I received a handwritten letter from a local couple last Tuesday, who reside in one of the towns, which will remain nameless, where my columns are read!
Unfortunately, they didn’t leave their name, address or any contact information by which I could have possibly responded to them and maybe provided them some advice or alternative plans to consider.
If they read this week’s column, please call me to further discuss your specific, “Needs and Wants.”
Their particular plight was how can they move, when rents and purchase prices for co-ops, condos and HOA’s(Home Owner Associations) are unfordable not only to seniors but to millennials and most everyone else? (that is one of the reasons why more people are leaving New York than are entering).
Unfortunately, their situation is not unlike other seniors and even baby boomers as well as thousands of young singles, couples living together, and young married couples with or without children, who want to live on Long Island or within the Metropolitan area.
However, the last seven years, as prices have escalated, finding a place is just about impossible within a reasonable price range whether purchasing or renting.
The supply of available and reasonably priced housing is becoming non-existent in the New York area; and on top of this situation, there is less than four months available inventory. Most critical is that the graying of Long Island began many years ago and now the current population has their own concerns about their plight about the thought of selling their home or staying in it.
The writer of the letter has a part-time job to help them pay their real estate taxes and be able to live but they are a lower income couple. This is a very difficult situation for many aging couples, young married couples and singles on Long Island.
Twenty-nine percent of Nassau and Suffolk residents were over 55 in 2013, up from 25 percent in 2007.
This trend is happening across the region and across the U.S., but Long Island has a slightly higher share of adults over 55 than other suburban parts of the NY region (27 percent) and a much higher share than New York City (24 percent).
The number of 25-34 year-olds is an important indicator, because this age group includes new entrants to the labor force and many first time home buyers.
After declining as a share of the population through 2007, it has held relatively steady at 11 percent of the population since then. This remains slightly less than other suburban parts of the region (12 percent) and much less than New York City (18 percent).
The question is, why aren’t they moving? There are many reasons and from my research and questioning of couples over the last five to10 years, my findings have ascertained the following responses:
1. My children are in the area and as we age, it will be easier for them to help us, as well as us helping them with babysitting and it’s very enjoyable and satisfying watching our grandchildren grow up
2. We feel very comfortable where we are and we have grown very deep roots within our communities and there are enough things to do to keep us occupied.
3. Florida for a majority is a stopover, either you are a snowbird with an extra place to go for the winter or you are a snowflake and spend several weeks to a month or so out of the winter months.
4. I have also have had couples and singles tell me that they feel more comfortable around the younger generation as opposed to the “older people” in Florida; which I laugh a bit, when they say this, since they are of similar ages.
But there is something to be said about being around the spirit and energy of the Millennials, Generation Xers and even us Baby Boomers. I believe we live longer when we are happier, satisfied with our surroundings and our grandchildren.
I personally have lived in my town for over 62 years and my grandchildren are less than 12 minutes from my home and my wife and I can’t wait to babysit for them, when needed! Energy and the human spirit is a powerful thing and we thrive on this, day in and day out!
5. There have been studies that Conversation and being around friends and neighbors in general, and being active has an effect on our health.
So, from my experience, being around healthy and happy couples and individuals helps you potentially stay healthier and happier.
Do you agree? What keeps you on Long Island? Send me a note or an email and let me know your thoughts, ideas and opinions on this subject.
A growing number of Americans are living to age 100.
Nationwide, the centenarian population has grown 65.8 percent over the past three decades, from 32,194 people who were age 100 or older in 1980 to 53,364 centenarians in 2010, according to new Census Bureau data. In contrast, the total population has increased 36.3 percent over the same time period.
Just over a third of both female and male centenarians lived alone in their own home in 2010, but the majority of the oldest citizens live with others.
“As people get older, things in life happen—like you might become a widow or you might have a disability, and because of those circumstances, living arrangements often change,” says Amy Symens Smith, chief of the age and special populations branch at the Census Bureau.
Centenarian females (35.2 percent) were more likely to live in a nursing home than males the same age (18.2 percent).
Centenarian males are the most likely to be living with others in a household (43.5 percent), compared to just 28.5 percent of centenarian females.
The big question today, how are you retrofitting your home to be more handicap or “age-friendly” accessible, as you grow older while still wanting to reside in your home? Come back for Part 2 Next Week.
Phil Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 7 Bond St (soon moving to 3 Grace Ave). in Great Neck. He has earned the designations as a graduate of the Realtor Institute and is a certified international property specialist. He can be reached by email:Phil@TurnKeyRealEstate.Com or by cell (516) 647-4289 to answer any of your questions or article suggestions or provide you a free comparative market analysis on
