Real Estate · Generational Trends · 2025

What the biggest generational shift in real estate history means for your family, your home, and your next chapter.

A reflection on the NAR's 2025 Generational Trends Report

I want to talk about something that hit me a little closer to home than I expected when I first read the data. The "Silver Tsunami" is the long-predicted wave of baby boomers reshaping the real estate market, and it isn't just an industry buzzword anymore. It's sitting at a lot of our kitchen tables right now.

Maybe it's your parents finally talking about moving closer to you. Maybe it's a conversation about what happens when the house you grew up in gets to be "too much." Maybe it's you, realizing that the home you've loved for 20 years deserves a fresh look at whether it still fits your life. Whatever the scenario, this shift is happening and it's worth understanding.

The numbers are genuinely staggering: more than 70 million Americans are now aged 65 or older. Baby boomers, currently between 60 and 78 years old, have reclaimed their title as the largest share of both home buyers and sellers in the country, according to the National Association of REALTORS®' 2025 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report. Their decades of built-up equity and buying power are quietly reshaping the housing market as we know it. Actually, make that not so quietly.

70M+ Americans now aged 65 or older62% of older boomers used home sale proceeds to buy their next home17% of all buyers purchased a multigenerational home in 2024, a record high

As NAR's deputy chief economist Jessica Lautz put it, baby boomers are genuinely "holding the cards" in today's real estate market. After living in their homes for 13 to 16 years and watching values climb 50% or more, they have real financial flexibility to make moves. And they're using it.

So what does that actually look like on the ground? It breaks down into three really human stories. Stories you've probably seen playing out in your own family or neighborhood.

It's Not "Downsizing." It's Rightsizing.

I love that someone in the real estate world finally gave us better language for this. Dane Ramsden, a Detroit-based broker who works specifically with older adults navigating these transitions, calls it "rightsizing." He's absolutely right that it's one of the most emotionally loaded moves anyone makes in their lifetime.

"It's rarely just about square footage. It's about memory and identity."

Dane Ramsden, CEO, In Network Real Estate

Think about it. The home someone is leaving might be where they raised their kids, buried a pet in the backyard, hosted 30 Thanksgivings. Walking away from that isn't a transaction. It's a reckoning. And yet so many families wait until a health crisis or urgent circumstance forces the issue, turning what could be a thoughtful transition into a chaotic scramble.

The advice from people who guide these moves every day? Start early and be intentional. Sort through belongings with real care: keep what matters and find good homes for the rest. And don't underestimate how much it can help to recreate some small comforts in the new space before the move: the favorite chair in the right corner, the lamp at the right height, the book on the nightstand. These little anchors matter more than we admit.

If Your Family Is Navigating a Rightsizing Move

• Start the decluttering conversation early, well before it becomes urgent
• Bring in a senior relocation specialist alongside your real estate agent
• Set up familiar comforts in the new home before the move-in day
• Be patient with the emotional weight. It's not just stuff; it's a life lived

Aging in Place: Staying Put and Staying Safe

Not everyone wants to move, and that's completely valid. A lot of baby boomers are deeply rooted where they are, and the idea of leaving simply doesn't appeal. But here's the thing that keeps real estate professionals up at night: only about 10% of homes in the U.S. are actually prepared for senior living, according to AARP research.

That gap between intention and reality is where the danger lies. Stairs become treacherous. Bathrooms become accident zones. Poor lighting that was just a minor annoyance at 50 becomes a genuine hazard at 75. And too often, families wait for something bad to happen before they address any of it.

The good news is that thoughtful, universal design doesn't have to mean sterile or institutional. Lever-style door handles are beautiful and functional. A curbless shower is both accessible and modern. A first-floor bedroom suite offers convenience for everyone, guests included. Motion-activated lighting is a smart home feature that happens to also be a safety feature. Many of these upgrades add value to a home while making it genuinely livable for decades longer.

"Accessibility has become a defining priority in home remodeling. Homeowners are increasingly integrating features that make their spaces safer and more adaptable for all household members, now and into the future."

Marine Sargsyan, Staff Economist, Houzz

If you're thinking about your own home with fresh eyes, or helping a parent look at theirs, it's worth connecting with a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS). These professionals, trained through the National Association of Home Builders, can do a proper accessibility assessment and point you toward changes that will make a real difference.

Multigenerational Living: The Trend That Snuck Up on Everyone

This one genuinely surprised me when I looked at the data. Multigenerational home purchases hit a record high in 2024, with 17% of all buyers purchasing a home specifically designed to house multiple generations under one roof. That's not a niche anymore. That's a movement.

And honestly, it makes a lot of sense when you think about it. Families are wrestling with the cost of senior care, the reality of aging parents who need support but also value their independence, and the simple desire to stay connected. Buying a home with an in-law suite, a casita, or an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) lets multiple generations share a lot (or even a roof) without sacrificing privacy.

Ryan Hvizda, a New Hampshire-based agent, shared something that really stuck with me: "We're seeing more buyers who sell two homes and buy one property with an ADU so they can all live together. There's more than a financial benefit." That's the part we don't talk about enough. Yes, the economics can work beautifully. But the real gift is keeping people close.

Things to Think Through Before Going Multigenerational

• Look for single-story layouts or ground-floor bedrooms for older relatives
• Prioritize clearly defined private spaces: separate entrances, kitchenettes
• Discuss how title will be held before making an offer (it matters more than people realize)
• Check local zoning laws for ADU regulations, as they vary enormously by city

One honest challenge: these homes are genuinely hard to find. There's no "multigenerational" filter on most MLS searches, which means buyers need an agent who knows what to look for and how to ask the right questions. If this is what your family needs, be direct about it. A good agent can identify features like second primary suites or oversized ground-floor bedrooms even when they aren't labeled that way.

So What Does This Mean for You?

Whether you're a baby boomer weighing your next move, an adult child trying to navigate a conversation with aging parents, or someone in your 30s or 40s starting to think ahead: this moment in real estate is full of real decisions that matter deeply to real families.

The silver tsunami isn't a scary thing. It's actually a kind of gift, a reminder that housing should fit the life you're living right now and the one you're moving toward. The best moves are the ones made thoughtfully, with time, with good help, and with honesty about what you actually need.

If any of this is resonating, if you're in the middle of one of these conversations with your family or you're wondering whether now is the time to make a move, I'd love to talk. This is exactly the kind of decision where having someone in your corner makes all the difference.

Every Chapter Deserves the Right Home

Whether you're rightsizing, aging in place, or bringing the family under one roof, you don't have to figure it out alone.

Inspired by "The 'Silver Tsunami' in Real Estate Is Here: Are You Ready?" · NAR REALTOR® Magazine, October 2025 · Written by Melissa Dittmann Tracey