5 Tips for Selling to Older Home Buyers in 2024

America’s aging population is demanding more homes and communities that suit their needs and active lifestyles, spurring home builders to provide accessible housing for the 55+ home buyer market. Meanwhile, marketing and sales professionals in the industry are adjusting their approach to resonate with older buyers.

With the number of older adults expected to rise at historic rates by 2050, professionals in the home building industry will need to be prepared to meet their needs.

NAHB members who market and sell new homes to 55+ buyers share their tips for this demographic:

1. Communicate Frequently and Authentically

One-on-one communication is crucial when working with older buyers, especially while they’re building a home out of desire for a specific lifestyle rather than an immediate housing need, such as a growing family or job change.

“Even though they can text and they can do email, they really want to connect with another human being and trust that the biggest investment of their life in that moment is going to be treated with care,” said Carrie DeWeese, a Realtor with Chinowth & Cohen Realtors in Tulsa, Okla. “It takes a little more time to deal in this market, but it is worth it because they’re much more loyal than some of their younger counterparts.”

Beth Haynes, director of marketing at Regal Builders in Dover, Del., says it’s vital to connect with older buyers to inform them about the building process and answer questions directly, while younger buyers tend to focus more on home financing.

“This is definitely a market segment that really wants to feel that support and know that they have a trusted resource like a sales consultant, online sales consultant or a builder to help them understand what the journey is going to look like,” Haynes said.

EXPLORE: NAHB’s National Sales & Marketing Council

2. Sell the Lifestyle

Whether a buyer is shopping in an exclusively 55+ community or simply a new neighborhood, marketing and sales professionals can help them imagine how they’d fit in and thrive.

Amenities, social clubs and special events are poised for success as more people join communities and make up for time lost to the pandemic.

“As our home owners and buyers have evolved within the community, they’ve brought their passions and their talents, and really opening up the landscape of what that active lifestyle can look like,” Haynes said.

Older buyers often seek communities with outdoor spaces, trails, pools and nearby retail stores, while millennials are more likely to seek amenities like daycare centers and baseball/soccer fields, according to NAHB’s What Home Buyers Really Want 2024 study. Interestingly, some trendy amenities like pickleball courts and golf courses are less favorable among older buyers, the study found.

3. Choose the Best Marketing Channels

While marketers chase younger buyers on TikTok and Instagram, older audiences are still loyal to Facebook and their local newspapers.

When spreading the word about Regal Builders’ 55+ community in Delaware, Haynes prefers paid social media advertising to reach audiences around the region, taking the opportunity to share authentic photos and stories from the community.

“They love seeing those posts,” Haynes said. “They also like seeing the comments and the feedback that members of the community already may be sharing.”

On the other hand, DeWeese often turns to print media to advertise around Tulsa, Okla., noting that older buyers are more likely to trust print and local news sources over social media.

“I spend a lot of my advertising dollars on newspaper advertising, especially in the home section because I know I’m hitting the right audience,” DeWeese noted.

4. Showcase Universal Design, Aging-in-Place

Most of us don’t consider a 55-year-old as “old,” but it is a good age to consider how livable a house is in regard to common age-related health and mobility issues.

“You never know what’s going to happen to you, and people right now are thinking ‘I don’t want to leave my house. I like it – I’m comfortable here.’ I tell everybody, you’re probably not going to die in this house, but let’s make it your forever home for now,” DeWeese said.

Even simple accessibility features like single-floor living and proximity to stores and health care are important to older demographics, but can be difficult to find, according to a report by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

MORE: Aging-In-Place Remodeling Checklist

5. Leave Room for Unique, Inviting Home Features

Buyers are more often seeking homes that can fit their hobbies and interests, contributing to an uptick in demand for home offices and specialty rooms, according to NAHB’s What Home Buyers Really Want 2024 study.

“They may incorporate a loft within their home and use that for their hobby,” Haynes said. “We have everything from a jazz musician to movie buffs to model train collectors living in our community.”

Open floor plans remain popular with older buyers so they can easily entertain, and they’re much less likely to compromise on storage space than younger buyers, according to the NAHB study.

Looking Ahead

As the population of older Americans grows and diversifies, home building professionals expect the 55+ housing market to do the same.

“55+ is definitely here to stay, and I’m excited about the different types of communities throughout the United States and internationally that are really reaching out to this market, whether it’s through a variety of home types, different configurations of amenities or the lifestyle,” Haynes said.

Although builders may be playing catch-up in some areas to build homes for a larger population of older buyers, DeWeese says it’s worth the investment.

“No matter what demographic you build in, don’t count out the 55+ buyer. They have the money and they have seen all of the interest rate economies over their lifespans and aren’t afraid to borrow money,” DeWeese said. “If you’re building and designing towards that cohort of people, you should consistently have a job.“