2 Empty-Nest Gen X Couples Sold Old Homes to “Rise” in a New Community

As Stephanie Falk’s three children headed off to college, she began dreaming of trading her suburban Westchester County neighborhood for New York City, where she had lived in her 20s.

But Stephanie’s husband, Andrew, didn’t want to give up the greenery and space their family had enjoyed for nearly 30 years in their village about 20 miles north of the city.

So the couple struck a compromise: They would sell their century-old home in Edgemont, N.Y., and move to a more urban town in the county, preferably somewhere close to restaurants and the Hudson River or Long Island Sound.

Around the same time, in the spring of 2024, the Falks were playing golf with their friends, Judy and Steven Cooperman, when they began talking about their new house hunt. The Coopermans were in the same situation, looking to sell the home they raised their children in and find a more affordable, lower-maintenance home in a vibrant community. They envisioned a new partially built, mixed-use development called Edge-on-Hudson in the waterfront village of Sleepy Hollow.

This piqued the Falks’ interest. A few days later, Judy showed them around. The project checked a lot of boxes for both couples: a four-bedroom townhouse would be large enough to comfortably accommodate all of their children and their partners, they would be a stone’s throw from the Hudson River and a walkable city, and they would have an elevator in their home so their aging parents could visit them.

Importantly, densely built homes and shared amenities, including a park and swimming pool, seemed likely to foster plenty of social interaction with neighbors and a sense of community.

“I fully believe in community,” Stephanie said. “And I think as I get older, from what I’ve learned and what I’ve seen, being challenged and being around other like-minded people, it can be really beneficial.”

The Falks and Coopermans, both in their 50s, aren’t ready to retire. Stephanie runs a mindfulness and meditation business called Pause to be Present, while Judy works remotely in administrative management at a law firm. Their husbands work in real estate and law in New York.

They also didn’t want to reduce their living space too much. Both couples sold their old home for a little more than they spent on their townhouse, which starts at $1.6 million. But the new houses will be easier to live in, because they are accessible.

The couples aren’t alone: ​​They’re part of a wave of Gen In an expensive and in-demand real estate market, they managed to find a happy medium.

“We have the right size,” Stephanie said. Even though the square footage they’ll live in is similar, “the lifestyle itself fits perfectly with what we want.”

Living near friends – old and new

The development is still under construction, but will eventually include nearly 1,200 townhomes, condos and apartments, as well as a park, grocery store and hotel on 70 acres that previously housed a GM assembly plant.

In late July, the Coopermans and the Falks moved into rental apartments in Edge-on-Hudson, where they will stay until construction on their townhomes is completed.

Other future neighbors could also be old acquaintances. Five other couples the Coopermans know met with the developers to learn more about buying in the community, Judy said.

For now, both women are excited about the change. The Coopermans sold or donated most of their furniture, which Judy called liberating.

While they saw each other occasionally to play golf or tennis, Judy and Stéphanie now see each other more casually.

“It’s really easy to just say, ‘Hey, do you want to go out for a walk?’” Judy said.

And they are already making new friends.

“The people are friendly. They go out a lot,” Judy said. “It’s a bit like going to college when you’re a freshman: everyone wants to meet people.”