Understanding where future buyers are searching can provide an early signal of where demand may emerge. Zonda’s Homebuyer Outlook (HBO) leverages a combination of NewHomeSource (NHS) traffic and consumer intelligence to track buyer activity throughout the home shopping journey.
For this analysis, we will focus on “Classic Retirees.” Classic retirees are one of Zonda’s 20 proprietary consumer segments and are defined as singles and couples aged 61 and older without children living at home.
The latest data shows these buyers continue to focus much of their new-home search activity in the Sunbelt. Dallas came in first, accounting for 9.0% of all clicks among classic retirees searching for new homes. Traditional retirement destinations such as Phoenix (7.6%) and Riverside, California (7.5%), remain major draws.
Beyond the top three, retiree interest remains spread across several fast-growing markets. Atlanta captures 5.2% of retiree clicks, followed closely by Orlando at 5.1%. Las Vegas also continues to attract retiree attention, generating 4.4% of clicks. The common thread across these markets is their ability to balance lifestyle appeal with relative affordability and access to family support networks.
One of the more notable findings is Chicago’s appearance among the leading destinations, accounting for 3.9% of retiree clicks. Rather than relocating across the country, many buyers appear willing to trade year-round sunshine for the benefits of staying close to established support systems, familiar neighborhoods, and lifelong friends. “For some, the solution is a seasonal one: maintaining roots in Chicago while spending the colder months in a warmer southern location, allowing them to enjoy the best of both worlds,” said Ali Wolf, chief economist for Zonda and NewHomeSource.
Going Forward
The latest search patterns suggest that the retirement buyer segment is still highly active. The Sunbelt remains the dominant retirement migration story, but demand is becoming increasingly nuanced. The story of what shoppers are looking for is fairly straight forward, though; single-story floor plans, low-maintenance living, right-sized homes, and communities that support aging in place continue to appeal to a broader segment of retiree shoppers regardless of market.
The insights in this article were taken from more in-depth research reports published in Zonda’s Homebuyer Outlook subscription.
