Consumer Survey Featuring Baby Boomer Homeowner Feedback Confirms

Remember the excitement of buying your first place? The enthusiasm that comes with it or moving somewhere new? Ideas and plans abound as you envision transforming your new space into that beautiful and comfortable oasis you always imagined. Home décor social media feeds and websites dominate your discussions and reading materials.

Then, reality sets in. You are faced with an urgent home repair need, an appliance quits at an inopportune time, or you get sticker shock on the cost of that coveted tile for your bathroom redo.

Fact is – owning and maintaining a house can be both exhilarating and exasperating. Tackling those to-do’s - planned or pop-ups - are costly and challenging to both our budget and aspirations. Add in the lack of time, tolerance, and tenacity for DIY as we age; reliance on outside partners to get things done becomes essential as well as another chore.

As a leader at Frontdoor, an all-in-one app for home repair and maintenance, I am privy to a lot of information and insights into home care. For example, results of a survey we commissioned revealed some interesting stats about homeowners of this generation, including that 77% of Baby Boomers currently own smart home tech, compared to 61% of survey respondents overall. In fact, you agree with a younger Gen Z that this tech has made home life better, with the most helpful smart home aspects being the capability to be alerted to potentially unseen problems in the home (49% compared to 32% overall) and the ability to set preferences (49% compared to 33% overall). It is great that we are embracing this smart home / tech connection, as 84% of all homeowners admit they tend to avoid household repairs, with nearly half (48%) noting they feel overwhelmed by the maintenance their home requires of them!

Luckily, there are new tools, technology, and strategies for efficient, easier home maintenance at any age. Reviewing their capabilities and adopting them can provide vital assistance, promote safety, and allow us to maintain control of a well-managed and safe home through the years. For example, you may want to consider these tactics:   

• Phone it In - employ your phone for easy to access and ready to go help. Download apps that provide intel and access to experts (Frontdoor’s app provides access to video chats with skilled tradesman), calendars and alerts for scheduled maintenance reminders for always in hand guidance.
• Prioritize Maintenance - keeping appliances and systems – HVAC for example - well maintained avoids costly, uncomfortable breakdowns later.
• Smart Home / Happy Home – new tech can be an amazing partner in home care. By linking your smart home products, you can automate to-do’s and create a more safe, secure, and efficient home. There are many resources and experts to show you how available online or in person.

Being forward thinking, integrating new tools and technologies into our homes and lifestyle can bring back the positives, pleasures of home ownership and creating our best environment. Here's to making home the best, safest, most enjoyable place to be always!

Author Bio:

Kathy Collins is Senior Vice President and Chief Brand Officer of Frontdoor and American Home Shield,  overseeing all business and marketing aspects of both brands. Kathy specializes in strategic marketing and branding initiatives to drive growth and build lasting relationships with customers. She has worked with national brands across multiple industries, including financial services, insurance, retail, and consumer goods, memberships, and services. She resides with her family in Kansas City.

Image Credit: Frontdoor