Boomers are trying to sell their homes—and to hear some tell it, it’s not going well.
While many retirees are still flocking to states like Florida, worsening economic conditions for younger generations mean that many are changing their retirement plans. In some cases, they never retire in the first place—or are forced to come out of retirement to maintain their standard of living.
This puts those who have already purchased retirement homes in a bit of a bind. But according to TikTok user Chey Eisenman (@cheyeisenman), many of these retirees are only just now realizing how dire the situation really is.
What’s Going On With The Boomer Housing Market?
In a video with over 197,000 views, Eisenman asks, “Who are the boomers expecting to sell their retirement homes to?”
According to Eisenman, many Boomers, who are currently between the ages of 72 and 80, purchased dwellings in states like Florida and Arizona with the thought that they could one day sell them and downsize. Now, they’re encountering a few issues.
To start, Eisenman says that Boomers are putting their houses on the market and finding that no one wants them—at least, not for the prices they’re asking.
“Their place isn’t worth as much as they thought it was, and nobody wants to buy,” she explains. “Many have lowered their price significantly, and they still have no interest and no buyers and no takers. And they’re starting to panic because they can’t figure out why nobody wants it.”
Why Can’t Boomers Sell Their Homes?
Eisenman says that she frequently has to explain to boomers that the behavior of this generation’s retirees is not the same as their generation. While they wanted to settle down in a few key Southern states, those of the soon-to-retire generation who can afford to buy a retirement home are “not even looking in places like Florida or Arizona.”
“They are looking at places like Costa Rica, Panama, Portugal, Mexico,” she explains. “They are not looking at Florida and Arizona.”
Not only that, but Eisenman says many who believed they could retire soon are finding that they may not be able to do so. Eisenman says that “many of them are experiencing layoffs and are unable to secure new employment,” which is, in turn, affecting their retirement plans.
As evidence, she tells the story of a client who was a frequent traveler to Costa Rica and was considering buying retirement property there. However, a recent job loss meant that he needed to put those plans on hold. Even with that, Eisenman says the client “wasn’t shopping in Florida” and will likely never shop in Florida.
What Comes Next For Retirement Communities?
Eisenman suspects that the generations after the next retiree generation, “Generation Jones,” will follow similar retirement trends and avoid the classic retiree states like Florida.
Given this, she says that she does not know what will come of long-established retirement communities like Florida’s The Villages.
“What is it, 350,000 homes in the middle of nowhere Florida?” she says. “Is that gonna be low income housing at some point? Is it gonna be underwater in the future?…Like, who’s gonna live in The Villages once the Boomers are no longer on this earth?”
For the time being, Eisenman says that boomers remain unaware of just how out of step their present thinking is with the current housing market. To offer another example, she tells the story of a retired couple who purchased a newly built construction for around $800,000 under the belief they could sell their current property for a similar amount.
“[They] just seem completely shocked and oblivious that the market is not what they thought it was,” she says.
Is This True?
While there are certainly cases of what Eisenman is claiming, the truth about whether this is a widespread trend is a little more complicated.
First, it should be noted it’s not especially common for future retirees to purchase homes specifically for retirement. One 2022 study found that 70% of Gen X and baby boomers planned to retire in the homes they already own. Consequently, a majority do not plan to sell.
Additionally, the housing market is still largely dominated by boomers. This generation makes up a plurality of homebuyers, and many younger generations are simply not buying homes. That fact complicates the idea that Boomers cannot sell their homes, as many are simply being sold to other boomers.
Still, there’s some evidence to suggest that boomers are having some difficulty offloading property in certain areas. Housing inventory in some parts of Florida is at record highs, and houses in “active adult” communities in the state are spending more time on the market.
Finally, there is some evidence that many people are considering retiring abroad. There is also evidence that the number is increasing, as retirees accounted for 62% of U.S. citizens relocating abroad in 2024 through 2025. That said, over 80% of American retirees still do so in the United States.
The TikToker Responds
In an email, Eisenman suggested that issue was primarily impacting middle- and upper-middle-class clients. The rich, she says, sold their properties long ago or can afford to withstand the market.
“As you likely know, Gen Jones and Gen X would rather travel to varied places [versus] liv[ing] in one place in retirement. And if one place, likely abroad. They also believe in climate change and don’t want to invest a dollar in Florida,” she explained.
She then reiterated the struggles experienced by younger buyers.
“Retirement may not be as possible for them as it was even for lower middle class boomers. GenX is struggling to keep up with inflation, support their kids, aging parents, etc. They are NOT thinking about buying a retirement home,” she wrote. “So who will the Boomers sell to? Likely other Boomers, which is a dwindling group.”
“Also, middle class Boomers have a lot of their assets tied up in things like their home or retirement place. And many have been hit by hurricanes or assessments in Florida and may not have the cash reserves to handle those extra costs (I’m hearing these stories as well),” she continued. “And in some cases? The insurance is pushing them out and forcing them to sell. One of our Punta Gorda Boomers in a modular have been hit with three hurricanes recently. Three. Oofta.”
To conclude, she offered her summation of the market.
Commenters Share Their Thoughts
In the comments section, users offered their own retirement plans, with many claiming that Florida is not part of them.
“Why would anyone voluntarily move to Florida?” asked a user.
“We can’t afford to retire!!” exclaimed another.
“Buying a home you can’t insure in a state that’s sinking would be wild,” stated a third.
“GenX – a second home for me would be in France or Portugal. Never Florida or Arizona,” declared a further TikToker.
@cheyeisenman As our Boomer clients try to sell their Florida retirement places, they are finding that there isn’t a group to sell these homes to. And many as they look to downsize are being surprised to learn that it’s not 2022 and maybe their suburban palace isn’t worth what they thought. #floridarealestate #boomers #generationjones #retirement #housingmarket
BroBible reached out to Eisenman via email and TikTok direct message.