Top 10 hospitality trends + Retiree moving activity

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Baby boomers dominate housing market as millennials retreat link

• Baby boomers now make up 42% of all home buyers, with up to half of older boomers paying in full with cash. Their dominance is helped by also being the largest group of home sellers, giving them equity to reinvest.

• Millennials dropped from 38% of buyers last year to just 29% now, and over 90% rely on financing. One in four needed help with the down payment from friends or family.

• Multigenerational housing demand rose to 17% of all purchases, with one in five Gen X buyers choosing this option. Gen X also posted the highest median income at $130,000 and showed increased diversity, with 25% identifying as non-white.

Retiree moving activity was down nearly 25% in 2024 link

• Retirement-related moves dropped by 23.8% in 2024, with just 258,000 retirees relocating. High mortgage rates near 7% and average home prices over $500,000 were key reasons.

• Only 22.7% of retirees moved in 2024, down from 25.3% in 2023, showing hesitation despite recovery from pandemic lows. Those who did move crossed state lines at nearly twice the rate of the general population.

• Florida attracted 20% of all retirees who moved to another state, far ahead of Minnesota at 7.1%. Massachusetts led for retirees moving specifically for retirement, drawing 20.4% of that group.

Top 10 hospitality trends: what shaped 2024 and what to expect in 2025 link

• Sustainability shifted from being a competitive edge to a basic expectation, with energy efficiency and waste reduction now standard across the industry. Hotels no longer stand out for being green—it’s the bare minimum guests expect.

• Consumer expectations and tech adoption are pushing hotels to rethink operating models and guest engagement. Innovation is becoming essential not just for experience but for bottom-line performance.

• The hospitality industry is in a transformation phase driven by rapid changes in tech, guest behavior, and competition. Stakeholders now prioritize long-term strategies that balance memorable stays with financial results.

• click on the link to see the rest of the list.

National student housing report – April 2025 link

• Preleasing for the 2025–2026 school year reached 67.1% in March, slightly above last year’s 65.1%, though that number will likely be revised down. Virginia Tech (93%), Alabama (92.8%), and Kentucky (91.3%) were among the strongest performers.

• Rent growth slowed sharply to 2.5% in March, the steepest year-over-year drop in six years. Tennessee saw rent growth plummet to -6% with 3,261 beds under construction.

• Forty-one markets had preleasing rates below 50%, including Utah Valley at 25.3% and UNC Greensboro at 32.4%. Meanwhile, enrollment rose 1.7% year-over-year across 183 universities, with state schools leading the growth.

Trump slaps China with an additional 50% tariff, and homebuilder stocks tank link

• The cumulative tariff rate on Chinese goods now totals 104%, following a new 50% hike announced by the Trump administration. This move triggered a sharp drop in major indexes and rattled financial markets throughout the day.

• Publicly traded U.S. homebuilders saw immediate stock declines, with LGI Homes down 8% and KB Home, D.R. Horton, and others falling 2–3%. Homebuilders rely heavily on Chinese imports for hardware, glass, plumbing, and appliances.

• The tariff escalation comes in response to China’s 34% retaliatory tariff on U.S. goods. Business leaders and even Trump’s own advisors are split over the move, with growing concern about market instability.

Fitness centers are top of mind for multifamily owners and operators link

• In new builds, 95.4% of owners said state-of-the-art equipment is the most important feature in fitness centers, followed closely by technology and connectivity. Upgraded fitness equipment was also the most common change in existing properties at 64.1%.

• Across coworking spaces and communal areas, technology/connectivity was the second most upgraded feature after furniture and equipment. Residents care more about functionality and flexibility than size, with demand for features like work pods and smart lockers.

• In EV charging areas, 77.1% of respondents prioritized technology and 74.3% prioritized equipment, while only 17.4% were concerned about security. Older properties struggle to keep up due to lower rates of tech upgrades in amenities like fitness centers and EV stations.

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Vidit

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