HOME SHARING
d n a ts s o C ship t u C nion : g n pa i r a m h o S C e n i m o a H G
With the booming sharing economy, most people are
familiar with popular home sharing sites such as Airbnb which offers temporary housing in widespread locations. But let’s take it to another level: permanent home sharing. In this context, home sharing refers to the phenomenon of aging adults choosing to share their homes with similar people. Those that opt for this type of arrangement include widows, the recently divorced, single people, and others who simply want to cut their monthly costs as retirement nears. In many cases, retirees may choose to home share to save money and offer flexibility without having to worry about a mortgage.
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to remarry faster, thus closing the gap between widowhood and remarriage. The same 2010 census reveals that 28.3 percent of the U.S. household population that is age 65 and over is living alone. This percentage equates to 11 million people living alone. Of this number, 71.2 percent were women.
“28.3% of the U.S. household population that is age 65 and over is living alone.”
Shared housing can appeal to multiple demographics, although it is prevalent among women. Statistics may help shed some light as to why.
Lastly, a June 2015 housing analysis conducted by the Urban Institute projected the amount of senior households in the U.S. will surge to 46 million. This is in comparison to the 25.8 million senior households that existed only five years ago. Thus, home sharing is expected to grow increasingly as the years progress.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, an astounding 56.9 percent of women over the age of 75 were widows in 2010. The shock value increases when compared to the percentage of men of the same demographic that are widowed: 21.2 percent. The census suggests that the difference may be attributed to the fact that men tend to marry younger women and also have a higher propensity
Although home sharing is not a new development, it is something that can be difficult to navigate. Many questions can arise such as, “How do I find an available home that is suitable for me?” “Can my home become a shared home?” “Will my friends and family judge me for living with roommates?” and, “When is home sharing not ideal?”
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