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Columbus Apartments Designed to Attract Downsizing Empty Nesters

Between 2015 and 2030, an estimated 120,000 Central Ohio householders are projected to downsize. And while condominium living had been the mainstay for downsizing empty-nesters prior to the housing crash, older renters in Columbus and nationwide are realizing the benefits of renting, and Columbus apartments are responding. According to America's Rental Housing 2015 a study released by Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, 51% of renter households are over 40—this is 22.4 million households.

Christopher Herbert, managing director the center, emphasizes that empty nesters are equally as responsible as their Millennial children for the renaissance occurring in urban core neighborhoods around the country—Columbus included. Luxury apartment concepts as well as single-family homes in the city’s downtown, Short North and German Village neighborhoods have been met with enthusiasm from both generations. Similarly, there is a desire to live in 'suburban infill' locations that provide good walking and bicycling paths and other recreational venues as well as easy access to retail, restaurants and other services.

Columbus Apartments Ready for Baby Boomers

Treplus Communities has taken their luxury apartment concept into two very desirable suburban areas of Central Ohio. The well-positioned communities located in Dublin and Pickerington are connected to parks, shopping, town centers, and community resources via pedestrian and multi-use trails.

couple eating chinese take out food on floor of Dublin Ohio apartment

Hawthorne Commons in Dublin and Redbud Commons in Pickerington, Treplus’ new age-qualified communities, take privacy, storage, noise and other factors into consideration with ample storage space, private decks and patios and attached garages. These are not retirement communities, but they are age qualified for adults age 55 and over, keeping the vibe mellow.

While downsizing empty nesters love the same design elements as their millennial offspring, savvy developers of Columbus apartments have given "senior apartments" (those restricted to householders age 55 and older) universal design features that go beyond open floor plans. Universal design features include one-level, no-step living, wide doorways and halls and adaptable bathrooms. Universal design has been in use in retirement communities for a couple of decades. But creating ease of access in age-restricted luxury apartments helps older renters feel like staying a while.

In Central Ohio, like most markets across the country, middle age homeowners took the biggest hit of the housing market crash. And as they grow older, the option to rent has become more and more attractive, particularly because they have observed that the performance of their homes as an investment has not been spectacular. Primary homes have historically just kept up with inflation, turning some savvy homeowners toward liquidating their home and renting.

Between 2005 and present, there has been a sharp increase in the number of U.S. renters between the ages of 55 and 69. And while developers of Columbus apartments struggle to keep up with this increasing demand for rental product at all price points, there the options for older renters are increasing, thanks to developers like Treplus Communities.