Seniors Are Driving the Home Improvement Industry

October 16, 2019

Spending on home improvement has grown more than 50 percent in the U.S. since 2010, when it hit a low during the last recession. And homeowners who are 55 and over are the major force behind that spending, according to a recent report from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, based on data from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, and other sources.

The report, which charted changes in home renovation activity through 2017, attributed part of the increase to a shortage of new construction and a reliance on aging housing stock that requires upkeep and repair. Other factors include higher housing prices that have increased the available equity for home improvement loans, and a growing population of older homeowners who are financially equipped to pay for renovations. Aging homeowners, in fact, were responsible for half of the home improvement spending in 2017 — 25 percent by those between 55 and 64 and another 25 percent by those 65 and older.

What exactly did they spend that money on? The New York Times reports that the following 10 categories were the most popular:

Carpets, Floors, Paneling, Ceiling Tiles – 5.2 million homeowners with an average expenditure of $3,283
Plumbing – 4.1 million at an average of $1,360
Built-in Dishwashers and Garbage Disposals – 3.7 million with an average of $570
Windows and Doors – 3.7 million with an average of $3,442
Water Heaters – 3.6 million with an average of $976
Roofing – 3.4 million with an average of $7,674
Bathrooms – 2.9 million with an average of $6,362
Landscaping and Sprinkler Systems – 2.8 million with an average of $2,497
Central Air-Conditioning – 2.7 million with an average of $5,113
Electrical Wiring, Fuse and Breaker Boxes – 2.2 million with an average of $1,473

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Photo Credit: Christine Glade / Shutterstock.com

Written by: Vipology Staff Writer

Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies Home Improvement Costs Home Improvement Spending The New York Times US Department of Housing and Urban Development

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October 16, 2019