Baby Boomers heat up Suburban Housing Market Choosing 55+ Community at Red Mill Village

NORTON, Mass., March 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Red Mill Village, an active adult community in Norton, Massachusetts, is redefining the suburbs for aging Boomers looking for a change of place and lifestyle. While Florida, Arizona and other Sunbelt states continue to attract the 55+ crowd, a growing trend of "aging in place" or staying close to home in familiar locales is emerging for many Boomers considering their next housing move.

"Red Mill Village has exactly what the aging Baby Boomer home buyer is looking for ... flexible design options, the  amenities of a cooperative development, a scenic location and a neighborhood feel," said David Eastridge, Project Manager of Thorndike Development Corporation, developers of Red Mill Village. "For many of our customers this is their first move after selling their family home, and many choose the location to remain close to their children and grandchildren. Some have already tried living down South or out West but have come back to New England and the communities that they consider home. Others are still actively engaged in the workforce and like the proximity to the stronger job market in the Boston-South area."

According to a recent study by the Mortgage Bankers Association, aging in place is one of the most significant factors impacting housing over the coming years, dramatically shaping the makeup of our neighborhoods and communities. Suburban areas are expected to gray faster with Massachusetts standing out as a state that will have a lower rate of overall population growth but will gray quickly through aging in place*. According to David Eastridge, Red Mill Village owners exemplify the active adult community segment of the aging in place profile. In fact, 91% have moved from in state, and 79% have moved from communities less than 20 miles away.

"I love it here," said Red Mill Village resident Dottie Kelley. "We sold our family home less than a year ago wanting to be near our children and grandchildren. Red Mill Village gave us exactly what we were looking for: a beautiful home, a sense of community and the comfort of knowing that maintenance is taken care of by someone else."

According to Eastridge, Red Mill Village's popularity is rising as a result of prestigious national awards. Builder magazine selected Red Mill Village as the Best Active Adult Community in the nation, and the Quaker-style Meeting House also won top honor. Previously, the National Association of Home Builders' 50+ Council granted its Gold Medal to Red Mill Village as the Best Active Adult Community with up to 200 homes.

Red Mill Village is a 156-home active-adult community located in Norton, Massachusetts. Covering 53 acres, Red Mill Village borders the Canoe River, preserved forestland and beautiful walking trails. All Red Mill Village homes have first-floor master suites, one- or two-car garages and large, airy spaces that connect with the outdoors. Red Mill also offers a Village Green, community gardens, the Meeting House (common event and meeting space) and a soon-to-be completed swimming pool, and shopping.

Thorndike Development is headquartered in Norton, Massachusetts and has been building communities for 23 years. Red Mill Village builds on Thorndike Development's most recent neighborhoods of Chapman's Reach at Marina Bay in Quincy, GreatBrook in Norton and Pinehills in Plymouth. Thorndike Development also recently broke ground on a new active adult community in Hudson, Massachusetts, called WestRidge.