Why Seniors Love Their Big Homes!

Back in the late ‘90s downtown urban planners assumed that as the baby boomers became seniors, they would sell their large homes and downsize into condos - with many of them even leaving the suburbs for the City Centre. I told them they were wrong, but they wouldn’t listen.

Fast forward to the 2020s and guest what - they were wrong.  The baby boomers are not downsizing in huge numbers as they become seniors. And I can tell you why, as I am one.

A senior’s home is a daycare, a museum, a food hall, a mini recreation centre, arts studio and gym.

Boomers love to host big family dinners on a regular basis, so having a large kitchen and dining area comes in handy.

Downsizing a garage and basement full of stuff isn’t fun.

Downsizing is not that attractive

For many of us, our families didn’t get smaller, they got larger as children got married and had their own kids. So, we still need the large kitchen and dining room for those Sunday, holiday and other special family dinners with children, partners, grandkids and often in-laws too.

As for those extra bedrooms, they came in handy when we retired and no longer had an office at work. The four bedroom suburban home became a “two bedroom, two office” home. Heaven forbid we would share an office with our partner!

And yes, we still needed the big garage as it became the woodworking shop and/or a garden shed and/or a place to store all our bikes (e-bike, mountain bike, city bike) and other recreational toys. In some cases, it became home to our private golf simulator or a homemade golf hitting space (I am not making this up).

As for the basement, it became a media/music, fitness and/or craft studios. Have you ever seen how much room a quilter needs? And of course, it comes in handy to having our wine cellar in-house when you want that extra bottle of wine rather than an elevator ride away.  

The backyard came in handy when the grandkids came over. It also allowed us to  try our hand at gardening - vegetable or flowers.

Today’s Boomer home is a mixed-use building - it is a hotel for visiting family and friends, a daycare for grandchildren, a recreation centre, a library, a special events facility and a dinning/food hall.

A typical sewing/quilting studio.

Old bedrooms become new office spaces when you retire.

A home gym or yoga studio are popular for today’s seniors.

Home as museum

Our houses are the family museum - they are full of memories and the artifacts of our lives – things like our kids favourite toys to report cards, as well as the many souvenirs of our travels.  Downsizing would mean losing a huge piece of our life. 

In Canada, and Calgary where home ownership is high, perhaps we have an even stronger attachment to our homes.  Selling the family home is one of the toughest decisions we must make.  And as everyone knows, humans almost always procrastinate when it comes to making tough decisions.

As a senior your home becomes a museum or art gallery documenting your life.

For some seniors having a dedicated library reading space is something they have always wanted.

Family & Friends

When I look at my family and friends, I see that most of them are still living in a single family home. I know it is a small sample size (100+) but it does represent people from all walks of life and a diversity of economic situations - artists to accountants.

For some retirement is time to work on their golf game.

In fact, one couple recently moved to a much bigger suburban house, after living 30+ years in a smaller ‘50s home. Why? They were tired of the lack of closet space, small ensuite, small bedrooms, poorly designed kitchen and dining room etc. Another couple recently decided to move to Edmonton to be near to children and grandchildren. Did they use this as a chance to downsize? Nope! They bought a big house in the ‘burbs, where they can host visiting family and friends as well as the grandkids.  

Another couple did sell their family home and moved into a city centre condo but found out condo living wasn’t for them and are now back in a big home in an established community, next to an inner-city park for those almost daily strolls.

Some of my friends are in their ‘80s and have been thinking they should move for years now , but they still love living in their home and aren’t going to give it up until they absolutely must.

Last Word

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize the last thing Boomers want to give up is their home. Simply put, when a couple retires today, they need more space, not less, as they are now living there full-time. And, too much togetherness is not always the best thing for a relationship.

 Note: An edited version of this article was published in the Calgary Herald’s New Homes + Condo section on March 10, 2024.