Aging in Place in Orange County: Renovate or Relocate?

Staying put and moving on can both be the right call. Here's how to tell which one fits your next chapter.

"Should we stay in this house for good?" It's one of the biggest questions a longtime homeowner faces, and it deserves more than a gut answer.

For most people, aging in place in Orange County comes down to two paths: update the home you love, or sell and move somewhere built for this stage of life.

A question many of our neighbors are asking

More than 1 in 4 Newport Beach residents is 65 or older, about 27% according to the Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey. Countywide the figure is about 17%, and Costa Mesa runs younger, at about 12%.

The county expects that share to reach 36% by 2060, according to its OC Cares Master Plan for Aging.

What aging in place in Orange County really takes

Wanting to stay makes sense. You know the neighbors, the routines, the walk to the water. But most homes weren't built for the decades ahead.

Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies found that fewer than 4% of U.S. homes have all three basics of accessible living: single-floor living, a no-step entry, and wide hallways and doorways. If your bedrooms are upstairs or there's a step at every door, you're in the majority.

So staying usually means remodeling. In NAHB's most recent aging-in-place survey of remodelers, 56% said they take on this kind of work. Grab bars and curbless showers (walk-in showers with no ledge to step over) top the list, followed by higher toilets and wider doorways.

That route works, but go in clear-eyed: expect dust, noise and contractors for a while, plus a schedule to manage. Some people find that a fair trade. Others don't.

Your equity, and your tax base, can move with you

If you've owned for a long time, the money for your next home may already be sitting in this one. Equity is the gap between what your home is worth and what you still owe, and after years of payments and appreciation, it adds up. Selling turns it into a home that's ready on day one.

The price gap between cities can stretch that equity further. In August, the median sale price was about $3.19 million in Newport Beach and $1.51 million in Costa Mesa, according to the September 14 Reports on Housing release. In Laguna Woods, home to Laguna Woods Village, it was about $442,000. Homes there are much smaller, but the gap is real.

California adds a local advantage. Under Proposition 19, homeowners 55 and older can carry their property tax base to a replacement home anywhere in the state, up to three times. The replacement has to be bought within two years of the sale. If it costs about the same or less than your current home sells for, your tax base generally transfers as is. If it costs more, the difference is added on.

For someone who bought in Newport Beach or Costa Mesa decades ago, that can be what makes a move pencil out. Confirm the details with the county assessor before you list.

Why 55+ communities deserve a look

These communities are planned around this stage of life, so much of what you'd remodel for is already handled:

• Safety. Many are gated, with visitor rules and on-site security.
• Less upkeep. The HOA usually takes care of common areas, so weekends are yours again.
• Things to do. Clubhouses, pools, classes and clubs, often within walking distance.
• Built-in community. Neighbors at a similar stage of life make it easier to feel connected.

You don't have to leave Orange County to find one. Laguna Woods Village is the best known, a gated 55+ community with golf, pools, seven clubhouses and more than 200 clubs. Huntington Landmark in Huntington Beach and Leisure World in Seal Beach are other established options. Each has its own HOA fees, rules and age requirements. Ask about reserves and special assessments too.

How we'd think about it

A few honest questions usually point the way:

• Is the home mostly right? If the barriers are a few fixable things, renovating may be the better path.
• Or would it need everything? When stairs, bathrooms and doorways all need work, a move deserves a real look.
• Where are your people? Being near family, friends and doctors matters as much as the floor plan.

If you'd like to see both sides with real numbers (what your home could sell for, how Prop 19 could factor in, and what nearby 55+ communities offer), we'd love to talk. No pressure, no pitch.

Bernice DeVries | Broker | Kastell Real Estate Group | Costa Mesa & Newport Beach