Wealthy, older Americans are ripping up the traditional script for agingWealthy, older Americans are ripping up the traditional script for aging

Well-off boomers are increasingly upsizing their homes as they age, either buying bigger ones or financing additions to their existing properties. They are building guesthouses for family members and gourmet kitchens for entertaining, alongside such features as high-end grab bars and first-floor primary bedrooms for aging in place.

In the process, they are rewriting the rules of retirement and aging, when people are expected to move into smaller homes to save money.

Boomers make up the largest share of home buyers in the U.S.—an aspect of a housing market that is out of reach for younger buyers, but well within the economic powers of an older generation that controls the bulk of the nation’s wealth. Downsizers account for a slightly larger share of older home buyers, but the upsizers are quickly gaining momentum. About 7% of buyers ages 61 to 70 said the main reason they chose their new home was because they wanted more space, up from 4% for that age group in 2016, according to the National Association of Realtors.

The practice is even more common among affluent people. This generation’s considerable wealth is making upsizing possible. Baby boomers and those who are older hold around $110 trillion in total wealth, far more than younger Americans. Many bought homes and stocks decades ago and have benefited from the appreciation of those assets.

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“We’ll downsize when they plant me 6 feet into the ground,” said Victor, 64.

What a nice couple, eh, @denlillaapan?