By Mike Lentz | The Mike Lentz Team - Keller Williams Realty
Aging in place requires careful planning, whether you stay or move. Fewer than 4% of homes have the single-floor living, no-step entries, and wide doorways needed for long-term accessibility. South Jersey homeowners can use their equity to fund either a major remodel or a move to a 55+ community already designed for this stage of life.
You’ve spent years making your house feel like home. You’ve celebrated milestones, made each room your own, and turned neighbors into friends. As you look ahead to the next chapter of your life, it’s natural to wonder if aging in place is still possible in your current home or if moving to a community better suited for your needs makes more sense.
Whether you’re leaning toward staying in your house as you get older or moving to a 55+ community, the goal is the same. You want a home that fits the life you want, with more time for the people and things you love. Here’s what to consider before you decide.
What It Takes To Support Aging in Place in Your Current Home
Wanting to stay in a house you love and are familiar with makes sense. But most houses need at least some updates to make aging in place easier.
The Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University finds that fewer than 4% of homes have the basics. We’re talking single-floor living, no-step entries, and wide hallways and doorways.
That means for most homeowners, staying put means doing a remodel.
The National Association of Home Builders reports more than half of remodelers (56%) take on this kind of work. Some of the most common projects are installing grab bars, curb-less showers (walk-in showers with no ledge to step over), and wider doorways.
Now, that’s not to say you can’t go this route. You most certainly can. But if this is how you’re leaning, you’d be living with contractor noise and dust until the work gets done. You’d be managing contractors and schedules. Some people don’t want to live in a construction zone.
Your Equity Could Pay for Your Next Move
If that sounds like something you’d rather avoid, here’s the good news. The money for your next home may already be sitting in your current one. It’s called equity, which is the difference between what your house is worth and what you still owe on it.
After years of mortgage payments and rising home values in Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland counties, it adds up. Jess Catorc, Co-Founder of Carry, explains:
“The way home equity builds and is used changes a lot depending on your stage of life. For older homeowners, decades of mortgage payments and home-value growth can turn equity into a financial cushion.”
When you sell, that cushion can go toward a home that’s ready for this stage of life. No demo required. You just get the keys and it’s all there, ready for you. That means less time on projects and more time for living.
If you are considering a move, one option is a 55+ community.
Why 55+ Communities Support Aging in Place
From the homes to the shared spaces to the activity calendar, these communities are planned around this stage of life. Everything you need is already rolled into one place. Some of the biggest perks:
Instead of spending time and money to make your house easier to live in, you’d move into a community that’s designed with that in mind from the jump. That frees you up for the good stuff. A morning walk with a neighbor. A game night down the street. Finally trying the hobby you’ve been putting off.
Communities Built for Aging in Place
The homes in these communities often include single-floor layouts, walk-in showers, wider doorways, and other features that make daily life easier. The shared spaces offer fitness centers, social events, and maintenance-free living. The setup removes a lot of the friction that comes with maintaining a traditional home.
Making the Right Choice for You
Staying and moving can both be good choices. What matters most is finding the place where you’ll feel comfortable and at home for years to come. Whether you choose to renovate your current home for aging in place or move to a community designed for it, the decision should align with your lifestyle and goals.
If you’d like help weighing the two, let’s connect. We can look at what your house could sell for and what 55+ communities in our area have to offer, so you can decide what feels right for you.
If you want to talk through what this means for your situation, schedule a quick call and we’ll walk through it together.
For the full picture in your county, see our county market reports for Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland counties.
