IQ Fifty Plus Guide

Home Buying for Empty Nesters

Retiring in your present home

Option: You’re planning to stay in your present home, but you want to make some changes.

There are a variety of things you can do such as redecorating, changing the use of rooms, and remodeling. You may also need to make some changes to your home to reflect changes in your lifestyle. These articles are full of possibilities.

Want to turn a spare bedroom into a home office, exercise or hobby room? Have Your Kids Flown the Nest? Ideas for Those Now-Empty Rooms from Realty Times has these and other suggestions.

Another option may be to create an Accessory Apartment: A Home Within a Home. An accessory apartment is a private living unit that has separate living and sleeping quarters, kitchen (or kitchenette), and a bathroom. It is sometimes called an "in-law" suite. An accessory apartment can provide additional income (and often a nearby supportive presence or care-giver) without having to share your home with a "roommate." Be sure to check your local zoning laws, however, before beginning your remodeling to make sure that your planned "in-law" suite meets your local codes. In some residential area, for example, zoning laws prohibit adding an "apartment" with a kitchenette, or a separate "rental" unit, but allow a bedroom-bath "in-law" suite.

Many individuals who are ready to retire may not have homes that are ready for those retirement years according to Homes Not Prepared For Retiring-In-Place. This article refers to the AARP study “These Four Walls: Americans 45+ Talk About Home and Community” released in June 2003. You can access the study through the press release: New AARP Study Finds Mid-Life Americans Are Not Fully Prepared for Their Future Housing Needs.

Aging-in-Place features are taking center stage in remodeling projects. The following articles describe various ways these features can be incorporated into homes.

Evaluate Your Home for Aging-In-Place from the National Association of Home Builders

Modernization of the New Home for the Aging-in-Place Buyer from Realty Times

Remodeling Solutions that Cater to Seniors from the RealEstateJournal

Making Accommodations from CBS MarketWatch

Specialists Transform Houses Into Retirement Homes from Realty Times

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