National Active Retirement Association (NARA)

Retirement Communities Join Internet Revolution

2011-04-19T07:58:00.001-07:00

For a long time, Retirement Communities have not seen the potential of "owning" their own internet-based communication/phone/internet/surveillance system in their own communities. Now, more and more communities are understanding how to mesh all of these services at a reduced cost to residents. The key is offering more services and more efficient options to community residents and their families at a reduced cost?

How do you do this? I am working with a new firm, RETIREconnect, that is offering an array of new services that allow communities to provide better and less expensive services while adding power to internal and external community communications. In addition, the community can offer an array of new services for the family to "stay in touch", as well as in some cases monitor the health of the resident.

Want to know more? Email me or call (888)742-7362 for more information.

McCormick County Promotes a Great Amenity

2010-11-04T08:43:00.000-07:00

One of the key amenities for relocating boomers and retirees is nature and open space. There will continue to be a return to small towns, exurbs (areas located a drivable distance away from metro areas) and nature driven locations. McCormick County understands the research and is agressively marketing its miles of paddle trails, in additions to other outdoor amenities.

McCormick is unique in that it hosts South Carolina's only resort state park with golf course. And, of course, you have beautiful Lake Thurmond and miles of undistributed forest.

The county is also unique in that a full 50% of the tax money collected in the county comes from residents at Savannah Lakes Village, a popular 55+ community. As South Carolina's smallest county, McCormick struggled for years in rural poverty. Savannah Lakes Village has "imported" some very prosperous, educated and experienced new residents from out of state. This community has put the county on the map to outsiders. And, now, the McCormick powers-that-be have the foresight to promote a very valuable asset: nature and outdoor recreation.
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McCormick Markets Nature, Outdoor Recreation for Visitors, Retirees
Let’s see. Fifty-one miles of water trails over 22 paddling sections. A 50-mile
scenic drive through small rural towns and the Sumter National Forest. Sixty-three
thousand acres of public land. Two state parks, three USACE parks, four golf courses and 136 miles of hiking and biking trails.

It’s an astonishing conglomeration of recreation opportunities. For this Carolina Adventure, let’s consider the 51 miles of water trails. It’s a paddler’s paradise, for sure, and even if you’re the sedentary type, there are plenty of ways to
enjoy the outdoors without undue exertion.

Why not plan to spend the night and enjoy two days of fun?

There are five campgrounds within the Little River Blueway, as well as Hickory Knob State Resort Park and Fannie Kates Country Inn.

WOW FACTOR: Land and Wildlife Abundance/Conservation – Remarkably, the Little River Blueway offers 63,000 contiguous acres of preserved public land (mainly Sumter National Forest land). Waterways and paddling routes are buffered by USACE and National Forest land, allowing visitors to be completely immersed in nature. Wildlife in this area is abundant with bald eagles, blue herons, white egrets, beavers, river otters, deer, raccoons, red fox and bobcats commonly spotted throughout the Little River Blueway land and water trails.

HINT: Nothing beats an early morning sunrise paddle on the Blueway. Visit the Website and Little River Blueway on Facebook for water flow that may update the northern sections of the water trails. The Website also offers free downloads of
all regional trails maps, including an overall Little River Blueway project map.

Carry a GPS unit and cell phone, wear a whistle and avoid all-cotton clothing. Adventure area maps are available at the McCormick County Chamber of Commerce
and Savannah Lakes Village Visitors Center. For more information: www.LittleRiverBlueway.org

Retirees Moving to NC's Triangle

2010-11-04T08:28:00.000-07:00

Going Halfway Back
Triangle Business Journal - by Chris Baysden
Friday, October 22, 2010, 9:29am EDT
http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/print-edition/2010/10/22/going-halfway-back.html

CARY – About a year ago, Mark Hellerman and his wife, Roberta, packed up their bags to move out of Plantation, Fla. Hellerman, a native New Yorker, was retiring as a dentist and the couple wanted to start the next stage of their lives together in someplace other than the Sunshine State.

The Hellermans wanted to relocate to a place with cultural opportunities. The couple also preferred to be near a major airport so they could visit their grandchildren, who live in three different states. And after 26 years in tropical Florida, distinct seasons would be a nice touch.

When it came time to make a decision, the Hellermans picked Cary as their new home. And they’re glad they did.

“I like the climate,” says the 62-year-old Hellerman, who also enjoys the cultural offerings available at venues such as the DPAC. “I like the people … I’ve met.”

And how long do they plan to live here? “Till death do us part,” he says.

It’s no secret that North Carolina, and the Triangle in particular, has experienced a great wave of population inflow in recent years. According to U.S. Census figures, North Carolina added more than 1.3 million people over the past decade, growing from 8 million in 2000 to nearly 9.4 million in 2009.

Many of those have been drawn by the prospects of new jobs in the Triangle or in Charlotte. At least that was the case before the recession put the kibosh on growth. But there is a smaller group that includes retirees like Hellerman.

And where did they come from?

Florida was the No. 1 feeder state, with 38,188 moving from the Sunshine State. People moving from Florida to North Carolina often are dubbed “half-backs” because many originally moved down to Florida from northern states only to come halfway back by moving to North Carolina. New York (26,319) and Virginia (22,413) were the second and third largest feeder states.

Wake County attracted 21,106 of those 55-plus who relocated, tops in the state.

The retiree group is what Dan Owens thinks the state needs to do a better job of targeting. “It’s a fast-growing market with people with money,” says Owens, the Charlotte-based director of the National Active Retirement Association. “We have no strategy to appeal to that group.”

Owens’ pitch is simple: Attracting retirees is good for North Carolina’s economy. They’ve had a lifetime to save money, which they now are able to spend on houses, health care, resort activities and all kinds of consumer spending. Plus, retirees don’t have school-age children, so unlike many of the other people moving to North Carolina, the state won’t have to devote resources to educating their kids.

The N.C. Department of Commerce doesn’t have programs that are specific to attracting seniors. Spokesman Justin Guillory says the department markets to all people. “And a lot of those things we do market would be of interest to seniors,” he says.

In the past decade, about 230,000 people age 55 or older have relocated to North Carolina from another state and obtained a driver’s license, according to an analysis of N.C. Department of Motor Vehicles data conducted by Owens.

The Triangle is an attractive location for seniors for several reasons, including its strong health care facilities, universities that provide cultural opportunities and the presence of a major airport. In some cases it is now home to the kids and grandchildren of seniors looking to relocate.

Carla Sevilla, the vice president of sales and marketing for Michigan-based home builder PulteGroup Inc.’s local operations, knows the benefits of targeting seniors as customers. The company’s Carolina Preserve by Del Webb at Amberly retirement community, which is where Hellerman lives, has done very well catering to that demographic.

“If we have an opportunity to do another one, we’d do it in a heartbeat,” she says.

Read more: Going Halfway Back | Triangle Business Journal

Top CCRCs and Active Adults Win 2010 NARA Awards

2010-10-26T09:29:00.000-07:00

Retirement Association Names 50+ Award Winners
Active Adult and CCRC communities were recognized as among the best of the best in the 50+ and senior housing industry by winning a National Active Retirement Association (NARA) Award at its annual conference Oct. 21.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRLog (Press Release) – Oct 26, 2010 – Charlotte, NC – Brookhaven at John Creek in Johns Creek, GA, the Palace at Coral Gables at Coral Gables, FL and The Mather of Evanston, IL and operated by Mather Lifeways, were among those communities recognized as among the best of the best in the 50+ and senior housing industry by the National Active Retirement Association (NARA) at its annual conference Oct. 21 in Columbia, SC.

The Brookhaven, developed by Jim Chapman Communities of Atlanta, was named the best small Active Adult/Retirement Community. Judges cited the community’s location near country club-style amenities, access to area healthcare and interesting design features as the strengths of this 55+ age-restricted community. (http://www.jimchapmancommunities.com/brookhaven-at-johns ...).

The Palace at Coral Gables (FL) was named the Best Proposed Active Adult/Retirement Community based on the appointments, the services and the amenities. (http://thepalace.org/palace-at-coral-gables.html).

The Mather won the Gold Award as the Best Continuing Care Retirement Community and the Best Amenities in a Retirement Community. This large community offers 24-hour concierge service, seven dining and lounge options and an extensive fitness center and day spa. (http://www.thematherevanston.com/)

“Our judges were extremely impressed with our top winners in the retirement design/build category because of their focus on enriching the lifestyle of their residents,” said NARA Director Dan Owens. “For instance, The Brookhaven is a smaller 55+ property but residents there do have access to a lifestyle director who organizes activities and events.

“The Palace is focused on luxury and being convenient to shopping and restaurants. And, Mather Lifeways has a track record of reinventing a retirement lifestyle for their residents. We are thoroughly impressed with the philosophy of active aging that this organization promotes,” Owens added.

Winners in the annual NARA awards program were:

Best Small Active Adult Community
Gold Award – Brookhaven at Johns Creek, Johns Creek, GA

Best Proposed Active Adult/Retirement Community
Gold Award – The Palace at Coral Gables, Coral Gables, FL

Best Proposed Clubhouse/Community Center
Gold Award – Bailey’s Glen, Cornelius, NC (http://baileysglen.com/)

Best Continuing Care Retirement Community
Gold Award – The Mather (Mather Lifeways), (Evanston) Chicago, IL

Best Amenities in an Active Adult/Retirement Community
Gold Award – The Mather (Mather Lifeways), (Evanston) Chicago, IL

Best Logo
Gold Award - Neptune Society/Starmark (http://www.neptunesociety.com/)

Best Community Brochure
Gold Award – Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board, Irmo, SC (http://lakemurraycountry.com/)

Best Direct Mail Piece/Overall Direct Mail Campaign
Gold Award - The Glenridge on Palmer Ranch, Sarasota, FL (http://www.theglenridge.com/)

Best TV Commercial
Gold Award - The Glenridge on Palmer Ranch, Sarasota, FL (http://www.theglenridge.com/)
Silver Award – Neptune Society/Starmark

Best Website
Gold Award – www.tributehomesusa.com

NARA is a fast-growing, ten-year-old business trade group for America’s top professionals involved in building for, marketing to and serving the “50 and beyond” age group. (www.retirementlivingnews.com).

# # #

The National Active Retirement Association (NARA) is a 10-year old, grassroots trade organization that organizes and helps marketers, builders and professionals, businesses and organizations that provide products, housing and services to people age 55+.

2010-10-25T13:40:00.001-07:00

2010-10-25T13:26:00.000-07:00

Social Security - The True Halloween Scare

2010-10-25T13:15:00.000-07:00

I am amazed at the news media's reluctance to actually parse the issues in the current election and hold the candidate's feet to the fire on their answers. Being in the aging business, I have to hold my nose to see Congressman Larry Kissell's ads attacking challenger Harold Johnson for wanting to destroy the Social Security system. I've also seen the ad by Congressman John Spratt accusing Mick Mulvaney of wanting to outlaw Social Security. Spratt's ad shows Mulvaney in front of seniors behind bars.

Now, come on.

I know that both ads were paid for by the Democratic National Committee and it has been a tired and well worn campaign tactic of the Democrats to try to paint Republicans as anti-seniors. But, the reason why Social Security and Medicare are headed straight toward fiscal insolvency is the fear-mongering that goes on whenever proposals to save these programs are discussed.

So, the first politician to be responsible and suggest alternatives gets beat over his head by his opponent as anti-Social Security. And, the politicians know that older adults vote.

I am an advocate for older adults. But, as Dr. Joe Gribbin, painfully and shockingly pointed out at the National Active Retirement Association (NARA) Conference this past week, the money's running out soon. Unless something is done, this country's entitlement obligation threatens to throw the country into bankruptcy.

I thought it was interesting that when I called the Associated Press in South Carolina to cover Dr. Gribbin's Social Security presentation, the response I got was: "we're too busy covering the election." How short-sighted is that? Covering the sound bites and ignoring the issues. This is the abyss we find ourselves in circa 2010. Is there any wonder intelligent people are seeking their information far and wide on the internet?

NARA Review in Myrtle Beach Sun News

2010-10-25T13:08:00.000-07:00

Horry County a top spot for retirees to relocate
By Adva Saldinger
asaldinger@thesunnews.com

Experts gathered in South Carolina this week to discuss active retirees and how to market destinations and properties to the growing group.

At its annual conference in Columbia, the National Active Retiree Association announced results of an analysis it did of S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles information that show Horry County as the top destination for retirees in South Carolina.

About 34,569 people 50 years and older moved to Horry County between 2002 and 2010, according to NARA.

"Horry County was the No. 1 place to retire in South Carolina," said Dan Owens, the president of NARA. "I think it's awfully appealing to people from two fronts, from Florida and New York."

Myrtle Beach offers plenty of golf opportunities and has fewer hurricanes than parts of Florida, which make it appealing to many retirees, he said.

The tourism industry has exposed a lot of retirees to Horry County and what is available in the area, Owens said.

"That may be the overall key," he said. "It's a known quantity."

The experts, officials and business people at the conference discussed building retirement housing, how to best market to active retirees and the need for tourism advertising to also appeal to the 55-plus traveler.

The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce targets retirees in tourism advertising on TV and online, said Brad Dean, the president and CEO of the chamber.

He said there is a correlation between tourism and real estate sales and that an increase in tourism ultimately drives real estate sales.

"Although the primary message for our tourism promotion is focused on driving incremental visitation to the area, we know that today's tourist can often become tomorrow's property owner," he said.

Owens said that the number of retirees moving has slowed in the economic downturn and in conjunction with the real estate collapse.

"The question is: Is there a pent-up demand for developers and towns; and is now the right time to maybe make the pitch: make your nest egg last longer by coming to the Carolinas?" he said.

http://www.thesunnews.com/2010/10/23/v-print/1769041/horry-a-top-spot-for-retirees.html

2010 NARA | 11th Annual "Power Tools" Business Conference - Columbia, SC Event Calendar â€“ Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center

2010-10-15T19:29:00.000-07:00

2010 NARA | 11th Annual "Power Tools" Business Conference - Columbia, SC Event Calendar â€“ Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center

A Search for Meaning in Retirement

2010-10-15T19:16:00.000-07:00

I was in Columbia, SC doing legwork with our staff in preparation of this coming week's NARA Conference when I met an older gentleman and struck up a conversation. When the top turned to the NARA Conference, my new acquaintance had some insight into retirement.

He said he had retired years ago in the foothills or "Golden Corner of NW South Carolina and had been looking forward to happiness. It dawned on him after a couple of months of having a "Golfing Saturday" everyday that he was not happy.

My wife literally kicked him out of the house and told him to go back to work. I took a job for the interaction with people more than anything, he said.

I asked him what was most important to him in retirement.

He said that everybody should take an assessment of his/her life - write their obituary - in mid to later life. Then you know what's missing. "What was missing for me was volunteer activities and charitable work."

So, this volunteer set out to "puff up" his obituary and legacy by giving back. He realized this was a goal of his life that he had postponed for a long time.

Self-actualization. The idea of a life having true meaning. It's a powerful refrain, isn't it? We look forward to talking about these and other motivators this coming week in Columbia, SC. We hope to see you there. http://www.retirementlivingnews.com/2010conference.html

It's Time for NARA!

2010-10-15T19:15:00.000-07:00

This Week! NARA Annual Conference Starts Wed. in Columbia, SC

Come network and learn with America’s top experts in 55+ building, marketing, health and aging, internet marketing and retiree attraction at the National Active Retirement Community (NARA) 11th Annual Business Conference in Columbia, SC October 20-22 (This coming week!) (www.retirementlivingnews.com).

“You won’t be able to find another week of the year that will have more 55+ information, education and networking as Oct. 20-22 in Columbia, SC” said NARA Executive Director Dan Owens. “If a builder/developer, marketing or consumer products or services business, a government entity or organization is interested in targeting the high-growth 55+ market, they’ll want to attend this event.”

“More professionals involved in building for, selling to and serving 55+ consumers will be in Columbia this week than anywhere else,” he added.

Professionals, academicians, real estate developers, marketers, salespeople, city/town representatives and other business professionals seeking to capitalize on the unprecedented aging of America at our doorstep will attend. Topics will range from designing, building and marketing retirement housing to attracting retirees to a town or community.

“As America ages, we are faced with enormous challenges and opportunities to serve this burgeoning market segment,” said NARA Director Dan Owens. “Every six seconds, an American turns 50 and professionals need to get attuned to this marketplace to be successful in our changing economy.”

“With 70 percent of all assets held by people over 50, older folks are increasingly playing a large role in the economy,” said Owens. “Retirees have the resources to relocate and pay cash for houses. In many instances, 55+ homebuyers are leading us out of the housing downturn,” he said.

To learn more about some of the speakers at the event or more about NARA research, go to the online NARA Press Room at:

http://pressroom.prlog.org/retirementlivingnews/

People are still registering every day. Feel free to come the entire conference or just a day. Call us for more information at toll free 888.742.7362.

New "Press Room" Catalogs Press Releases

2010-10-08T18:01:00.000-07:00

Well, I knew our team had been busy...but we woke up one day and had a large number of press releases about retirement relocation, our press coverage and our fantastic upcoming NARA Conference in Columbia, SC at the Convention Center in only 12 DAYS!

Experts from around the United States are flying into Columbia to give us their best tips and information. There is a wide variety of speakers. Here are just a few:

*Dave Reitz of Chicago is an experienced developer/planner with his former boss, Del Webb. He's got a great presentation for builders or proposed builders of active adult housing. He helped planned the ultra successful Sun City Carolina Lakes, which now has about 3,000 residents living on a property that just had a few lakes, some riverfront and a lot of trees just a half dozen years ago.

*Helen Foster of New Orleans has worked for major consumer products firms like Verizon and also has consulted with lots of retirement communities. She also was employed by the State of Louisiana to put a "face" the state to out of state potential retirees. She spent a dozen or so years working with the mega-advertising firm, J. Walter Thompson. And, she is a wonderful presenter. Don't miss her talk at 8:30 a.m. Wed. Oct. 20.

*Colin Milner is a worldwide authority on health and aging based in Vancouver, BC Canada. He'll be talking about how an aging work will change how we live. Colin's reputation is stellar and this will be a rare opportunity to hear him in person.

*Dr. Simon Hudson has been called one of the world's foremost authorities on tourism. USC hired him from the University of Calgary to head up its Center for Economic Excellence in Tourism. It just so happens that marketing to the older adult traveler - the "zoomer" - is a topic that Simon has done extensive recent research into. Don't miss hearing Simon's take on the boomer market and what it can mean to towns and regions that market tourism/retirement.

To read more about these expert speakers, visit our "press room" at:

http://pressroom.prlog.org/retirementlivingnews/

Florida “Half-Backs” Fueling NC 55+ Relocation Market

2010-10-08T17:57:00.000-07:00

Press Release
For more information, contact:
Dan Owens, President, National Active Retirement Association (NARA)
C (704)641-1469 * Toll Free (888)742-7362

Florida “Half-Backs” Fueling NC 55+ Relocation Market
Charlotte, NC (October 6, 2010) – The erosion of Florida’s famed resort retirement industry has helped pack up and send almost 40,000 people aged 55+ into North Carolina from Florida this decade and close to half of those transplants are aged 65+. The 55+ relocation pipeline has helped import hundreds of millions of wealth and spending to the state, according to NARA, a Charlotte-based national trade group.

“Studies have shown that an incoming typical retiree couple has the equivalent economic impact as 3.7 manufacturing or industrial jobs to a community,” said National Active Retirement Association (NARA) Executive Director Dan Owens. “North Carolina has significantly benefited financially from retirees resettling in the state from other regions of the country”

NC state government has not actively pursued retirement as an industry like Texas, Tennessee and Mississippi has, according to Owens. “I think we’ve left a long of wealth and spending on the table – especially in rural areas of the state – by not ramping up retiree attraction efforts,” he said.

Anecdotal reports have surfaced in recent years that Florida’s hot weather, multiple hurricanes, aggressive immigration and rising home prices have taken the burnish off what has been America’s golden retirement paradise for five decades. In the 1990s, Florida attracted a full one-quarter of all retirees leaving a state for another state. Today, reports are that number has sunk to somewhere between 15 and 20 percent.

Statistics derived from the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) indicate that Florida has emerged as the overwhelming source of older new NC residents. Assuming that almost all new residents eventually get a driver’s license, NCDMV data is seen as a close approximation of relocation statistics, especially between census reports.

For instance, NCDMV can track the age and source of new residents. Analysis of DMV information reveals that through 2000-2009, 38,188 new 55+ drivers gave up Florida licenses and received new North Carolina licenses. Of those, 18,293 were registered as being 65+.

The total 55+ migration to North Carolina from all states in the last few years has ranged from a 10-year high of just under 30,000 new residents in 2006, the height of the homebuilding market, to a low of just under 21,000 in 2009. In 2006, a high of over 11,000 new 65+ new residents settled in the state from other states. This number dwindled down to 8,000 last year.

“The average person might not think that receiving 8,000 new 65+ residents in 2009 is significant, but with 50+ Americans controlling over 75 percent of all financial wealth, just a few of these relocating retiree couples can have a significant impact on a town or suburb,” said Owens. He added that many older new residents also get involved in the community as mentors, part time employees, volunteers and civic or church leaders.

According to NCDMV data from 2000-2009, Wake slightly edged out Mecklenburg as the state’s most popular retirement county among those aged 55+, as well as those aged 65+. The top 10 NC counties attracting retirees in 2009 were similar throughout the decade: Brunswick (Wilmington), Buncombe (Asheville), Guilford (Greensboro), Henderson (Hendersonville), New Hanover (Wilmington), Forsyth (Winston-Salem) and Union counties were on both lists.

Cumberland was higher on the 55+ retiree attraction list, most probably because Fayetteville attracts career military who retire earlier. The Fayetteville economy has also gotten a boost from the expansion of the mission at Fort Bragg.

Moore (Pinehurst) was higher on the 65+ list, most probably because of the lure of a great resort, golf lifestyle, Owens said. Golf has declined as a relocation driver among younger retirees, he added.

Owens is not surprised at the large numbers exiting Florida for North Carolina.

“During a trip to the Florida Keys just a few years ago, I was astounded to be quizzed by a number of prominent people about housing and relocation once they learned I was from North Carolina,” he said. “I also saw regional developers and retirement community operators advertise in Florida right after the hurricanes with great success.

“Retirement officials in Texas and Tennessee – both with formal state-funded retiree relocation programs – have reportedly lured large numbers of Florida residents or Florida retirement prospects to their states,” Owens said.

New York was the second place “feeder” of mature new residents, producing 26,319 new 55+ residents and 8,988 new 65+ residents from 2000-2009. Rounding out the top 10 in most years were Virginia, New Jersey, Maryland, California, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, Texas and Connecticut. Michigan and Massachusetts also made appearances in the top 10 some years.

The topic of towns, cities and states formally attracting retirees as an economic development effort has been discussed by state officials for years. Legislation was passed to create a NC Certified Retirement Communities program several years ago, but it was never funded.

NARA will be hosting a number of national speakers that will be discussing the new Retiree Attraction industry Oct. 20-22 at their annual conference in Columbia, SC. Texas’ state retiree attraction director. (www.retirementlivingnews). Sherri Gothart Barron will be in Columbia discussing that state’s success and what new retirees have meant economically to Texas communities.

“North Carolina has been a top 5 national retiree relocation market in the past, but there are indications that even our state may be losing out to more aggressive and focused states,” said Owens. “Budgets are tight, but luring retirees needs to be viewed like luring new manufacturing plants and new workers. You’ve got to cast the net to catch the fish,” he said.

Owens noted that billions in home sales this decade can be traced back to out of state retirees buying primary and second homes. The added benefit is that these transplants bring lots of income, spending power and taxes, but don't require school services, he said.

##### 30 #####

Reporting the Retirement Housing Slide. Why?

2010-10-08T17:23:00.000-07:00

Some people will see the Press Release that is being published around the state about the housing downturn in retirement and resort areas of NC in 2009 versus 2006 and ask why talk about it? We all know sales have gotten soft in many areas of the Carolinas.

NARA's position is that our state governments focus on attracting industry and attracting tourists. Never is it mentioned that we want to get aging boomers with grey hair to come and buy.

The government has left it up to private enterprise to market the state. The problem is that government marketing spending outside the state sorely dwarfs the effort that private industry - developers and builders - can muster.

For whatever reason, state officials have never seen the billions of dollars of sales that comes from retirees buying homes and investing in the state as business. Tourism or visitors coming in is business. Economic development or providing massive incentives to attract industry is business. Both enterprises employ hundreds of government workers and spend hundreds of millions of dollars.

The Carolinas have been an awesome place to retire to in the 2000s. However, other states are creeping in the mix, setting up retirement organizations to try to support small towns that want to import retiree's wealth and spending. My point is: what happens when they quit coming? Billions are lost. And, lots of people lose their livelihoods.

Should retirement edge out other government efforts? Absolutely not. But, should the topic of attracting aging boomers be at the table in every state in the country? Absolutely yes. In too many cases, small towns - especially in the South - have seen their manufacturing and industrial base leave for foreign lands. This has caused an erosion in the local economies.

When no companies are coming and no tourists are coming, some small towns should be looking at bringing in more retirees. For some "off the beaten path" towns, this may be their best option.

This is a long way of saying: retirement relocation is BIG business.

NC Retirement “Hotspots” Drop by $3 Billion in Residential Sales in Three Years

2010-10-08T17:20:00.000-07:00

Press Release
For more information, contact:
Dan Owens, President, National Active Retirement Association (NARA)
C (704)641-1469 * Toll Free (888)742-7362

NC Retirement “Hotspots” Drop by $3 Billion in Residential Sales in Three Years
…Asheville and Wilmington Account for $1.6 Billion

A casualty of the NC housing slowdown is that traditional resort and retirement areas sold 7,000 fewer houses and had almost $3 billion less in sales in 2009 versus 2006, according to a National Active Retirement Association (NARA) analysis of North Carolina Association of Realtors sale statistics.

“Aging boomer and retiree homebuyers flocked to the Asheville, Hendersonville and Brevard mountain area and the Wilmington coastal area in the mid-2000s,” said NARA Executive Director Dan Owens. “The housing downturn in Asheville and Wilmington alone accounted for about a $1.6 billion housing drop - more than half of the total in the 2009 versus 2006 sales analysis.”

NARA compared home sales statistics from 2005-2009 for the following Multiple Listing Service areas: Asheville, Brevard, Hendersonville, Pinehurst and Brunswick, Neuse River, Carteret and Haywood Counties, as well as the Outer Banks. Out of state 55+ buyers have been market drivers in retirement and second home sales in these areas.

In 2006, Wilmington sold a phenomenal $2 billion and Asheville sold $1.13 billion in residential home sales. In 2009, the home sales in Wilmington dropped to $1 billion and in Asheville, home sales dropped to $567 million.

“While not every buyer in these two resort/retirement markets was or is 55+, there is no question that aging boomers, second home buyers and retirees have flocked to these areas and been market drivers in the past,” said Owens. “When you consider all the ancillary economic activity that a home sale creates, the housing downturn has really been an economic setback for these areas. These areas don’t have a tremendous amount of manufacturing,” he added.

Ancillary economic activity on a home sale generally means services provided by mortgage brokers, surveyors, painters and remodelers, landscapers, real estate brokers, inspectors, movers, home improvement and hardware stores, lawyers, title companies, appraisers and more. Often, a home sale stimulates the purchase of furniture, appliances and durable goods.

All of the NC retirement areas analyzed had slight dips in the average home sale price, generally from 5 – 15 percent. But, sales volume generally dropped from 35-50 percent when comparing 2006 to 2009 activity.

“There is no question that the pipeline of retirees has slowed during the housing downturn and recession, but North Carolina as a state has truly not made a deliberate effort to encourage retirees to move to the state,” Owens said. “The state should consider retirement to North Carolina from other states as a bona fide industry and promote it.” Owens noted that the state passed a Certified Retirement Community program into law to promote small retirement towns, but never funded it.

“We have expected out of state aging boomers and retirees to keep coming and keep buying, but we don’t do much as a state to support this multi-billion business that includes homebuilding and real estate development and sales,” Owens said, adding that an added benefit is that once these 55+ transplants move, they don’t clog schools or roads and generally bring higher than average wealth and spending to an area.

Other states – like Texas, Tennessee and Mississippi are much more aggressive in selling those states to relocating retirees through established retirement programs. “They recognize that attracting retirees can inject hundreds of millions into housing and financing-related businesses,” Owens said. “And, these towns get the benefit of retiree’s tax revenue and spending for a number of years,” he added.

The Best and the Worst
*Brevard had the worst drop off in home sales volume – at 57 percent – in 2009 as compared with 2006 activity in the NC retirement areas analyzed. The total value of all 2009 home sales in the mountain communities of Brevard (-64 percent), Haywood Co. (-59 percent) and Hendersonville (-54 percent) all suffered dramatic slowdowns from their 2006 high levels.

*Brunswick County, near Wilmington, had only a 7 percent slowdown in numbers of sales and only a 16 percent dip in the total value of residential sales in 2009 as compared to 2006. Brunswick Co. – on a “retirement alley” between Wilmington and Myrtle Beach, SC – joined the Outer Banks as the two resort/retirement communities to show an increase in total sales from 2008 to 2009. The Outer Banks sales nudged up by 1 percent while Brunswick Co. showed a 13 percent increase in number of sales with only a 5 percent slide in average home price.

“Certain areas of North Carolina - especially certain housing developments – are still getting a good share of relocating folks age 55+ today,” Owens said. He noted that the number one selling subdivision/housing development in the Greater Charlotte area is the 55+ age restricted Sun City Carolina Lakes just a few miles south of Charlotte in Lancaster Co., South Carolina.

“I think the days that we just rest on our laurels and expect retirement in-migration to “just happen” may be over. A lot of states are pursuing this market now and a lot of dollars are obviously at stake as the Baby Boomers age,” he added.

#### 30 ####

One of the World's Top Authorities on Tourism to Speak at NARA

2010-09-30T17:25:00.000-07:00

Press Release
For more information, contact:
Dan Owens, President, National Active Retirement Association (NARA)
C (704)641-1469 * Toll Free (888)742-7362

Worldwide Travel and Tourism Expert is Featured NARA Speaker
Charlotte, NC (September 21, 2010) – When travel and tourism organizations make marketing and advertising decisions, what influencers are at play? Does the fact that many marketers, generally in their 20s or 30s, like to promote to a peer age group factor in to decisions? Does the need to be trendy i.e. youthful come into play? Does routine or “the way we’ve always done it” influence decisions?

For whatever reason, little travel and tourism advertising is directed to people over age 55. Although almost 80 percent of all the financial wealth in America is held by people 50+, marketers persist in targeting their message to young singles and young families. This demographic is often the most cash and debt strapped group in America.

One of the world’s leading tourism experts thinks that travel and tourism marketers’ focus is misguided.

Dr. Simon Hudson, the Endowed Chair at the Center of Economic Excellence in Tourism at the University of South Carolina, sees a need for change. Hudson was shocked at the lack of research into the 55+ traveler cluster so he took on the project himself. The result is the wonderfully insightful new report: “Wooing Zoomers: Marketing to the Mature Traveler,” recently published by Marketing Intelligence & Planning magazine.

Hudson will be presenting his findings and the highlights of his report at the 11th Annual National Active Retirement Association (NARA) “Power Tools” Business Conference at the Columbia (SC) Convention Center Oct. 20-22 (www.retirementlivingnews.com).

Hudson was lured to the University of South Carolina from the University of Calgary in Canada. He has held academic positions at two universities in England, and has worked as a visiting professor in the U.S., Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Fiji, New Zealand and Australia. Prior to working in academia, Dr. Hudson spent several years working in the tourism industry in Europe.

Hudson has written five books. Tourism is South Carolina’s largest business enterprise, estimated to employ 200,000 and foster up to $17 billion in spending. But, Hudson feels that marketers and the state could do more. Suffice to say that Hudson believes that travel and tourism organizations should “follow the growth in population and follow the money.” That’s the 76 million aging baby boomer segment.

Hudson is just one of America’s top experts who will be speaking at the NARA conference. Professionals, academicians, real estate developers, marketers, salespeople, city/town representatives and other business professionals seeking to capitalize on the unprecedented aging of America will attend. Topics will range from internet marketing to strategies to attract retirees to invest in your community. Speakers will also offer advice on how to successfully design, build and market 55+ housing, as well as market 55+ targeted products and services.

“As America ages, we are faced with enormous challenges and opportunities to serve this burgeoning market segment,” said NARA Director Dan Owens. “Every six seconds, an American turns 50 and professionals need to get attuned to this marketplace to be successful in our changing economy.”

“A large number of active retirees have moved in early retirement in the past five years bringing hundreds of millions of investment dollars to states. As the economy starts to recover, you see home buying being led by those 55+ buyers who have the financial ability to move…and often pay cash for their new home.”

Past conferences have attracted business professionals from 16 states, Canada and Mexico.

On Wednesday, October 20, sessions featuring two national experts will be open to the public. Helen Foster, of New Orleans and formerly of J. Walter Thompson’s Mature Market Group, will discuss marketing, positioning and branding and her extensive work in helping the State of Louisiana market to retirees. Following Foster, Dr. Joe Gribbin, head of the masters’ program at the Erickson School at the University of Maryland, will give a detailed presentation about the future of Social Security and Medicare. Gribbin is considered one of America’s foremost authorities on the future of Social Security.

Other speakers include:

*Dave Reitz, Chicago, Ill. Formerly a leading executive with Del Webb’s Sun City brand, Dave now works in the residential building market targeting 55+ buyers.

Colin Milner, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founder and CEO of the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), one of the world’s visionaries on the health and well-being of the older adult.

*John Cromartie, Washington, D.C. A senior demographer at the Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, John has focused on retiree migration to rural areas.

*Gene Warren, Phoenix, AZ. A principal in Thomas+Warren, Gene is a leading authority on where retirees move and why.

*Tom Mann, Baltimore, MD. A principal of TR Mann Consulting and the Tuesday Morning Sales Club. Tom is also a co-founder of the networking group Mature Market Experts. Tom’s clients include senior housing developers, magazines, financial and consumer products and several fitness products, all aimed at serving the boomer and senior markets.

Richard “Dick” Ambrosius, South Dakota, VP, NeoCORTA, an organization committed to assessing and improving brain fitness among older adults. Dick is also considered to be an expert in marketing, positioning and branding companies to the 55+ market.

The Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board is the host organization and a Diamond Level sponsor. Other sponsors include the Go Texan state retiree attraction program and the Erickson School of Aging. All NARA sessions will be held at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center in Columbia’s resurgent downtown “Vista” entertainment district.

##### 30 #####

Video about the NARA National Active Retirement Association Conference

2010-09-30T17:18:00.000-07:00

I appreciated Midlands Biz (www.midlandsbiz.com) with doing a video interview with us to help educate people about the upcoming Oct. 20-22 National Active Retirement Association Power Tools Conference. Alan Cooper is doing a great job. As usual, we appreciate all the help we are getting from the Columbia South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, Pat Mason and Center for Carolina Living and Miriam Atria, the shining star of the Capital City/Lake Murray Chamber of Commerce.

NOTE: Helen Foster, one of the most popular speakers NARA has ever hosted will be our kickoff speaker at NARA - Wed. Oct. 20 at 8:30 a.m. Literally, if you snooze, you lose with Helen, who will be traveling from New Orleans. Helen is a rare talent...very knowledgeable, great presenter and just a lovely, charming person. You do not want to miss her presentation.

http://midlandsbiz.com/articles/6404/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ql_cQrxzzQ

Expert in Rural Retiree Economic Development to Speak at Columbia (SC) National Active Retirement Assn. Conference

2010-09-22T14:01:00.000-07:00

Press Release
For more information, contact:
Dan Owens, President, National Active Retirement Association (NARA)
C (704)641-1469 * Toll Free (888)742-7362

Expert in Rural Retiree Economic Development to Speak at Columbia (SC) National Active Retirement Assn. Conference
Charlotte, NC (September 21, 2010) – Dr. John Cromartie, a leading expert in rural economic development through retiree attraction, will discuss how small towns and regions can attract retiree wealth and spending at the National Active Retirement Association (NARA) 11th Annual Business Conference in Columbia, SC October 20-22 (www.retirementlivingnews.com).

Cromartie, a Senior Demographer at the Economic Research Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture in Washington, DC, will share information and insights he gained in co-authoring an extensive report, “Baby Boom Migration and Its Impact on Rural America.” Cromartie holds a Ph.D. from UNC Chapel Hill and has been a researcher at USDA since 1990. He serves as a consultant to numerous government agencies and is a visiting lecturer at George Washington University.

Entitled the “Power Tools” NARA conference, this three-day event will bring together top national and international professionals involved in building for, marketing to and serving people aged 55+ at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.

Professionals, academicians, real estate developers, marketers, salespeople, city/town representatives and other business professionals seeking to capitalize on the unprecedented aging of America will attend. NARA topics range from internet marketing, building and marketing to strategies to attract retirees to towns, regions and states. Speakers will also offer advice on how to successfully design, build and market 55+ housing, as well as market 55+ targeted products and services.

“Cities, towns, regions and even states are seeking the wealth and spending that transplanted retirees bring if you can attract them. That’s why states like Tennessee, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi have funded programs to help their small towns market to 55+ retirees,” said NARA Director Dan Owens. “With an American turning 50 every six seconds, the opportunities to attract those who choose to move can really boost the economy of a town, city or community.

“With over 70 percent of all financial assets held by people over 50, older folks play a large role in the economy,” added Owens.

The Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board is the host organization and a Diamond Level sponsor. Other sponsors include the Go Texan state retiree attraction program and the Erickson School of Aging at the University of Maryland. All NARA sessions will be held at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.

##### 30 #####

“Retiree Attraction”Strategies by Towns, and Cities to Be Conference Focus

2010-09-22T14:00:00.000-07:00

Press
Release
For More Information,
Contact Dan Owens – (704)641-1469

“Retiree Attraction”Strategies by Towns, and Cities to Be Conference Focus
Towns and communities – even states - throughout America that are searching for new local spending and a spike in economic activity are increasingly seeking to attract 50+ retirees from other states. Strategies on how to position and market a community to retirees will be one of the topics at the 11th Annual National Active Retirement Association (NARA) “Power Tools” business conference to be held Oct. 20-22 at the Columbia, SC Convention Center in downtown Columbia. The NARA conference is one of the top national business conferences in America that focuses strictly on the fast-growing 50+ marketplace.

“Today's retirees are not rocking their life away sipping mint juleps,” said NARA Director Dan Owens. “Studies have shown that the average transplanted 55+ retiree couple can have the same economic impact on a community as the attraction of 3.7 manufacturing jobs.”

For years, towns and cities have recruited industrial and manufacturing relocations from other states. These same communities have likewise also advertised to attract tourists to their town. Now, many states and towns have organized sophisticated efforts to attract retirees. Retirees not only bring assets, pensions and home equity to invest in their new home, they also bring what Owens calls “social capital.”

“The leadership skills that made the retirees successful in their careers are put to work in church, civic and charity pursuits in their new town,” said Owens. “Their need to give back is great and in rural America the need for these skills is also substantial,” he said.

States like Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas all have developed state-funded programs to attract retirees. Sherri Gothart-Barron, the head of the GO TEXAN Certified Retirement Community program will address the conference. In addition, NARA, Retirement Lifestyles magazine and TW+A Associates of Phoenix, AZ will host a four-hour retiree attraction summit on Wed., Oct. 22. Helen Foster, formerly of J. Walter Thompson’s Mature Market Group in New Orleans, will discuss her extensive involvement in helping Louisiana market to out of state retirees. And, Senior USDA Demographer John Cromartie, who has researched retirement to rural areas will also present his findings.

Other complementary topics at the October event will include marketing and public relations, demographic trends, building, selling, and internet marketing.

Anyone interested in understanding and doing more business with the members of the Baby Boomer Age Wave – those affluent, fast-growing aging boomers that will ultimately be 78 million strong – should attend. To learn more about registration and sponsorship opportunities, call (888)742-7362 or go to www.retirementlivingnews.com.

##########

Can Social Security Survive the Aging of America?

2010-09-22T13:59:00.000-07:00

Press Release
For more information, contact:
Dan Owens, President, National Active Retirement Association (NARA)
C (704)641-1469 * Toll Free (888)742-7362

Can Social Security Survive the Aging of America?
Noted Social Security Expert to Present the Facts
at the Oct. 20-22 NARA Retirement Conference

Charlotte, NC (September 21, 2010) – Can Social Security survive the Aging of America?

Few people understand all the facts. One of America’s foremost experts on the health and viability of the Social Security is Dr. Joe Gribbin, a faculty member of the Erickson School of Aging Masters’ Program at the University of Maryland. Gribbin will present his case at a speech Wed., Oct. 20 at the National Active Retirement Community (NARA) 11th Annual Business Conference in Columbia, SC. (www.retirementlivingnews.com).

Dr. Gribbin has lectured extensively on global aging, retirement planning and the economic prospects for baby boomers, for older adults and for the nation as a whole. He is a leading expert on the nation’s entitlement programs and their impacts across generations.

Entitled the “Power Tools” NARA conference, this Oct. 20-22 event will bring together top national and international professionals involved in building for, marketing to and serving people aged 55+ at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.

Prior to joining the Erickson School in 2005 and since 1987, Dr. Gribbin served as Associate Commissioner at the Social Security Administration. Earlier in his federal career, he held senior management and policy positions with 6 different departments of the executive branch as well as the US Senate.

At SSA, Dr. Gribbin oversaw the quality assurance and international programs for the Agency. As Associate Commissioner for International Programs, he successfully negotiated social security treaties (totalization agreements) with 7 nations including Japan and Mexico. He was elected by 39 nations to serve as Vice President of the Inter-American Social Security Conference and President of their Technical Commission on Administrative and Organizational Systems.

Dr. Gribbin holds a Masters Degree in Managerial Economics and a Ph.D. in Quantitative Economics from the Catholic University of America.

Professionals, academicians, real estate developers, marketers, salespeople, city/town representatives and other business professionals seeking to understand and capitalize on the unprecedented aging of America will attend the NARA Conference. NARA topics range from internet marketing to building and marketing 55+ housing to strategies to attract retirees to towns, regions and states. Speakers will also offer advice on how to successfully design, build and market 55+ housing, as well as market 55+ targeted products and services.

The Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board is the host organization and a Diamond Level sponsor. Other sponsors include the Go Texan state retiree attraction program and the Erickson School of Aging at the University of Maryland. All NARA sessions will be held at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.

##### 30 #####

Retirement Conference Set for Oct. 20-22 in Columbia, SC

2010-09-22T13:56:00.000-07:00

Press Release
For more information, contact:
Dan Owens, President, National Active Retirement Association (NARA)
C (704)641-1469 * Toll Free (888)742-7362

Retirement Conference Set for Oct. 20-22 in Columbia, SC
Charlotte, NC (September 21, 2010) – America’s top professionals involved in building for, marketing to and serving people aged 55+ will be speaking at the National Active Retirement Community (NARA) 11th Annual Business Conference in Columbia, SC October 20-22 (www.retirementlivingnews.com).

Professionals, academicians, real estate developers, marketers, salespeople, city/town representatives and other business professionals seeking to capitalize on the unprecedented aging of America will attend. Topics will range from internet marketing to strategies to attract retirees to invest in your community. Speakers will also offer advice on how to successfully design, build and market 55+ housing, as well as market 55+ targeted products and services.

“As America ages, we are faced with enormous challenges and opportunities to serve this burgeoning market segment,” said NARA Director Dan Owens. “Every six seconds, an American turns 50 and professionals need to get attuned to this marketplace to be successful in our changing economy.”

“With 70 percent of all assets held by people over 50, older folks play a large role in the economy,” said Owens. “A large number of active retirees have moved in early retirement in the past five years bringing hundreds of millions of investment dollars to states. As the economy starts to recover, you see homebuying being led by those 55+ buyers who have the financial ability to move…and often pay cash for their new home.”

Past conferences have attracted business professionals from 16 states, Canada and Mexico.

Experts from around the United States will be speaking at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. On Wednesday, October 20, sessions featuring two national experts will be open to the public. Helen Foster, of New Orleans and formerly of J. Walter Thompson’s Mature Market Group, will discuss marketing, positioning and branding and her extensive work in helping the State of Louisiana market to retirees. Following Foster, Dr. Joe Gribbin, head of the masters’ program at the Erickson School at the University of Maryland, will give a detailed presentation about the future of Social Security and Medicare. Gribbin is considered one of America’s foremost authorities on the future of Social Security.

Other speakers include:

*Dave Reitz, Chicago, Ill. Formerly a leading executive with Del Webb’s Sun City brand, Dave now works in the residential building market targeting 55+ buyers.

Colin Milner, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founder and CEO of the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), one of the world’s visionaries on the health and well-being of the older adult.

*Simon Hudson, Columbia, SC. Chair in Tourism Research at USC. Simon has done extensive research into mature (50+) tourism and will discuss tourism as it leads to retirement in a location.

*John Cromartie, Washington, D.C. A senior demographer at the Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, John has focused on retiree migration to rural areas.

*Gene Warren, Phoenix, AZ. A principal in Thomas+Warren, Gene is a leading authority on where retirees move and why.

*Tom Mann, Baltimore, MD. A principal of TR Mann Consulting and the Tuesday Morning Sales Club. Tom is also a co-founder of the networking group Mature Market Experts. Tom’s clients include senior housing developers, magazines, financial and consumer products and several fitness products, all aimed at serving the boomer and senior markets.

Richard “Dick” Ambrosius, South Dakota, VP, NeoCORTA, an organization committed to assessing and improving brain fitness among older adults. Dick is also considered to be an expert in marketing, positioning and branding companies to the 55+ market.

The Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board is the host organization and a Diamond Level sponsor. Other sponsors include the Go Texan state retiree attraction program and the Erickson School of Aging. All NARA sessions will be held at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center in Columbia’s resurgent downtown “Vista” entertainment district.

##### 30 #####

Aging Pioneer Succumbs to Leukemia at 83

2010-08-31T10:27:00.000-07:00

Dr. Robert Butler did groundbreaking work in longevity research. Unfortunately, I never had the chance to meet Dr. Butler, but know of his work. A fitting tribute to Dr. Butler was published in the New York Times recently:

http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/07/a-last-conversation-with-dr-robert-butler/

Dr. Butler did not go quietly into the good night...productive until the end. At our annual NARA retirement conference, we discuss the insights that researchers have found in longevity, aging, brain fitness, etc. All of these factors come into play in how to better serve active adults and retirees.

Certainly, we mourn the loss of a leading reseacher. We are reading his recently published book, the Longevity Revolution, now. Those interested in this sort of information are encouraged to attend the 11th Annual NARA Power Tools Business Conference in Columbia, SC on Oct. 20-22. Information: toll free 888.742.7362

### 30 ###

Kolter Reopens Levitt's Failed Four Seasons at Lake Lanier AAC near Atlanta

2010-08-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Cresswind at Lake Lanier Has Grand Opening
at Gainesville Ga Active Adult Community

Earlier this year, Cresswind at Lake Lanier had a grand opening at its Gainesville, Georgia active adult community’s. The community was previously the Levitt and Son's failed Seasons at Lake Lanier AAC.

The Kolter Group, LLC, a West Palm Beach private investment firm focused on luxury master planned development and premier active adult communities, bought the failed waterfront property just north of Atlanta out of backruptcy.

Active Adult Waterfront Living
Cresswind at Lake Lanier features two and three bedroom ranch style floorplans, some of which include basements. Currently there are 14 fully furnished model homes, 45 homes available for immediate move in and multiple pre-sale opportunities. Private boat slips are also available.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE KOLTER GROUP....

Kolter Group Enters Active Adult Market
Kolter Group Provider of finished lots plans to develop and build out its newest land acquisition itself.

The Kolter Group is launching itself firmly into the active-adult community building market with the planned purchase of Levitt and Sons’ active-adult community on Lake Lanier, north of Atlanta, at the end of January.

Kolter’s business model has been to buy land to be resold as finished lots to builders. But Kolter plans to develop and build the former Seasons of Lake Lanier property itself, said Jim Harvey, Kolter Land’s president.

“We’re focused on building a new active-adult home building plan, and this will be one of our first active-adult products,” said Harvey. “We are still kind of formulating the exact strategy, but we think there’s a really good position for us in the market for an active-adult position.”

Kolter has been dabbling in the market with a project in Port St. Lucie, Fla., called Verano. It also recently bought Victoria Park in Deland, Fla., which has an active-adult neighborhood, from St. Joe.

“We’re working on other opportunities as well,” said Harvey. The company is also working on branding for its new active-adult venture.

Kolter was the only bidder for the Lake Lanier property in bankruptcy, bidding $12.4 million for the partially developed land, which includes 16 fully furnished model homes, 43 homes complete or partially built, 169 developed lots, 147 partially developed lots, and 290 approved-but-raw lots. There are also 22 boat slips on Lake Lanier, but there is no clubhouse or other amenity built at this point.

In Atlanta, Kolter will be competing with Pulte, which started building the first large, master-planned, active-adult communities in Atlanta several years ago. That scattered-lot market has proven to be a difficult one for builders looking to assemble parcels large enough to build fully amenitized active-adult communities.

Kolter was an unsuccessful stalking-horse bidder on another Levitt active-adult property auctioned in bankruptcy, a Levitt Cascades community in Sarasota, Fla., which was bought by local builder Medallion Homes.

-- BUILDER and BIG BUILDER magazines

A Linkedin Debate/Discussion

2010-08-24T08:41:00.000-07:00

One of the things that all the Social Media out there does is foster relationships and discussion/debate. At NARA, we are participating on Facebook, Linkedin and also through this blog. Here is a discussion that occurred this week on Linkedin. If you have an opinion, we'd love to hear it....and we welcome you to join us on Linkedin, as well. Dan Owens

INITIAL QUESTION FROM DAN REXFORD, NARA LINKEDIN GROUP MEMBER
Former Erickson Retirement Community Executive
Current Firm: Equity Partners, Inc., Baltimore, MD

"Is there a correlation? Re: M.P. McQueen's article in today's WSJ, "Real-Estate Investing: the Best and Worst Markets"
McQueen summarizes Cary, NC's Local Marketing Monitor, Inc.'s (LMM) work. They cite: Durham, Huntsville, Indianapolis, Knoxville, Lexington, Little Rock, Winston Salem, Oklahoma City, Greenville, and Jackson as the best markets for single-family real estate investment. Reno, Las Vegas, Orlando, Lakeland, Prescott, Phoenix, Daytona, Sarasota, Naples, and Forty Myers are identified as the worst. If LMM is accurate, it appears to me that the presence of retiree housing is still relatively unimportant when you are evaluating these types of investments.
Thoughts? Criticisms? Theories?"
##########

Response from Dan Owens, NARA DIRECTOR • "Dan, my thoughts? Follow two phenomenon from the recent downturn. Look at the markets where there was easy credit and many speculators that artificially drove up demand and thereby drove up supply. Florida, Vegas and Arizona markets were hot retirement markets for ten years before the downturn. Maybe that's what helped fuel the speculation/easy credit and brought out the speculators. Anyway, the markets you named as the worst markets all suffered from easy credit, speculation and over-building. That means prices will be flat for awhile as all these houses are absorbed. Today, retirees are shopping and buying again, but there is a huge hole to fill in those markets of surplus properties. Meanwhile, there is a new interest on the part of retirees to seek out undiscovered locations. Not everybody is headed to Naples or even Florida or Arizona....in fact, Florida has been struggling to attract as many retirees each year as they had in the past. Retirees are looking to make their nest egg last and often, it's places like Huntsville, AL or Greenville, SC or Fredericksburg, TX or Chattanooga, TN that are offering great, fun lifestyles at a lower cost. That's my take. Dan"
########

FROM: Dan Rexford • "Don't disagree, Dan. I think the takeaway for me is that building for retirees isn't an economic development panacea. In fact, it isn't even close to a sure thing for a single project let alone a town. There is no question that this age cohort is an economic powerhouse but each project and initiative must stand on its own. Although I haven't seen any research, I suspect that these areas began to struggle when they adopted a "build and they will come" strategy rather than understanding that you still need to inspire people to buy."
#########

FROM: Dan Owens • Dan, I think the key element is that each project does need to stand on its own. However, there is a broader argument that housing. States like Mississippi, Texas and Tennessee are now funding statewide efforts (google Down Home Mississippi, GO TEXAN and RetireTennessee) to attract retirees to towns in their state. The fact is that over 70% of all financial assets are controlled by folks over age 50. So, for many towns that are struggling to attract jobs and also have flat tourism, a retiree attraction program is another avenue whereby spending and economic activity can be generated. Studies have shown that a typical retiree couple can generate the equivalent of between 2.8 - 3.7 manufacturing and industrial jobs. So, the money spent on furniture, property taxes, cars, landscaping, restaurants, healthcare and pharmacy, religious and civic contributions, utilities, retail, etc. help support business and government. And, since no kids are involved, they don't tax the most expensive endeavor...the school system. Experts have said that the only newcomer into a community that doesn't actually cost the town/city/state money in services are folks who are 60 and retired or semi-retired. Millions of boomers are turning 65 and a number will be looking for a place to improve their lifestyle. This is the kind of discussion that our panel of experts likes to have at our annual NARA Business Conference. See www.retirementlivingnews.com"

END OF DISCUSSION (FOR NOW) Join our NARA LINKEDIN GROUP by clicking on:
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=3036136

“Retiree Attraction”Strategies by Towns, and Cities to Be Conference Focus

2010-08-23T21:02:00.000-07:00

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information,
Contact Dan Owens – (704)641-1469
August 23, 2010

“Retiree Attraction”Strategies by Towns, and Cities to Be Conference Focus

Towns and communities throughout America that are hungry for new spending and a spike in economic activity are increasingly seeking to attract 50+ retirees from other states. Strategies on how to position and market a community to retirees will be one of the topics at the 11th Annual National Active Retirement Association (NARA) “Power Tools” business conference to be held Oct. 20-22 at the Columbia, SC Convention Center in downtown Columbia. The NARA conference is one of the top national business conferences in America that focuses strictly on the fast-growing 50+ marketplace.

“Today's retirees are not rocking their life away sipping mint juleps,” said NARA Director Dan Owens. “The average retired couple 55 and older is healthier, more affluent and better educated than the natives in most towns where they settle.”

For years, towns and cities have recruited industrial and manufacturing relocations from other states. These same communities have likewise also advertised to attract tourists to their town. Now, many states and towns have organized sophisticated efforts to attract retirees. Retirees not only bring assets, pensions and home equity to invest in their new home, they also bring what Owens calls “social capital.”

“The leadership skills that made the retirees successful in their careers are put to work in church, civic and charity pursuits in their new town,” said Owens. “Their need to give back is great and in rural America the need for these skills is also substantial,” he said.

On Wednesday, October 20, NARA will sponsor a retiree attraction summit. The state retirement attraction director for Texas, Sherri Gothart-Barron, will be in attendance and her organization, GO TEXAN, is a sponsor of the conference. A number of communities that are seeking to attract retirees are scheduled to be in attendance and are expected to share tips and techniques with conference attendees.

Other complementary topics at the October event will include marketing and public relations, demographic trends, building, interiors and land planning trends, internet marketing and retiree attraction to communities.

Anyone interested in understanding and doing more business with the members of the Baby Boomer Age Wave – those affluent, fast-growing aging boomers that will ultimately be 78 million strong – should attend. To learn more about registration and sponsorship opportunities, call (888)742-7362 or go to www.retirementlivingnews.com.

Ringo still rocks at 70

2010-08-23T12:07:00.000-07:00

Ringo still rocks at 70

KEVIN CULLEN Danville, ILL Commercial-News

Millions of us Baby Boomers felt a little older on July 7 when we read the story about Ringo Starr’s 70th birthday party at Radio City Music Hall in New York.

Everybody loves Ringo, the drummer for The Beatles. We have loved him since 1964, when the Fab Four took the States by storm. We watched them on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” we bought their 45s, we memorized their hits, we went to their movies. A generation of American girls cried and screamed through their concerts, bought Beatles dolls and fan magazines, and dreamed of dating Paul, George or Ringo (John was married). Every girl, including my older sister, had a favorite Beatle … and many went for Ringo.

There always has been something special about Ringo Starr. He was the oldest Beatle, and the last to join the group. He didn’t have a great voice, but he still supplied the vocals for several hits. He was content to stay in the background, pounding his Ludwig drum kit so hard that it jumped off the floor. Ringo provided the driving beat and sonic foundation that framed the Beatles music.

The gritty streets of Liverpool never left Ringo. As years went by, the other Beatles became pretentious, self-absorbed pseudo-intellectuals, but Ringo never did. In interviews, he came across as a regular guy who joined a little rock-’n-roll band and somehow found himself a multi-millionaire, with reporters hanging on his every word and girls chasing him.

Ringo was a beer, cigarettes and Buddy Holly kind of guy, never really comfortable with psychedelic drugs, Indian mysticism, lavish orchestral accompaniments and being seen as an heir to Beethoven.

I admire Ringo. At 70, he’s having the time of his life, beating the skins with his All-Starr band, performing his own hits, some Beatles stuff and lots of covers.

There was bad blood among the Beatles after their breakup, but that’s over. John and George Harrison are dead; only Ringo and Paul survive.

Paul showed up, unannounced, for the birthday bash. He and Ringo performed “Birthday,” a drum-heavy hit from The Beatles’ “White Album,” and nearly tore the roof off the place.

Paul hugged Ringo, and kissed his cheek. Everybody was screaming, crying, smiling.

Ringo’s grandchildren wheeled a cake onto the stage. It was made in the shape of a Ludwig drum set. Six thousand adoring fans sang “Happy Birthday.”

Ringo said in an interview that he wouldn’t want to be a Beatle again, because it was “too mad.”

“We’re blessed, we musicians, as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “As long as I can hold a stick, it can go on forever. It’s great. It’s something you don’t have to retire from.”

Who could ask for more? Rock on, Ringo.

Nielsen: Marketers not making most of Boomer demo

2010-08-23T12:04:00.000-07:00

Nielsen: Marketers not making most of Boomer demo
George Clooney aside, Baby Boomers may not be as sexy as Gen-X or Millenials, but marketers still need them. Why? Because the Boomer generation is now the largest in the US, they hold a vast amount of wealth and they're buying products - from the latest tech gear to new wardrobes. Nielsen has released more metrics focused on Baby Boomers - and why marketers shouldn't ignore the demographic.

by Kristina Knight, BizReport.com

First, the definition of a Baby Boomer: born between 1946 and 1964. That is an 18-year span of people who have recently retired or who are pushing toward retirement now. Most own their homes, are affluent, they are adopting new technology and they're involved. With community, with family, with churches and associations.

And don't forget, they are purchasers. Nielsen points out that:

• Boomers spend 38% of the total consumer package goods dollars
• Still, CPG brands only allocate 5% of their budgets to boomer-targeted ads
• Boomers watch about 9 ½ hours of video daily
• Boomers are responsible for one-third of television viewers, online/social media users and Twitter users

"Boomers should be as desirable for marketers as Millennials and Gen-Xers for years to come; they are the largest single group of consumers, and a valuable target audience. As the US continues to age, reaching this group will continue to be critical for advertisers," said Pat McDonough, Senior Vice President of Insights, Analysis and Policy with the Nielsen Company.

They are also visiting roughly the same websites as their younger (18 - 49) counterparts, so it makes sense to create specifically targeted campaigns for a number of top sites. Boomers' top websites include Google, Yahoo, Bing, Facebook and Microsoft. For the 18-49 year olds, websites are ranked Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Bing, YouTube.

Baby Boomers Reveal Their Secrets on Finding the Fountain of Youth

2010-08-23T11:54:00.000-07:00

Baby Boomers Reveal Their Secrets on Finding the Fountain of Youth
2010 Del Webb Baby Boomer Survey finds age is just a number
BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Baby Boomers – those born between 1946-1964 – have found that there is a recipe to increasing longevity, combating aging, and most importantly, feeling younger than their true age, according to the 2010 Del Webb Baby Boomer Survey.

“While there may not be a legendary spring that restores the youth of those who drink from it, many Baby Boomers today are ‘fighting’ aging by being engaged in a variety of activities that keep their minds sharp, their bodies strong, and their social life robust,” said Deborah Blake, national marketing director for the Del Webb brand. “In this year’s survey, we found that both younger and older baby boomers have found their own version of the fountain of youth.”

Baby Boomers feel much younger than their actual ages, according to the 2010 Del Webb Baby Boomer Survey. And as age increases, the distance between their real age and perceived age expands. Boomers turning 50 this year see the difference as “merely” a decade, while older Boomers feel an average of 13 years younger than their age. Del Webb residents, with a median age of 65, say they feel 15 years younger than they actually are. Additionally, both groups of Baby Boomers agree that old age starts around 80. Standing out from this view were the Del Webb respondents, who think that old age does not start until one turns 85 years old.

From the 2010 Baby Boomer Survey, those who felt younger than their actual age participated in at least two of the five activities below.

The Five Secrets to the Fountain of Youth

1. Exercise regularly – More than 55 percent work out regularly as a way to feel youthful.

2. Hit the books – Nearly a third have gone or will go back to school.

3. Volunteer – More than 60 percent are giving back to their communities by volunteering.

4. Still working – More than 70 percent plan to work in “retirement” either part-time, full-time or in starting a new career.

5. Trying pickleball or Zumba – Approximately 40 percent have taken up a new hobby or activity.

Soleil Laurel Canyon Wins Award in 2010 National Mature Media Awards Program

2010-08-23T11:44:00.000-07:00

Soleil Laurel Canyon Wins Award in 2010 National Mature Media Awards Program

Canton, Ga. –Soleil Laurel Canyon, a 330 acre, resort-inspired active adult community in Canton, Ga. was a winner in the 19th annual National Mature Market Media Awards Program.

The program, presented by the Mature Market Resource Center, a national clearinghouse for the senior market, recognizes the nation’s finest advertising, marketing and educational materials designed and produced for older adults. Soleil received a Silver Award from the National Mature Media for its marketing/advertising campaign in the program’s housing division.

“We were delighted to take part in the Mature Media Awards Program this year, and were honored to be selected as a winner,” said Irene Hall, vice president of marketing for Evolv, the marketing/advertising team for the community.

Nearly 1,000 entries were judged by a distinguished panel of mature market experts from across the United States for overall excellence of design, content, creativity and relevance to the senior market.

The competition is the nation's largest awards program established to recognize excellence in magazines geared to people aged 50 and older, North America's most rapidly growing and wealthy demographic.

Restricted to those 55+ in age, residents at Soleil enjoy a wide range of amenities including a 28,000 square foot clubhouse with heated indoor saline pool, billiards parlor, gourmet teaching kitchen, fitness center and aerobics studio, library, two card rooms and an arts and crafts studio. A performing arts center, outdoor amphitheatre, outdoor lagoon-style pool, six clay tennis courts, full-time tennis pro, walking trails, a greenhouse and neighboring golf course round out the long list of amenities.

For more information about Soleil Laurel Canyon, call 678-880-3071 or visit www.SoleilLaurelCanyon.com.

About the National Mature Media Awards: The National Mature Media Awards is the nation's largest awards program to recognize the best advertising, marketing, and educational materials produced for adults age 50 and over. The awards program is open to those involved in the production of materials for older adults.

Columbia, SC to be “Center of the Boomer Business Universe” with NARA and NAHB 55+ Collaboration

2010-08-17T06:11:00.001-07:00

Press Release
For more information, contact:
Dan Owens, President, National Active Retirement Association (NARA)
C (704)641-1469 * Toll Free (888)742-7362

Columbia, SC to be “Center of the Boomer Business Universe” with NARA and NAHB 55+ Collaboration

Charlotte, NC (August 17, 2010) – The National Active Retirement Association (NARA) and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) will be collaborating to offer 55+ business classes and educational seminars the entire week of Oct. 18-22 in Columbia, SC.

“You won’t be able to find another week of the year that will have more 55+ information, education and networking as this week,” said NARA Executive Director Dan Owens. “If you are interested in catching the Age Wave in business, you’ll want to be in Columbia, SC Oct. 18-22,” he said, adding that “more professionals involved in the building for, selling to and serving 55+ consumers will be in Columbia than anywhere else.”

NARA has hosted 10 annual business conferences for business, non-profit and government professionals who want to learn more about marketing to, building for, serving and doing more business with the exploding 55+ age segment. NAHB has sponsored a 50+ Housing Council for years which has hosted an annual 50+ Housing Conference.

With the annual NAHB 50+ Housing Conference postponed until next year, NAHB is adding two full continuing education day classes – one each on marketing and sales – to combine with the three-day NARA retirement business conference to create the week of “Boomer and Beyond” education and networking. Both classes are needed to reach the homebuilder Certified Active Adult Specialist in Housing (CAASH) designation.

The week will start with two full day sessions at the Homebuilders Association of Greater Columbia. On Monday, Oct. 18, a Selling to the Active Adult class will be offered, followed by a Tuesday Marketing to the Active Adult class. Both classes will be presented by Jane Marie O’Connor of 55 Plus, LLC in Charlemont, MA. O’Connor is considered to be one of the leading consultants, speakers and trainers in the 55+ building industry. Both sessions will be held at the HBA offices in Columbia.
From Wednesday through Friday, speakers from around the country will converge on the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center to hear a number of speakers talk about business opportunities and challenges related to the aging of America.

NARA’s central theme? There are several that all point to the same conclusion: aging is becoming big business and its only going to get bigger. For instance, over the next 20 years, more people will be in 65+ age bracket than have ever reached 65. And, remember those Baby Boomers? The first wave of boomers will be reaching that traditional retirement age of 65 next year. There are over 75 million boomers all rapidly heading in that direction.

The implications, as well as opportunities, for business are enormous. NARA speakers will address issues like strategies in building 55+ housing and continuing care retirement communities (CCRC), planning to attracting affluent retirees to your town/city, brain health among older adults, trends in aging and demographics and ways to better market and sell products and services to older adults.

NARA Presenters will include:
*Dr. Joe Gribbin, head of the masters’ program at the Erickson School of Aging at the University of Maryland, who will give a detailed presentation about the future of Social Security and Medicare.
*Dave Reitz, Chicago, Ill. Formerly a leading executive with Del Webb’s Sun City brand, Dave now works in the residential building market targeting 55+ buyers.
*Colin Milner, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founder and CEO of the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), one of the world’s visionaries on the health and well-being of the older adult.
*Simon Hudson, Columbia, SC. Chair in Tourism Research at USC. Simon has done extensive research into mature (50+) tourism and will discuss tourism as it leads to retirement in a location.
*John Cromartie, Washington, D.C. A senior demographer at the Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, John has focused on retiree migration to rural areas.
*Gene Warren, Phoenix, AZ. A principal in Thomas+Warren, Gene is a leading authority on where retirees move and why.
*Tom Mann, Baltimore, MD. A principal of TR Mann Consulting and the Tuesday Morning Sales Club. Tom is also a co-founder of the networking group Mature Market Experts. Tom’s clients include senior housing developers, magazines, financial and consumer products and several fitness products, all aimed at serving the boomer and senior markets.
*Richard “Dick” Ambrosius, South Dakota, VP, NeoCORTA, an organization committed to assessing and improving brain fitness among older adults.

The Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board is the host organization and a Diamond Level sponsor. Other sponsors include the Go Texan state retiree attraction program and the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. All NARA sessions will be held at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center in Columbia’s resurgent downtown “Vista” entertainment district.

##### 30 #####

Active Adult Community Rejuvenated

2010-08-14T12:02:00.001-07:00

Good Active Adult Community article:

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/08/13/1618760/active-adult-community-rejuvenated.html

This article focuses on how the Bailey's Glen Active Adult development in Cornelius, NC is moving along well after K. Hovnanian pulled out of the project and the original developers took over. AAC activity in the Greater Charlotte region is still showing strength.

These are some of the topics we will be discussing at the 2010 11th Annual National Active Retirement Association (NARA) "Power Tools" Conference Oct. 20-22 at the Columbia, South Carolina Metropolitan Convention Center in the Vista entertainment district of downtown Columbia.

### 30 ###

The Power of Social Media

2010-08-11T14:34:00.001-07:00

At the National Active Retirement Association (NARA), we regularly host speakers and read lots of articles about the power of social media. It is clear that those in business now are entering a new age of media...more immediate, more direct, more targeted. Everybody has their preferences, their likes and dislikes and the days of only having three black and white TV sets that go blank with the Star Spangled Banner at midnight are laughable. (Oh wait, I'm dating myself....my daughter already thinks I am a relic from the horse and buggy days).

Anyway, for those active adults over 50, we are straddling the old and the new. We remember punch cards, days before FedEx and faxes, before personal computers and email and certainly the power of the internet. But, we are among the fastest-growing users of social websites like Facebook. Aging boomers are relying more and more on online stockbrokers, online job searches and social connections on the web.

At NARA, we are pleased to see how the web has made us more efficient as a society. However, doesn't it seem like things are accelerated by six times? We can have 12 business conversations by email in a day that used to take a month. We can transfer documents and proposals instanteously, get feedback, revise and resend by the end of the day.

The ways we market, sell and serve aging boomers and beyond will be covered in detail at our October 20-22 "Power Tools" NARA Conference at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center in the Vista entertainment district in the lovely Capital City and college town of Columbia, South Carolina. Never been to Columbia?

Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DsftmI9d4w

And, if you forget how to find NARA, do this:

Go to Google and Search "Retirement Association" (NARA #1; AARP #2), or
Go to Google and Search "Retiree Association" (AARP #1; NARA #2), or
Go o Google and Search "Active Retirement" (NARA #1)

Among about 8 million listings in a sea we call the web, we're not that hard to find.

SEE YOU IN COLUMBIA!
www.retirementlivingnews.com

NARA Quotes in Raleigh (NC) News & Observer Newspaper

2010-08-09T10:23:00.000-07:00

Good article in the Raleigh News & Observer this past Sunday about the power of the 55+ consumer. NARA was quoted.
http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/08/08/618268/golden-oldies.html#storylink=misearch

Many small town leaders, economic development officials and tourism officials don't necessarily treat the deliberate attraction of retirees - advertising, marketing, branding, etc. - as an economic development tool. But, when you think of income transfers, asset transfers, home sales, retail sales, medical spending, taxes paid, volunteerism, etc., retirees can boost an economy.

For instance, the number one selling subdivision in the Charlotte, NC region over the past year has been Sun City Carolina Lakes, which sits on a couple of thousand acres 14 miles south of Charlotte in South Carolina. The developers of Carolina Lakes transformed raw woodlands into a national retiree mecca. Many of the retirees have come from Florida, the Northeast and Midwest. So, instead of vacant land, the 14 mile stretch of Highway 521 from Charlotte into the Lancaster, SC Panhandle area, is now vibrant with construction, for sale signs, shops, retail, office, etc. If a town/community - a state - is successful in its efforts, there is power to retiree attraction.

This is one of the topics we will cover at the 11th Annual NARA Power Tools Conference Oct. 20-22 at the Columbia Metropolitian Convention Center. www.retirementlivingnews.com JOIN NARA ON LINKEDIN: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=3036136

Longevity in America

2010-08-06T07:46:00.000-07:00

When you read this, it is a little depressing:

"Life expectancy at age 50 in the United States ranks 29th highest in the world in 2006 according to the World Health Organization (WHO 2009). It falls 3.3 years behind the leader, Japan, and more than 1.5 years behind Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Iceland, Spain, and Switzerland. At the conventional value of $100,000 per additional year of life (Cutler 2004), the relative loss of life in the US above age 50 is valued at roughly $600 billion annually. Using Japan as a standard, the loss is $1.3 trillion."

This from a presentation called "The Causes of Lagging Life Expectancy at Older Ages in the United States" by Samuel H. Preston of the University of Pennsylvania at the
11th Annual Joint Conference of the Retirement Research Consortium in at Washington's Press Club in August, 2009.

Preston goes on to analyze this phenomenon:

"The United States had the highest level of cigarette consumption per capita in the
developed world over a 50-year period ending in the mid-1980’s. Smoking in early life has left an imprint on mortality patterns that remains visible as heavy-smoking cohorts age.

"Life expectancy at age 50 (projected life after age 50) has been powerfully influenced by smoking in many countries. In the United States, we estimate that male life expectancy after age e50 in 2003 would be 2.8 years higher if smoking-attributable deaths were eliminated, while for females, life expectancy after age 50 would grow by 2.6 years."

Ironically, Preston also points out that:

"We find that, by standards of OECD countries, the US does well in terms of screening for cancer, survival rates from cancer, survival rates after heart attacks and strokes, and medication of individuals with high levels of blood pressure or cholesterol....among the 21 countries surveyed (not including Iceland, whose rates
are based on few observations), US survival rates ranked first in prostate cancer, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer, and second in lung cancer."

My take on this is that for years, Americans were damaging their health mainly through obesity, smoking and inactivity but we have the best medical care in the world that does a tremendous job treating cancers that may have been caused by smoking.

With smoking increasingly discouraged and unpopular over the past 30 years, it remains to be seen how the boomers who quit years ago will fair in longevity. No doubt, you will still have the unhealthy and the healthy, the educated and the uneducated and the prosperous and poor just like any other age segment of society. The bad numbers will certainly adversely affect the good numbers in longevity polls. Just something to ponder!

#### 30 ####

National Active Retirement Association (NARA) Welcomes Former Del Webb Executive

2010-08-04T07:57:00.000-07:00

Press
Release
For more information, contact:
Dan Owens, President, National Active Retirement Association (NARA)
C (704)641-1469 * Toll Free (888)742-7362

Former Del Webb Executive to Speak at NARA
Charlotte, NC (July 30, 2010) – Dave Reitz of Chicago, IL, one of America’s top authorities on how 55+ active adult communities are planned, will be a featured speaker at the National Active Retirement Community (NARA) 11th Annual Business Conference in Columbia, SC October 20-22 (www.retirementlivingnews.com).

Formerly a leading executive with Del Webb’s Sun City brand, Reitz now works as director of community development for the SEC Group, Inc. For 10 years, Reitz was involved first as a manager of landscape architectural amenity development at Sun City Huntley in Chicago and then a member of Pulte Home’s national Active Adult Business Development Team, targeting age 55+ buyers.

Through his involvement with Del Webb and Pulte, Reitz was a consultant on Del Webb communities such as the very popular new communities of Sun City Carolina Lakes in Charlotte, NC and Carolina Preserve in Cary, NC, as well as Sun City Hilton Head in Hilton Head, SC, Del Webb’s Cane Bay in Summerville, SC, Villages at Deaton Creek in Hall County, GA and Sun City Peachtree south of Atlanta.

The 2010 11th Annual NARA Business Conference will be held at the Columbia Convention Center is downtown Columbia, SC. The Conference is entitled NARA’s “Power Tools” Business Conference: Giving Attendees the Tools to Tackle the fast-emerging 55+ consumer segment.

Professionals, academicians, real estate developers, marketers, salespeople and other businesspeople seeking to capitalize on the unprecedented aging of America will attend. Topics will range internet marketing to strategies to attract retirees to invest in your community to advice on how to successfully design, build and market 50+ housing.

With the oldest Baby Boomer – a group that is 78 million strong – turning age 65 in 2011, many feel that the kickoff to the massive Age Wave is at hand. NARA seeks to inform and educate professionals on the opportunities and challenges that this 55+ Boomer and Beyond market poses to business.

For more information, please call toll free (888)742-7362.

Retirement Lifestyles Magazine Press Release

2010-08-03T14:41:00.000-07:00

PRESS
RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information,
Contact Dan Owens – (704)641-1469

Retirement Lifestyles Named One of
America’s Finest 50+ Magazines

(CHARLOTTE, NC) Retirement Lifestyles magazine has been named the second best United States magazine for 50+ readers by the judges of the 2009 19th Annual National Mature Media Awards.

“It almost seems inconceivable that our small 11-year-old magazine could compete favorably with AARP, but we do and that’s a testimony to our fabulous staff,” said Publisher/Executive Editor Dan Owens. “We hate to get beaten by AARP, but we take comfort in the fact that they have enormous national resources and their parent organization receives millions of dollars in support each year from the federal government. AARP should be better than everybody else,” he said.

Owens founded Retirement Lifestyles as an annual North Carolina tabloid newspaper in 1999. It is now a quarterly national slick magazine. “We write colorful articles that help our 50+ subscribers learn more about their lifestyle options,” Owens said, adding that a common theme is that you can relocate in a less expensive spot and put a nest egg in the bank.

The magazine was judged one of the top seven U.S. 50+ magazines in 1999, 2005, 2007 and 2008 among magazines and organizations of any size in any location in America. The 2009 Mature Media Award is the highest recognition Retirement Lifestyles has received.

“The first of 78 million baby boomers will turn 65 next year, officially kicking off the massive ‘age wave’ in this country,” said Owens. “Retirement Lifestyles fills part of a large vacuum of information in the marketplace for these aging consumers.”

As a national public speaker and consultant, Owens said awareness of the aging of America is increasing. “People were awestruck when James Taylor and Carole King packed concert venues around the country recently when other concerts were being cancelled. People are also amazed that Fox News’ conservative morning show leads all morning ratings. Aging boomers can be a powerful market,” he said.

For a free sample copy of Retirement Lifestyles, call (888)742-7362 or go to www.retiresouth.com. For a complete list of Mature Media Award winners, go to www.seniorawards.com.
######

2010 National Active Retirement Association Press Release

2010-08-03T14:38:00.000-07:00

Press
Release
For more information, contact:
Dan Owens, President, National Active Retirement Association (NARA)
C (704)641-1469 * Toll Free (888)742-7362

Retirement Conference Set for Oct. 20-22 in Columbia, SC
Charlotte, NC (July 30, 2010) – America’s top professionals involved in building for, marketing to and serving people aged 55+ will be speaking at the National Active Retirement Community (NARA) 11th Annual Business Conference in Columbia, SC October 20-22 (www.retirementlivingnews.com).

Professionals, academicians, real estate developers, marketers, salespeople, city/town representatives and other business professionals seeking to capitalize on the unprecedented aging of America at our doorstep will attend. Topics will range from internet marketing to strategies to attract retirees to invest in your community. Speakers will also offer advice on how to successfully design, build and market 55+ housing, as well as market 55+ targeted products and services.

“As America ages, we are faced with enormous challenges and opportunities to serve this burgeoning market segment,” said NARA Director Dan Owens. “Every six seconds, an American turns 50 and professionals need to get attuned to this marketplace to be successful in our changing economy.”

“With 70 percent of all assets held by people over 50, older folks play a large role in the economy,” said Owens. “A large number of active retirees have moved in early retirement in the past five years bringing hundreds of millions of investment dollars to states. As the economy starts to recover, you see homebuying being led by those 55+ buyers who have the financial ability to move…and often pay cash for their new home.”

Past conferences have attracted business professionals from 16 states, Canada and Mexico.

Experts from around the United States will be speaking at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. On Wednesday, October 20, sessions featuring two national experts will be open to the public. John K. Lynch, chief market analyst with Wells Fargo’s Evergreen Fund, will give his assessment of the current economic climate as it relates to older consumers. Following Lynch, Dr. Joe Gribbin, head of the masters’ program at the Erickson School at the University of Maryland, will give a detailed presentation about the future of Social Security and Medicare.

Other speakers include:

*Dave Reitz, Chicago, Ill. Formerly a leading executive with Del Webb’s Sun City brand, Dave now works in the residential building market targeting 55+ buyers.

Colin Milner, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founder and CEO of the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), one of the world’s visionaries on the health and well-being of the older adult.

*Simon Hudson, Columbia, SC. Chair in Tourism Research at USC. Simon has done extensive research into mature (50+) tourism and will discuss tourism as it leads to retirement in a location.

*John Cromartie, Washington, D.C. A senior demographer at the Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, John has focused on retiree migration to rural areas.

*Gene Warren, Phoenix, AZ. A principal in Thomas+Warren, Gene is a leading authority on where retirees move and why.

*Tom Mann, Baltimore, MD. A principal of TR Mann Consulting and the Tuesday Morning Sales Club. Tom is also a co-founder of the networking group Mature Market Experts. Tom’s clients include senior housing developers, magazines, financial and consumer products and several fitness products, all aimed at serving the boomer and senior markets.

Richard “Dick” Ambrosius, South Dakota, VP, NeoCORTA, an organization committed to assessing and improving brain fitness among older adults.

The Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board is the host organization and a Diamond Level sponsor. Other sponsors include the Go Texan state retiree attraction program and the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. All NARA sessions will be held at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center in Columbia’s resurgent downtown “Vista” entertainment district.

##### 30 #####

Spending Among 65+ Surging Forward

2010-06-17T08:48:00.000-07:00

Spending Among 65+ Surging

Amid all the bad news out there, a recent Gallup survey shows spending by "well-off" folks and people 65+ surging.

From May 2009 to May 2010, average daily spending by folks 65+ was $44 in May 2009 and $64 in May 2010 (45% increase). The average daily spending by those who make over $90,000 a year rose from $110 to $145 during the same time frame.

The basic Gallup information about this poll can be found at:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/139619/frugality-fatigue-upper-income-spending-surges.aspx

But, if you are in the retirement and/or senior housing industry and want a little chuckle, read the "I'm-scratching-my-head" analysis of the 65+ spending increase by economist Catherine Rampell in a New York Times blog.

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/10/whos-spending-again-the-rich-and-the-old/?scp=6&sq=gallup&st=cse

To Catherine, everybody aged 65+ is "elderly." In my world people don't hit elderly until about 80. People 65+ are generally out having fun, dining out, taking classes, at the health club, cruising the Caribbean or out buying a new computer to email their grandchildren. I know 65+ folks who are sailing, starting a new company or running 5K races.

But Catherine (however brilliant her economics background is) is obviously a youngster that I bet does not operate in a world of folks 50+ who, by the way, as a group control 77% of all financial assets. You can see lovely young Catherine at her twitter page:

http://twitter.com/crampell

While these assets may have shrunk by some percentage, their slice of the pie continues to dominate the under age 50 group.

But, really, Catherine...health care spending? Like, Depends?

Retirement Age Debates...

2010-06-02T11:18:00.000-07:00

The next big debate coming soon: how to implement a higher retirement age. Of course, most people over aged 50 today now realize two things: with the housing and financial downturn, most of us are going to continue to work into our late 60s and, probably throughout our 70s.

And, let's face it, most of us are younger at our current age that our parents and certainly our grandparents were at the same age. I just completed a 5K race a few weeks before turning aged 50. Not a massive accomplishment, but one I know my dad, granddad and great granddad wouldn't have dreamed of.

So, for financial reasons and simply because, if we retire at 65, we may have 20 or 30 years left to occupy ourselves, retirement will pushed forward in our lifetime. Here are a couple of great articles about this topic.

In this NY Times Blog Opinion Piece, several influential "aging" observers give their take on changing the retirement age:

http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/31/how-high-can-the-retirement-age-go/?scp=1&sq=retirement%20age&st=cse

Over the past half-century, life expectancy at age 65 has improved by about 1 month with each passing year. In 1950, 65 year-old men lived, on average, to age 78. Today, the average 65 year old man lives to about age 82.

The next article features Florida Gubernatorial Candidate Marco Rubio advocating raising the retirement age in Florida of all places. Of course, Florida is the state that has attracted a huge, huge percentage of retiree movers in the past 20 years. And, that pipeline has slowed. So, he may be irritating those retirees who have already settled in Florida and also may be discouraging more retirees into moving in retirement for a few years.

Here's the link:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state/fla-gop-candidate-favors-raising-retirement-age-708092.html

The winners in this debate will be the locations that offer the best quality of life AND best economic opportunities. The numbers of second home buyers and 50+ folks who have unlimited retirement savings to spend in the mountains, the lakes and the coast has dramatically shrunk.

#### 30 ####

New Jersey Active Adult Communities

2010-05-24T13:28:00.000-07:00

Apparently, in New Jersey, there were difficulties getting the typical residential subdivision approved. So many developers/builders pursued rezoning for 55+ Active Adult, Age-Restricted status. As many of our NARA members know, getting a 55+ Age Restricted rezoning is generally easier because it means less traffic and no kids, among a number of other more palatable community advantages.

However, in NJ, builders may have overdone the rezonings and some 55+ age restricted communities are struggling. This has prompted some communities to seek to drop their Age Restricted and open up the community to all ages.

USA Today focused on this issue recently. The link to the story is:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-03-21-age-restrictions-in-new-jersey_N.htm

Haya El-Nasser, a good reporter, asked me to identify any Active Adult community across the country that was struggling to the point that they were interested in giving up their 55+ designation. As I told her, there were only a handful across the United States and the majority in NJ. Of course, the article seems to indicate that this issue is widespread.

It is not. Active Adult communities that have done a good job are continuing to do well. Those what did not study the market with their location, amenities, lifestyle, etc. are not doing as well. At our annual NARA Conferences, we spend hours discussing and the hearing from experts about development, building, positioning, branding, advertising, marketing, etc.

The Active Adult, Age Restricted market can be fabulous with many buyers paying cash. But, they are savvy and won't take less than a good value. This is what a few developers and builders around the country have found out. The market is huge and growing and loosening. As I said in the USA Today article: "You can't ignore the demographics."

The Demographics of Aging

2010-05-24T11:55:00.000-07:00

You hear anecdotes around the country about being in the business of selling to folks 50+. As many of you who have attended NARA Conferences know, there are several distinct age groups in the 50+ industry and there are different attitudes, stages of health and stages of wealth in each of those age segments.

Across all ages, many reports are that if an older adult "has" to move because of health or wealth, he/she has moved forward. If it is a desire to move, the older adult has continued to "shop" and has been reluctant to pull the trigger.

This scenario is not true across the board, however. For instance, 50+ Active Adult communities that got a good foothold before the downturn continue to sell well. I would point to Jim Chapman Communities in the Atlanta area and Carolina Preserve and Carolina Lakes Del Webb communities in Cary, NC and Lancaster County, SC, respectively.

Location helps, of course, Cary is stuck in the middle of the popular Triangle area of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. The "Panhandle" of Lancaster County, SC has become a suburb of the affluent Ballantyne area of Charlotte. Both of these communities have remained top sellers in their areas even in the downturn.

But, as NARA speakers have repeatedly stressed in the past, success can also be narrowed down to delivering what the customer wants. And these are three examples of developer/builders that do an excellent job of pricing, home designs, community design, lifestyle and amenities.

Emerging from the Active Adult and Retirement "Freeze"

2010-05-24T11:35:00.000-07:00

Signs are clear that there is more 50+ Active Adult and Retirement housing activity than in a couple of years. At least in most states. For almost three years, many older adults have been in "standby" mode, waiting until the smoke cleared on the stock market and housing downturns to make major lifestyle decisions. Now, we hear reports from operators and managers that 50+ housing and retirement buyers are returning to the marketplace.

A lifestyle housing decision is one that can be postponed as many builders, realtors and retiree attraction professionals have found out in the downturn. But, with the massive aging of America, it's obvious that there is a "pent-up" demand of folks who would prefer to move and are now shopping. Those in the business of building for, marketing to and serving older adults have no where to go but up, business-wise. We have seen the massive financial shock to our system. It has taken older adults longer to trust institutions again.

Now, many of us are back on the ground floor as business returns. And, with the Aging of America expected to move dramatically forward in 2011, many businesses, builders, institutions and towns/cities are gearing up now to capitalize. Don't forget the demographics.