 or visit www.SoleilLaurelCanyon.com.

Jim Chapman Communities builds elegant, yet affordable one-level ranch communities in Douglas, Cobb, Gwinnett, North Fulton and Forsyth Counties. Planning and delivering extraordinary communities designed for the active adult lifestyle, Jim Chapman Communities offer Well-Earned Elegance for today’s active adults. For more information, call 770-319-7474 or visit www.JimChapmanCommunities.com.

Cresswind on Lake Lanier has a variety of two and three-bedroom ranch-style floorplans inside a private, gated community. A three-story clubhouse offers several amenities and activities like arts and crafts, billiards, aerobics, a demonstration kitchen and a ballroom. The community also has indoor and outdoor pools, a tennis campus and extensive walking trails. Visit www.Cresswind.com or call 770-532-4926 for more information.

The Orchards Group builds active adult retirement communities for empty nesters, retirees and seniors. The interiors of each home are spacious and free flowing. From oversized doorways and bathrooms to step-less entryways, each home is designed to making each homeowner’s life easier. And with an exclusive activities program and gracious amenities, life at an Orchards neighborhood can also be fun. For more information, call 678-795-0200 or visit www.OrchardsGroup.com.

Windsong Properties builds active adult ranch home communities in Cherokee and Paulding Counties. These single-level homes offer low maintenance exteriors and landscaping, leaving residents more time to enjoy life. Homes are also fully accessible thanks to no-step doorways, lever handles and other amenities. For more information, call 770-516-3409 or visit www.WindsongLife.com.

This post sponsored by the Atlanta Real Estate Forum.

Who would have thought that the fastest growing demographics using the Internet are senior citizens? The number of seniors actively using the Internet has increased by more than 55 percent, from 11.3 million active users in November 2004 to 17.5 million in November 2009, according to The Nielsen Company. It’s a great place for retirees to find travel deals and information on products that they are considering purchasing including home purchases.

Having your active adult community showcased on the web will help potential buyers find you faster. Being on the web gives the buyer the opportunity to learn about you as the builder, take a virtual tour of the neighborhood, check out your location, view your floor plans and discover why they should visit your sales team to make a buying decision.

The Atlanta New Homes Directory provides you internet exposure on page 1 of Google, Yahoo and MSN search. To learn more about successful, active adult communities in metro Atlanta, click here.

To find out about being part of Atlanta New Homes Directory and showcasing your active adult neighborhood call 770-904-3571.

Recently, Harris Interactive, on behalf of Boral Bricks conducted a study of approximately 1,683

homeowners nationwide to gain a better understanding of which aspects of homes with brick
siding the respondents found appealing.

Results of the study found that nine out of 10 homeowners find brick appealing. Additionally, 72
percent of homeowners age 55+ appreciate the low maintenance aspect of brick.

And what’s not to like? Brick is beautiful, durable, low maintenance and sustainable. Boral offers
builders beautiful siding solutions that help save energy, provide the depth and strength to
weather the elements and require virtually no maintenance over the course of its lifetime. All
this makes customers happy. Here are some more reasons why…

Other than cleaning, brick does not require any additional maintenance. Brick will never have
to be painted and it won’t rot, fade, peel dent or become brittle. Low maintenance allows
homeowners to spend time enjoying their homes, not fixing them.

Boral is so confident in the durability of brick that the company offers The Boral® Transferrable
Residential Warranty to protect homeowners as long as they own their Boral brick home. The
warranty even transfers to the second owner if the house is sold.

Boral has five locations across Metro Atlanta. For more information call 678-625-4051 or visit
www.boralbricks.com.

Lifelong Communities provides an array of housing types that appeal to individuals both young and old, opportunities for healthy living with ways to get around that meet the needs of individuals both you and old, opportunities for healthy living with ways to get around that meet the needs of individuals who do not drive, safe sidewalks and interesting place to walk, and convenient access to shopping and basic services. Those features can be summed up in the three goals of a Lifelong Community.

1. Provide housing and transportation options
2. Encourage healthy lifestyles
3. Expand access to services

The Atlanta Regional Commission supports these principles and design standards which are tools to help community planners, leaders, developers and citizens create communities that meet the goals of a Lifelong Community. To learn more about the Lifelong Communities seven principles and to visit the visual design library, please visit www.atlantaregional.com/llc.