Retirees, Immigrants Termed Keys to Housing

Retirement decisions by aging baby boomers and choices by young immigrants on where to settle will be the most important factors affecting housing in the coming years, according to a study commissioned by an affiliate of the Mortgage Bankers Association.Different regions of the United States will experience different housing demand based on the relative effects of aging in place versus migration within the country and on settlement by immigrants, the MBA said. "For example, suburban areas will gray faster than urban areas due to the boomers aging in place," the association said. The study, "America's Regional Demographics in the '00s Decade: The Role of Seniors, Boomers and New Minorities," was conducted by William H. Frey of the Brookings Institution. It was sponsored by the MBA's Research Institute for Housing America. RIHA can be found online at http://www.housingamerica.org.