Are you a second-home buyer with double vision?
If you're in your 40s or 50s and looking for a leisure-time getaway now that will serve as a superb retirement haven later, you're not alone, according to Michael Sarka, executive director of the Vacation Rental Managers Association.
``People not only are graying but are also looking for a vacation home with retirement in mind,'' says Sarka, whose association represents 300 vacation rental agencies, 90 percent of which also sell second homes.
One major factor propelling the trend toward vacation-retirement home purchases is that ``people are feeling buoyant about the economy,'' Sarka says.
Whether you've taken your profits from Wall Street, a successful career in the computer industry or another source, you may now be able to buy the second home you couldn't afford five or 10 years ago.
Another obvious factor is demographics, says Margaret Wylde, president of the ProMatura Group LLC, a national consulting firm that advises clients on marketing housing and other products to older consumers.
``There is an explosion of retirement villages throughout the country,'' says Wylde, though she acknowledges that tastes vary widely and that not every aging boomer or senior likes the notion of living in an age-segregated community.
Indeed, many of those currently seeking a vacation-and-retirement home are looking at communities where people of all ages live, Wylde says.
Among the most popular sites chosen by the current flock of dual-objective shoppers are places packed with amenities, whether they be golf courses, tennis courts, spas or exceptional vistas, says Peter A. Hoostad, a broker-associate for Re/Max realty.
``People are getting much more into the quality of their lives. They're working less on weekends and taking off more time for the places they enjoy,'' says Hoostad, who has sold real estate for 15 years.
What should you look for in a second home where you plan to retire? Here are five pointers.
CONSIDER THE ALTITUDE Those who have studied the housing needs of older people know that single-story properties are ideal.
Why? Because the aging process often brings with it ``loss of strength, increased fear of falling and balance problems,'' says Wylde, of the ProMatura Group. That means scaling a set of stairs becomes increasingly difficult.
