With a focus on building homes that meet the needs of today’s active adult homebuyer, Boulder Creek knows the typical reasons buyers go searching for a new home.
Planning for retirement is no easy feat. As folks consider the end of their working years, there are many questions that come along with the notion of retirement. High on that list is how to maintain financial stability throughout retirement. Not far behind, however, is how to find the right lifestyle for those “golden years.” Is it possible to remain financially stable, while still enjoying life? Is it smarter to move into a home that is better suited for the needs of today, or does it make more sense to stay put? If you’re anywhere close to retiring, it’s likely that you’ve wrestled with these questions, among others.
Local, low-maintenance homebuilder Boulder Creek Neighborhoods hears these questions every day, The award-winning homebuilder knows a thing or two about changes in lifestyle. With a focus on building homes that meet the needs of today’s active adult homebuyer, Boulder Creek knows the typical reasons buyers go searching for a new home. At the top of the list is reducing the time and effort spent on home maintenance. Next, buyers seek a home design that works for current and future needs, rather than a home that was designed for a young family. Also on the list is a sense of community and belonging.
The homebuilder regularly works with motivated homebuyers, ready to embark upon a new lifestyle. Some are motivated to move closer to family. Others see the value in finding a new home that better suits their needs than the one where they built a career and raised their kids. Still others seek a complete change of scenery. Whatever the motivation may be, there are options that make this change in lifestyle possible.
Daniel Graff is the director of operations and financial planning at Weatherstone Capital Management – a local firm that specializes in retirement planning and active money management strategies. Graff says, “One of the things we find is really important to retirees is staying active and living in communities that are socially engaged.” He continues, “Studies find that important measures of retirement satisfaction is friends and activities – if people can reinvent themselves in an active community that has walking trails available and a location that offers the things you want to do, then you’ll find more satisfaction in your retirement.”
Boulder Creek is known for an emphasis on incorporating lifestyle elements in their neighborhoods: well-designed communities in unparalleled locations. Further, many of the residents regularly organize pot-lucks, book clubs, poker nights, walking groups, and other activities with their neighbors. They often find that their neighbors become their friends, without much effort.
Of course, a question for any interested homebuyer is one around the financing of the home itself. Trevor Bellows is the vice president at First Creek Lending, a local mortgage company that offers a comprehensive loan portfolio and flexible loan products that can meet your specific financial needs. Bellows says it best: “From a lending standpoint, what tends to makes the Boulder Creek buyer unique is income – or perhaps the lack of a consistent income that comes with retirement. The big mortgage companies – Freddie Mae and Fannie Mac – make it so you have to fit a black and white income level, and someone that is retired may not have that income.” First Creek Lending is in a unique position to work with you and determine how a new home purchase can fit into the picture. “These home buyers may not have the same steady income streams as they had during their careers – so you have to look at your finances from a slightly different perspective”
As folks consider the end of their working years, there are many questions that come along with the notion of retirement. One of these questions is how to find the right lifestyle for those “golden years.”
Another serious consideration for those in or nearing retirement is the financial impact of buying a new home that better suits their needs. Where to even begin? As Graff puts it, “Equity tends to be the holy grail of the ‘American dream’ – but for our clients, what we’re always looking to accomplish is to maximize the living portions of their life and help them manage their finances smartly.” That can mean a change from a large, family home that requires hours of maintenance and upkeep, to a more right-sized patio home that puts all daily needs right on the main floor. By down-sizing the square footage, as well as the mortgage and upkeep costs of the home, homeowners are freed from the burden of a large, older home and now have the time and resources to spend on the activities they truly love.
While purchasing a new home is certainly a big decision, especially in retirement, with some careful planning it can be a choice that vastly improves quality of life. Once you wrap your head around the lending and financial planning options of purchasing a home, then the question becomes one of which home will best suit your needs now, and in years to come. Enter Boulder Creek Neighborhoods. With low-maintenance neighborhoods in some of the most popular areas of the Front Range, and home prices ranging from the mid $200s to the high $800s, Boulder Creek offers an array of home styles that are designed to meet the needs of today’s active adult homebuyer.
Boulder Creek’s clever designs and right-sized floorplans mean that unnecessary space and bedrooms are a thing of the past. No more time and resources wasted on cleaning, heating, and cooling spaces that are rarely used. The focus on main-floor living puts everything you need on a daily basis right on the main floor. (Your knees will thank you for removing daily trips up and down stairs!) The builder’s low-maintenance philosophy even extends to what’s behind the walls. Construction materials and techniques are selected for durability and efficiency, saving you money and headaches around costly repairs and power bills. A low-maintenance Lifestyle Association will take care of most outdoor maintenance chores on your behalf, including snow removal and lawn mowing. Instead of spending your weekends around lawn care, you now have the time to go for a round of golf, visit with friends and family, or discover a new hobby.
If a change in lifestyle in retirement sounds appealing, there a few ways to move forward. Trevor Bellows of First Creek Lending would be happy to talk with you at no cost to discuss some of the financing options that are available. Likewise, Daniel Graff of Weatherstone Capital Management is a seasoned expert when it comes to financial planning in retirement. If you already have your own financial planner and Realtor, these are great resources to start the conversation on how a new low-maintenance home fit into your future. Boulder Creek offers many locations and home styles that really stand out in today’s new home market.
Boulder Creek Neighborhoods is committed to providing you the information you need on low-maintenance living and how a new home can lead to a new lifestyle. Its Sales Concierge is available by phone at 303.309.0088 to answer any questions you may have and schedule home tours at your convenience. Professionally decorated model homes in Denver, Thornton, Aurora, Superior, Louisville, Erie, Longmont and Loveland are open seven days a week. More information, including virtual tours and floorplans, is available on the builder’s website at LiveBoulderCreek.com.
By Moria Woodruff, At Home. Photography by Boulder Creek Neighborhoods.
As folks consider the end of their working years, there are many questions that come along with the notion of retirement. One of these questions is how to find the right lifestyle for those “golden years.”
