|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
For many senior homeowners in Pleasanton, there’s a simple reason to stay put: they already live where they want to be.
With a strong sense of community, familiar neighborhoods and easy access to the people, places and services that are part of their daily lives, longtime residents are increasingly choosing to remain in their homes and invest in making them even better.
Years of home price appreciation have also given many senior homeowners substantial equity and the financial flexibility to make that choice. Instead of selling and moving elsewhere, they can use some of that equity to improve accessibility and make other renovations designed for the way they want to live today and in the years ahead.
For these homeowners, remodeling isn’t necessarily about preparing a property for sale. It can be about reinvesting in a home, a neighborhood and a Pleasanton lifestyle they already know and value.
According to the National Association of Realtors’ “2026 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends” report, baby boomers remain the largest share of both buyers (at 42%) and sellers (at 55%) of the housing market. That’s a powerful reminder that seniors are a major part of the real estate market.
“I would definitely say that seniors are a quiet majority of the market,” said Tracey Esling, 2025 president of the Bay East Association of Realtors. “The one thing that hasn’t changed for older generations is the question of, ‘Where do I go?’”
For many, the answer is simply, “I’m not going anywhere.” Staying put often means keeping a low mortgage payment, or none at all, along with the equity, the memories, and the community they’ve built over decades.
NAR found that consumers feel the most important results from remodeling are livability and functionality, durable and long-lasting results, and beauty and aesthetics. Home improvement projects with the highest return on investment are garage door replacement, entry door replacement, minor kitchen remodel and bathroom remodel.
When it comes to smaller things that can make all the difference, Esling said painting and even replacing the flooring are generally the easiest and most affordable changes to make.
“When people want to truly remodel their home, the kitchen or bathrooms are usually the first things clients gravitate to and it’s a great place to start,” Esling explained.
NAR noted in its “2025 Remodeling Impact” report that while housing affordability and rising mortgage rates can be considered potential motivators for home remodeling, most homeowners reported that was not a deciding factor in their decisions to remodel.
“A lot of homeowners, especially in the Tri-Valley, love where they live. Not just their home specifically, but the surrounding community too,” Esling said. “Seniors who’ve lived here for even just a short time don’t always feel it’s necessary to leave when everything they need is so close and so familiar.”
And for those craving a change of scenery, Esling said they have new options.
“We are starting to see a trend on the horizon with baby boomers selling their homes and renting in either a beach community or the city, then purchasing somewhere close to friends or family,” Esling added.
Whether the plan is to stay, relocate or downsize, seniors today have more flexibility than ever to design a next chapter that fits their life.
“The complex nature of selling, more than buying, can create difficulties in a transaction for all parties,” Esling said. “So the suggestion of bringing in a Realtor you trust to help provide guidance is still great advice. Just because you may have gone through it once or twice before doesn’t mean it’ll work out the same way.”
As Esling put it, having someone trustworthy in your corner – whether the goal is staying, selling or somewhere in between – can make all the difference.
Editor’s note: Devin Davis is a public affairs specialist for the Bay East Association of Realtors, which is based in Pleasanton.
