Instead I smile knowing I am one step ahead of Goggle and wonder just how much longer it will be before this is a term that Google recognizes and one that has been defined on www.wikipedia.org (largest multilingual free-content encyclopedia on the Internet with over 7 million articles in over 200 languages).

You know what I am talking about, we see it everyday of the week here in the mountain.  It’s people who retire and start working again.  However most don’t start a new career.  This time around they are happy “making a contribution” and are very content without climbing the ladder.  They enjoy their jobs.  As a marketing professional I view this group as a critical segment for us to target in our property promotional plans.

Rehirement hit me smack in the face twelve years ago.  In 1996 my wife and I retired for the first time.  For Kate it (retirement) lasted two months.  For me it was fifteen months.  The truth is retirement is an outdated model.  Back in the 90’s retiring young was a bit of a status symbol.  Not any more. 

Know where the magic age of 65 came from?  In 1880’s when life expectancy was 45 years Otto van Bismarck was crafting the first pension plans.  He figured 65 would be a good age for retirement.  With our current life expectancy and his logic the modern retirement age should be 97.  Lots of us in Breckenridge would agree.

The rehirement crowd is a fun loving bunch.  This past winter I worked one day a week as a guide with the Over the Hill Gang in Breckenridge (50 just seems way to young to be ‘over the hill’).  I had a blast skiing with the most youthful, energetic and interesting group imaginable.  The majority, I estimate, over 80%, are rehired.  Most get paid when they get rehired but not all.  Some donate their time yet treat it just as seriously (if not more so) than if they receiving are an income.

There are hundreds that are rehired in Summit County, maybe thousands such as the 30 year state department employee who’s primary job was with the CIA who now does security consulting, the man who worked as an IT guru in the white house for twelve years who now helps businesses recover after disasters, the high school math teacher who maintains a real estate inventment portfolio.   Following are merely two more detailed profiles.

Bill and Evey Statz:  Bill retired after a 35 year corporate career with McDonald’s.  In Evey’s words, “We are busier now then than ever.  Once you are able to move beyond your career your priorities change.”  This couple are the organizers of the Breckenridge Over the Hill Gang and “work” at least 30 hours a week in the winter and are fulltime residents of Breckenridge.

John Goebel: John had his rehirement plan in place long before he sold his manufacturing business.  John watched the patterns of his father and uncles.  His conclusion was the best approach is to keep your mind stimulated, stay involved and be active.  John couldn’t be happier.  He serves as a Board Member for three different companies; one is a major public company on the NYSE.   The combination of responsibility, the meetings and some consulting give John the balance he needs for a very fruitful rehirement.  John and his wife have dual homes in Breckenridge and Indiana.

Dr Ken Dychtwald, author and researcher on the aging USA population for the past 30 years along with Harris Internactive estimates that 49% of those over 55 are either “Live-for-Todays” or “Agless Explorer” types.  The principle characteristics of these individuals:

• Feel youthful and are active
• Want to contribute to their communities
• See themselves as fun and adventurous.

Sure sounds like just about every single person I know in Breckenridge regardless of age.

The Live-for-Todays and Ageless Explores combined are one of the primary groups of Breckenridge real estate Buyers that we, Your Mountain Broker, have identified and are targeting in our marketing.   Our estimates, which are based on very sound logic and data is that there are at least eighteen million Americans that both fit this profile and can afford Breckenridge real estate.  This figure does not take into consideration the international Buyers such as those from the UK that are flocking into the USA buying vacation homes.   

The most exciting thing of all for me is that my team and I have found several different and effective tools to reach these Buyers.  The first step is to understand and define your target market, the buyers for properties we market.  The next step, which is usually much more difficult, is figuring out how to reach these Buyers.

Are you ready to sell a property in Summit County and want to benefit from the extremely sophisticated market models we use to reach these buyers?  On the other hand are your rehired and eager to share your story with us?  In either case I want to hear from you.  Give me a call (970-393-3300),  zap me an email (daniel@YourMountainBroker.com) or stop into the office at RE/MAX, 220 S Main St, Breckenridge CO