Over a career of creating communities and places for boomers and older consumers, I’m often asked to comment on what differentiates successful developments from others that are less so. The short answer, I believe, lies in one’s approach to development planning–with emphasis not just on built spaces, but on creating ageless consumer experiences.
An “experience” is the great sum of how a place or event looks, feels, lives, and wears. As consumers, we assess experiences emotionally, not rationally, through a complex filter of our own values, life experiences, personalities, and perspectives.
And every element of a consumer experience–from first impressions to the tiniest interior detail, or a smile on the face of a staff person–is registered subconsciously like a feather on a scale, weighing positively or negatively.
Creating great consumer experiences goes beyond benchmarking, best practices, and construction standards. It’s an elevated planning practice, requiring a depth of understanding about the consumer markets you serve, and how and when they want to engage with people, programming, and built spaces.
Planning experiences is becoming increasingly important in the age-qualified housing sector. More than 90 percent of Americans prefer to live in conventional neighborhoods, and many boomers reject the notion of living in communities that cater exclusively to those 55 and above.
“This was a real challenge for us,” says Paul Johnson, senior vice president and director of community development at Rancho Mission Viejo, a major master-planned development in South Orange County, California. Building in seven phases, Rancho Mission Viejo is expected to encompass 14,000 homes—6,000 of which are slated to be age-qualified 55 and up.
“We needed to capture more than 10 percent of the market, so we set out to create something new that would appeal more universally,” Johnson says.
The development melds age-qualified real estate with both age-exclusive and all-age amenities and lifestyle programming, based on a concept it calls “ageless living.” Like universal design, ageless living is rooted in the notion that what works for 55-plus consumers works for all. But just as importantly, ageless living is also about promoting lifestyle and eliminating barriers that limit access to fulfilling experiences.
As this relates to home design, builders thoughtfully tailor plans and home features to 55-plus consumer preferences. Homes emphasize single-level living and incorporate elements of universal design, while they also feature beautiful aesthetics, quality construction and finishes, social floor plans, views and natural light, and wellness and technology features. Johnson notes that many 55-plus homebuyers invest significantly in premium home sites, customizations, and upgrades.
Indeed, choice is an ageless value, which impacts lifestyle and amenity preferences outside of the home, as well. Rancho Mission Viejo’s 55-plus homeowners have access to exclusive amenities, including a clubhouse and fitness center, outdoor pool, spa, and recreational options. But they also have anytime access to the amenities of the broader master plan—and all amenities and programming are designed to appeal across generations. This means that universal design and 55-plus lifestyle preferences are addressed across the entire development.
The ability to opt in to age-exclusive or all-age programming appeals to many consumers who think “conventional” age-qualified communities are too confining. Rancho Mission Viejo promotes further variety by facilitating transportation between amenities within the development, as well as to popular destinations in the local market area.
In 2014, Ranch Mission Viejo was ranked number 13 on John Burns Real Estate Consulting’s list of the top 20 master-planned communities in the U.S., with, as the report states, “a third of the sales arising in the very successful active adult section.”
Now in the second of seven development phases, Rancho Mission Viejo is testing new neighborhood concepts and looking ahead to the changing needs of its 55-plus homeowners. It just announced plans to partner with service-enriched housing developer Continuing Life.
“Our model for ageless living will continue to evolve,” Johnson says. “This is just the beginning, and the journey never ends.”
Helen Foster is president of Foster Strategy, LLC (New Orleans), and consults with best-practice developers and builders across the U.S. A 20-year veteran of the 55-plus housing industry, she has been part of Rancho Mission Viejo’s development team since 2004. She can be reached at [email protected].
