How Longevity Is Changing
Luxury Real Estate in Bay Area

For a long time, the classic housing story went something like this: buy, upgrade, enjoy, and eventually downsize.

But that storyline is starting to shift.

More buyers in Marin today are thinking beyond the next move and asking a bigger question: Could this be a home that works beautifully for the rest of my life?

At the luxury end of the market, the answer is increasingly yes.

Longer Lives Are Changing The Way We Buy

People are living longer, healthier lives — and naturally, they are planning further ahead.

Global life expectancy rose from roughly 46 years in 1950 to 73 years in 2023. By 2100, it is projected to reach around 82 worldwide and close to 90 in Europe and North America.

That means someone buying a home in their 50s or 60s may expect to live there for decades.

Instead of automatically downsizing or moving into a retirement community later, many affluent buyers are choosing homes that can evolve with them. They want to stay independent, remain close to the people and places they love, and enjoy the same property for much longer.

A New Kind of Luxury

Luxury will always be about beautiful design, exceptional finishes, privacy, and location.

But buyers are adding something else to the list: longevity.

According to the 2026 Mid-Year Luxury Outlook® agent survey, 38% of US$10M+ real estate professionals say aging in place is becoming a growing concern for buyers.

That doesn’t mean people want homes that feel clinical or designed for old age. Quite the opposite.

The most desirable properties quietly combine comfort, flexibility, and thoughtful design. Think main-level primary suites, elevators, curbless showers, advanced air and water filtration, wellness rooms, flexible guest spaces, and technology that can support health and independence over time.

The best features are often the ones you barely notice — until you need them.

Buyers Are Paying for Flexibility

This shift is showing up in pricing too.

Multigenerational homes command approximately 22% more per square foot than standard listings, according to Realtor.com. The average price for U.S. multigenerational listings was US$262 per square foot.

That premium suggests buyers see flexibility as real value.

A home that can accommodate aging parents, adult children, visiting family, live-in help, or long-term guests gives its owners more options. It can change with the household instead of forcing the household to move.

Nearly One in Five Byers Aged 46–60
Chose a Multigenerational Home

Multigenerational properties accounted for 14% of all U.S. home purchases, according to the 2026 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report.

Among buyers aged 46–60, that number rose to 19% — nearly one in five.

But this isn’t only an older-buyer trend.

The numbers span nearly every generation, from 9% of buyers aged 27–35 to 16% of buyers aged 80–100. Even younger buyers are already choosing homes they can grow into rather than outgrow.

Younger Buyers Are Future-Proofing Earlier

Luxury buyers in their 30s and 40s may not use the phrase “aging in place,” but many are thinking in similar terms.

They want homes that are flexible, private, wellness-focused, beautifully designed, and ready to live in from day one.

In the 2026 Sotheby’s International Realty survey, 55% of respondents reported an increase in millennial buyers in their markets, particularly for properties priced at US$5 million and above.

Older buyers may adapt a home later. Younger buyers are increasingly looking for homes that are future-ready from the beginning.

A Home That Grows With You

The idea of a “forever home” has always been emotional.

Now it is becoming practical too.

Buyers are asking whether a home can support their health, accommodate their family, simplify daily life, and continue to feel right ten, twenty, or thirty years from now.

Luxury is no longer only about how impressive a home looks when you first walk through the door.

Increasingly, it is about how beautifully the home continues to work over time.

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A long-term move deserves a thoughtful approach. Get in touch for an honest conversation about finding a home that works beautifully now — and for the years ahead.

Author: Jennifer Glassman and Marcia Skall, MBA. Award-winning real estate agents serving Marin County and beyond.

Jennifer Glassman 415.309.5331  
Marcia Skall, MBA 415.533.5721
[email protected]

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