Inactivity in the Adult Real Estate Market

A study conducted by the National Association of Builders Home paints a gloomy picture of the housing market for the 55+ age bracket in the third quarter of 2010. The 55+ Housing Market Index indicated that the market is currently at a virtual standstill. The study looked at the prevailing sales numbers, the expected traffic from buyers, and the projected sales in the next six months. The index measures the market with a scale of “50” and up indicating good confidence, and “50” below to indicate poor confidence.

Chief Economist for the National Association of Home Builders, David Crowe, said that there has been anecdotal date suggesting that the market is on the way to recovery, but the overall picture for the quarter shows that recovery is still around the corner. It is expected to make a turn when employment data improves with people becoming more confident of being able to hold on to their jobs. This level of confidence will translate into consumers purchasing properties in the 55+ market as mature buyers seek out housing that better suits them.

The condition of the job market heavily impacts the housing sector as it does other economic sectors. At present the economy is looking at a 10 percent unemployment rate and jobless claims just keep rising every week.

The index shows builder confidence at 15 and all the three categories posted decreases from the last quarter. The majority of builder confidence hinges on expected sales. And it is not only builder confidence that showed low ratings in the market for active adults.  There is, likewise, a continuous weakening of the 55+ multifamily condo market currently at 10 in the index or three points lower than where it used to be for the same period a year ago.

One bright spot in the index is the level of multifamily rentals where production prospects will not increase in the near future, but with a demand that runs up to the 20’s level. This is the same trending the segment experienced in the previous year.