| Conjecturing about retirement community trends can | | | | people are renting now. |
| be fun. It presents a general overview of what is | | | | The northeast region is about the same while the |
| happening now in retirement community searching. At | | | | southeast region is slightly down. The Northeast |
| this writing, we are in the middle of the economic | | | | seems more popular now where it was just the |
| and housing crisis so obviously things have changed a | | | | opposite before. The southeast coastlands are more |
| lot since my last report a year ago. I predicted this in | | | | subject to storms and flooding so maybe this has |
| my last report. I said things could change at any time. | | | | some people worried. |
| And that is still true. | | | | Manufactured homes and mobile homes aren't as |
| As we all know the current crisis came on swiftly and | | | | popular at the current moment whereas they were |
| engulfed us in worries and fears that we did not | | | | extremely popular before. I believe this is because |
| haveat my previous report a year ago. This is all | | | | one can find luxury site-built homes at much lower |
| reflected in the changing popularity of various areas | | | | prices now. Senior RV communities have slumped |
| for retirement and categories on my website. | | | | probably due to higher gas prices. A recent article |
| Recently I browsed my website again looking for the | | | | about RV's says this shouldn't affect your RV plans, |
| latest trends to watch. The last time I did this about | | | | but most people will not see it that way. Prices of |
| a year ago, I stated that Florida was the most | | | | RV's have fallen drastically but people aren't as |
| popular state and that the midwest was gaining | | | | interested as before. |
| popularity. Recently, my traffic statistics show the | | | | My affordable retirement communities page has |
| midwest has slumped in popularity and Florida has | | | | jumped in amount of traffic but so has my luxury |
| remained fairly consistent. There has been a slump in | | | | communities page. Also, with large increases is my |
| employment in the midwest and more storms. | | | | Retirement Planning Checklist and Home Pricing as |
| Perhaps this has had an effect. | | | | well as Floorplans. But Visitor programs, Retirement |
| Northern California is up possibly because prices are | | | | Community Books and "Snowbird Tips" have dropped |
| falling there and Southern California remains stable in | | | | in interest. |
| interest, not prices. There have been areas of huge | | | | Overall, my traffic counts are stable or a little down, |
| price decreases. This seems to be more important | | | | but people aren't as interested in moving or |
| than their current substantial economic problems. | | | | retirement as much at the current time. At least I |
| There is bad news coming out of the Southwest | | | | guess this by the amount of time they spend on my |
| region yet Arizona and the Southwest are more | | | | site and the number of pages they view. Recently |
| popular. My article on Texas Hill Country shows | | | | these have gone up, however, as times seem better |
| increased interest. Phoenix is one of the troubled | | | | and the summer buying season is in full swing. |
| cities with huge drops in prices and there is increased | | | | Another trend we'll watch for the future would be |
| interest. However, Texas prices have remained stable | | | | urban retirement communities which have appeal for |
| throughout, depending on the area. | | | | younger baby boomers, not yet retired. These are |
| I said I saw senior apartment communities becoming | | | | general trends for retirement communities as viewed |
| more popular in about ten years, but they are slightly | | | | from my website and may not be the same on |
| more popular now. May be an indication that more | | | | other retirement community websites. |