For several parents, when the last child moves out, a home can feel far too big. They must adjust to the quiet, as well as the sense of having the place to themselves again. Once they’ve gotten accustomed to this new living environment, many consider an empty nest remodel to make the home better match their current needs and wants.
Who Are Empty Nesters?
Those 55 or older with only one adult child still at home are considered near-empty nesters. A true empty nester is designated as those parents whose last child has officially moved out. This designation may be more or less important, depending on your location. While a lot of retirees choose to move to smaller homes, condos, or apartments, there are regions in the north or the Midwest that have a higher percentage of empty nesters staying in place.
Depending on the population density of younger people with small children in the region, empty nesters may struggle to find a buyer for their home quickly, if they choose to sell. However, a lot of parents truly love their abode and desire to make it their own now that their children have started lives of their own.
Possibilities for an Empty Nest Remodel
An empty nester does not need to limit themselves to simply turning a former bedroom into a craft room or an office. Partnering with a home improvement contractor can help parents get a vision for removing walls, building a master bath, or even adding a fireplace. Now is also the time to have discussions about updating the kitchen or customizing the surround sound in a basement TV room and turning it into a private theater. Empty nesters can treat themselves to renovations that will make it possible to age in place, such as a main floor laundry room and a first-floor master suite.
Financing Considerations
For those who are still paying a mortgage or are short on cash, it might seem like their dream remodel is out of reach. Empty nesters are also focused on contributing to their retirement goals, so a home remodel might get put on the backburner indefinitely. However, it does not have to end this way!
Affordable financing options are available to empty nesters, making an empty nest remodel more within reach for many parents. Instead of looking at a huge lump sum payment upfront, low monthly payments with customer-friendly loan terms are at the ready. Additionally, empty nesters can view the remodel as an investment in their home’s future value, as modern renovations will likely build equity.
Parents invest a lot of money into their home to make it a great place to raise their family. Once the children are gone, it is their time to turn their home into a dream retirement haven. Help them make their dreams a reality by partnering with Medallion Bank. Learn more about our customer financing for contractors here.