'Age-in-place' house draws curious, bidders to auction

Buying a house is one of life's biggest decisions but it took Elmer Shaffer only 15 minutes Saturday to become a new homeowner.

[Reader]

Why does a 74 year old person buy a brand new $300,000 house?

[iamme]

because he can

[Big Sea]

great article

[mom 0f 5]

Reader wrote:

Why does a 74 year old person buy a brand new $300,000 house?

probably because he was from a generation that worked and saved and can afford to-and is wise enough to listen to his wife about thier future physical difficulties.

[Moving on]

Exactly, how many seniors can even afford to move from their exsisting homes with the cost of medicare? Healthcare expense is a top reason seniors aren't able to do alot things especially at this age. Someone (or both) were wise enough to save and think about their future. My hats are off to them both!

[SURE CAN]

iamme wrote:

because he can

GREAT STATEMENT!

[Joe Blow]

Plenty of people can. Who do you think is buying one-story, no-stairs houses in all of these "55+" developments? Some people were smart/lucky enough to make responsible financial decisions over the course of their lives.

Moving on wrote:

Exactly, how many seniors can even afford to move from their exsisting homes with the cost of medicare? Healthcare expense is a top reason seniors aren't able to do alot things especially at this age. Someone (or both) were wise enough to save and think about their future. My hats are off to them both!

[the facts]

The man who bought the house worked all of his life. He was a pharmacist, and owned a pharmacy in Allentown. He sold it when Allentown started to take the downward plunge. His current house is 40 years old, and they just got sick of it's problems. He is very healthy. at 74, he still push mows his .75 acre lawn, rides his bike to a pool, and swims 20 laps most days of the week. He is going to be alive for at least another 15 years. He is on his 2nd knee replacement, and their current house has a spiral staircase to the bedroom. $344,000 really isn't very extravagant for a house. They just are not ready to move to a condo, or an assisted living home.