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Affluent retirees and semi-retirees are younger, hipper, more active, and more interested in purchasing a home with natural surroundings than reserving a room in a retirement village, says David V. Johnson, chairman of Victor International, a developer of environmentally sensitive homes. Wealthy seniors are increasingly overlooking historical retirement destinations like Florida, Arizona, and California in favor of environmentally protected home sites in Washington, Michigan, and the Carolinas, with the intent of passing their homes on to future generations.
The number of U.S.
households subscribing to online services rose 3 percent to 70.7 million
in the second quarter of 2001, according to Telecommunications Reports
International and reported by Nua Publishing.
The jump in home values has been essential in averting a recession despite downturns in the stock market and the manufacturing and technology sectors this year, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan testified before the Senate Banking Committee. Source: Washington Times.
Although other sectors of the economy have suffered in the recent downturn, low interest rates have kept the housing market ahead with rising sales and prices. Although the market faltered after the terrorist attacks in September--with sales of existing homes falling 11.7 percent, sales of new homes dipping 1.4 percent, and the median price of existing homes dropping 4 percent to $148,100--sales for the year are still expected to be the second-highest ever on record. Action by the Fed to lower interest rates and Federal emergency programs should lead to a recovery and strong sales in the Spring of 2002.
A Census Bureau report on aging reflects contradicting forces in American life: That better nutrition and modern medicine are driving up the median age in the country - but the number of people actually turning 65 is down because of low birth rates during the Great Depression. The Census Bureau says the median U.S. age in 2000 was 35.3, two years higher than it was in 1990 and the highest its ever been. At the same time, the 65-and-over population increased at a slower rate. "The slower growth of the population 65 and over," said senior demographer Campbell Gibson, "reflects the relatively low number of people reaching 65 during the past decade because of the relatively low number of births" during the Depression years preceding World War II.
The information below graphically illustrates the percentage breakdown
of how local property taxes are allocated for various taxing districts
within Beaufort County for fiscal year 2000-2001.
(Information: Beaufort County Council)
