Two Interesting Moving In Retirement Reports and Other Retirement Studies (55, state)

[LauraC]

I saw these two related moving in retirement research briefs today that were released in 2009 by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College and thought I'd share the links to the reports. They are actually about older Americans moving of which retirees are one group.

The title for the first one is "OLDER AMERICANS ON THE GO: HOW OFTEN, WHERE AND WHY?"

"The first section covers the prevalence of moving and the geographic locations of the moves. The second section analyzes the reasons that households give for moving and explores whether these reasons suggest different types of movers. The third section concludes by setting the stage for the next brief, which will explore the determinants and consequences of moving."


http://crr.bc.edu/images/stories/Briefs/ib_9-18.pdf (broken link)


The title of the second one is "OLDER AMERICANS ON THE GO: FINANCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF MOVING."

"The first section introduces the sample of households used in the analysis. The second section analyzes what characteristics influence a decision to move. The third section looks at the impact of moving on home equity, while the fourth section considers the impact on psychological well-being."

http://crr.bc.edu/images/stories/Briefs/ib_9-19.pdf (broken link)


The Center for Retirement Research does a lot of retirement-related studies in which you might be interested. Here are links to their other briefs:

Press Releases*-*Center for Retirement Research at Boston College (http://crr.bc.edu/press_releases/press_releases_8.html - broken link)

[Escort Rider]

Thank you for these links. One interesting result of the research - and this seemed to surprise the authors of the study also - was that the net migration from the snow belt to the sun belt was relatively modest. A lot of older people are apparently staying put or moving relatively short distances if they do move.

[jghorton]

Originally Posted by Escort Rider

Thank you for these links. One interesting result of the research - and this seemed to surprise the authors of the study also - was that the net migration from the snow belt to the sun belt was relatively modest. A lot of older people are apparently staying put or moving relatively short distances if they do move.

I suspect that the recent declining movement of folks (retired and otherwise) from the snow to the sunbelt is more due to the burst housing bubble, than a lack of interest. People are staying put because they can't sell their homes for enough to pay off their mortgage ... and still afford to move elsewhere. I think we are going to see a lot of emerging "moving less" trends. Past studies and data had no way to factor in this crazy, once in 50-years housing slide.

[texdav]

Also many are staying up now in this economy and not spending.Its more likjely we will see as different areas recover faster than other a move to where the jobs are because mnay areas maybe in decline for decades like the 70's recession when the existing inductry does not recover.Then many boomers are staying up because they own their homes and have to be in no rush to move when retired.

[Nesper]

Originally Posted by jghorton

I suspect that the recent declining movement of folks (retired and otherwise) from the snow to the sunbelt is more due to the burst housing bubble, than a lack of interest. People are staying put because they can't sell their homes for enough to pay off their mortgage ... and still afford to move elsewhere. I think we are going to see a lot of emerging "moving less" trends. Past studies and data had no way to factor in this crazy, once in 50-years housing slide.

I agree. My own neighborhood in Virginia is becoming grayer, not because people don't want to move, but because they don't want to sell at current prices -- if they could sell at all. I wonder how this will end? Either prices will rise again, with a large number of sales, or prices will keep dropping, with a lot of estate sales. Or maybe adult children will move back into parent's homes after they are gone.