Home Owner: Empty Nester

As parents, you’ve worked hard to provide a loving and supportive environment for your children. Now your youngest child is graduating, congratulations! There are exciting (and scary) changes ahead for you and your child(ren). It’s time for them to leave the nest and take that next step into adult life. For you, there’s more time and money to fulfill the dreams you’ve put off for years. You now have time for travel, visiting old friends and engaging more fully in new hobbies.

You’ll want to take time to decide if you’re going to stay in your current home or relocate to be closer to grandchildren. This is a huge decision and we’re here to help you consider your options. Some home owners decide to right-size, selling large, 4 bedroom homes and moving to a community where they don’t have to worry about exterior home maintenance. Many baby boomers keep their homes, updating them to support personal hobbies like turning a spare bedroom into a quilt studio or model railroad city. Others, especially those living in cold weather states, buy a second home so they can spend the winter where it’s warm. The choices are complex so take enough time to think things through, and possibly try out new ideas like renting in Florida for a few years before you buy.

At the same time we recognize that life happens. There are reasons why children come home again, and it’s common enough that it’s known as the “boomerang generation”.

Other home owners find themselves taking on roles supporting elderly parents. Before you make these commitments, consider all available options. Experts warn against having parents move in unless you have separate space for them as privacy for each family member can be an issue.

Home owners joining the “sandwich generation”, taking care of parents and children need to assess their needs. It is possible to modify your home to create an in-law apartment or second master bedroom suite by adding on a room, finishing the basement or converting a family room into a bedroom.

Here are articles to help you research the key decisions home owners consider once their children leave home. With today’s economy, things are changing rapidly so be sure to submit your article request about other alternatives you’ve found so we can add that information to our Home Owner’s Library here at the Association of Women Home Owners.

• Deciding When to Stay in Your Home Versus Moving -
  You love your home, your neighborhood and can’t imagine leaving behind the memories. Realistically though you need to balance these against the budget to maintain a 2,200 sq ft home, an acre of landscaping and more. Get tips here to assess your home choices.
• Evaluating Retirement Communities and Condominiums -
  If you’re considering a move, you need to understand the choices out there. With a focus on homes that don’t require any exterior maintenance on your part, we’ll give you a quick overview of today’s retirement communities, condominiums and more.
• Vacation Homes: When to Buy and Why -
  Maybe you’re worried about the snow and cold winters or lots of your friends are moving south? Let us help you identify why you want a vacation home, what your expectations are in a vacation home and how to find one that will give you the lifestyle you’re looking for.
• Creative Home Remodels for Sharing Your Home -
  What if you’re considering bringing a parent to live with you, or worried about a child moving back home? Let’s take a look at the most common approaches to stretching your home to give everyone their own privacy, along with shared space like the kitchen.
• Universal Design Tips for Independent Living -
  Whether you’re remodeling or moving to a new retirement home, it pays to learn about new building guidelines and products for senior safety. Here is a quick overview of home and product designs for accessibility and ease of use, i.e. wider doorways and lever handles.
• Re-Decorating for Your New Life -
  With your children gone, you can review the home improvement projects you once considered. Maybe you’ve been wanting a screened porch? You can redecorate a bathroom or turn a child’s bedroom into a home office. You’ll want to keep important mementos but now is the time to rid yourself of broken furniture, unused items and make space for new memories.