Empty Nester Features

Ask a Grand Rapids real estate agent about empty nester features, and you may get a surprising list of things that people look for when kids fly the nest. For years, most empty nesters would thinking of downsizing to a smaller home to hang their hat, but for the baby boomer generation, that is not always the case. Actual home size needed may be the same as their previous home. Modern empty nesters tend to look for contained, manageable, open spaces. Plenty of hidden storage space helps with the accumulated belongings. And simple, convenient home design is crucial.

Perhaps you’ve been dreaming of a new home for years, and have had plenty of opportunity to imagine your new life, or to imagine the things you don’t want in your new home. Here are a few of the features that modern empty nesters often seek:

• Kitchen: Great floor plan, updated finishes, lots of counter space and storage space for those cooking devices that accumulate over time. Entertaining space (both indoors and out) near the kitchen is key for many.
• Main bedroom: Master bedrooms on the first level, and sometimes even separate his and hers bedrooms or bathrooms.
• Bathroom: A bright master bathroom with a shower, and often a bathroom with a bathtub for potential grandkids.
• Additional bedrooms: For many, a bunkhouse style guest bedroom can be a fun way to host memorable family gatherings, while still reducing the home’s overall footprint and limiting the amount of space to heat, clean, and maintain. Other bedrooms may be useful for hobby space for crafts, collections, and specialized hobbies.
• Home office: For some, a home office is a “must have.” If you work with a laptop, you may find that you can conduct business from anywhere within the home, but a built-in nook helps keep your business and office supplies organized and out of the way.

Everyone’s situation is a little different when the kids leave the nest, but the common theme is that when the household size shrinks, your lifestyle changes as well. When you have the chance to move to your empty nester home, it’s important to let your ideas “take wing,” and work with a Grand Rapids real estate agent who has helped many families through this exciting transition. Browse the most up to date inventory of local homes on the market , and contact The Sprich Group when you’re ready to find the home that fits your new lifestyle.

Photo: liz west ( some rights reserved )