John Varano

The vast majority of baby boomer home buyers say they'd prefer a house in the suburbs, according to a recent study conducted by the National Association of Home Builders. The survey of recent and prospective home buyers – titled Housing Preferences of the Boomer Generation: How They Compare To Other Home Buyers – asked participants how location, design, size, and individual home features might influence their decision to buy a house. The results found two-thirds of respondents prefer a home in the suburbs, while just over a quarter said they'd like to move to a rural area. Among baby boomers, just seven percent said they'd like to live in a central city location. Also among the survey's highlights, a large majority of buyers said they'd prefer a single-family detached home. Fewer buyers said they'd be willing to pay more for a house out of concern for the environment. In fact, just 14 percent of respondents agreed. With regard to home design, 37 percent of baby boomers said they'd be willing to buy a house that didn't have a living room and 50 percent said they'd prefer a home with a full or partial basement.