Figure for March: 25 percent

Twenty-five percent of all German households are exclusively occupied by people aged 65 or older. This is the finding of the Federal Statistical Office. This means that seniors over 65 live in 10.3 million households in Germany. More than half of them (around 58 percent) own their own homes. The vast majority of those surveyed want to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. However, for many, this means living in a property that is too large and not suitable for their needs as they age.

According to a survey by the opinion research institute YouGov, seniors' willingness to move into smaller, age-appropriate apartments would increase if they were offered attractive alternatives. The study concludes that this would be a sensible way to create more living space without consuming additional land.

According to the Federal Statistical Office, 33.8 percent of seniors over 65 lived in single-person households in 2018, with this proportion increasing with age. When a partner dies, widows or widowers are often left alone in their familiar homes. An average living space of 100 square meters is overwhelming for many surviving spouses and hardly suitable for older adults. Nevertheless, downsizing is not an option for around 25 percent of the study participants.

In contrast, 54 percent of Germans can imagine moving into a so-called "serviced apartment" if their property no longer meets their needs in old age. Therefore, according to real estate experts, it makes sense to create tailored housing options with targeted support for seniors willing to relocate.

Notes

For the sake of readability, this text uses the generic masculine form. Female and other gender identities are explicitly included where relevant to the statement.

Legal notice: This article does not constitute tax or legal advice for any specific case. Please consult a lawyer and/or tax advisor to clarify the facts of your individual situation.

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