The active adult segment of the U.S. population, those born between 1946 and 1964 and commonly referred to as baby boomers, are poised to become the nation’s largest minority group. The Census Bureau counted 78.2 million boomers as of July 1, 2005, a whopping 28 percent of the population. In 2006, the group’s eldest turned 60 at an average of 7,918 a day.

An Associated Press survey finds most boomers expect to retire around age 63 — but 66 percent of them expect to work for pay after retiring. Forty-three percent will do so because they want to stay busy, 27 percent say they’ll keep working to make ends meet and another 19 percent will work so that they can afford “extras.”

Boomers are a different breed from the previous generation of retirees. They are highly independent, physically fit, environmentally conscious and socially active. They have a wide range of physical interests such as golf, tennis, swimming, running, dancing and winter sports, and they travel with gusto.

Boomers actively participate in staying healthy by not relying entirely on their health providers to set the course for them. Their mantra is not based on life expectancy but rather on stretching longevity with quality of life.

It is these same boomers who are fast becoming the greatest real estate opportunity ever — both for builders in the United States and in other countries. Along Baja’s two coasts, this group is a growing phenomenon.

Although previous generations have had plenty of post-retirement housing options, in general they remained in the homes where they raised families. Not the boomers. Along with staying put, they are considering:

• Downsizing in the same general area, perhaps with a smaller home or into an adults-only complex.
  
  
• Moving to another city or state, if the new community provides a sought-after lifestyle and is within budget.
  
  
• Moving to another country, knowing this is a mega decision but not one to fear.

Staying in place, either in the same home or a smaller one, is the easiest decision and the one the majority of boomers choose. This is particularly true in communities with thriving adult-living developments.

Moving to another city or state is a tougher decision since it also means leaving behind friends and family members and socially starting over. Still, this option is growing by more than 10 percent a year, thanks to savvy marketing and a nice mix of offerings.

Relocating out of the country is by far the toughest choice, but boomers, whose net worth is high even without considering home equity, are considering it.

As foreigners, they seek comfort with another language and the best amenities available. The amenities must already be in place, not “planned” at some distant point in the future. If they play golf, they want golf courses; if they have a boat, they want a marina; if they play tennis, they want tennis courts; if they want to be pampered, they want a spa. Those who make the move typically keep a condo or small home in their hometowns as their “headquarters.”

Still, for the vast majority of boomers, retiring in a foreign country requires a great deal of thought and planning. A major part of the decision is based on economics or affordability. For most it means cashing in on the equity of their long-term residence and using Social Security payments as part of their total retirement funds.

The North Baja coast, from Tijuana to Ensenada, has some upcoming developments that will attract boomers, but the vast majority of the more than 18,000 condos in some stage of construction or pre-construction is aimed at today’s second-home buyer or those ready to retire now.

To most it is about affordability and being able to stretch retirement income while enjoying a quality of life that would be unaffordable in most of California. Baja is usually less expensive and more comfortable than U.S. desert areas where temperatures can top 100 degrees for five months a year.

The population of Californians age 65 or over today stands right around 4 million. In Southern California the largest concentration lives in Riverside County where they make up more than 14 percent of the population. San Diego has about 105,000 residents in this demographic and Los Angeles about 400,000. While studies show that 90 percent of the plus-65 population in San Diego and Los Angeles counties would not consider moving to Baja, that means 10 percent, or 50,000 people, would. The western states have a retiree population of about 7 million, meaning 700,000 prospects.

Moving to a foreign country is hardly for everyone. It takes some getting used to a different culture, language and daily little nuances that some may find annoying. Mexico is no exception. While plenty of Americans already are living there, not every one of them has found it to be the Shangri-La brochures promised.

Those retiring to Baja find a $4,000-a-month lifestyle is the equivalent to a $7,000 to $8,000 lifestyle in California. When coupled with the lower cost of homes and property taxes that are a fraction California’s, the decision to move gets easier.

Coastal property values in Baja, however, are rising and can still be unaffordable to many retirees. So a bargain is only as good as one can afford.

Home and condo developments along the Baja coast — providing ocean views from the east side of the scenic Tijuana-Ensenada toll highway — tell much of the story. At The Park at Malibu, 43 units available sold out in four days. The 1,600-plus-square-foot residences were selling from $190,000 to $239,000. The developer’s new project next door, the Waterfalls at Malibu, is similarly priced and likely to sell swiftly, too. San Marino, a little further south, also is selling rapidly, helped in part by slightly lower prices. Those — and there are others — are the bargains within reach of many Boomers.

The more expensive and upscale $350,000 to $600,000 oceanfront residences are moving slower. Of course, slower can mean different things to different folks. Diane Gibbs, owner of Realty Executives in Baja, lamented to a reporter that things were slow. “We only sold eight homes over the weekend,” she said. How many San Diego real estate agents would love to have that problem?

As more boomers enter retirement age and the cost of living continues to increase, the Mexico option will become more viable, particularly if planned community developments located away from the expensive coastal corridor come on line. There is nothing wrong with back-country views, as many San Diego communities can testify.

So look for affordable housing along the fringes of Valle de Guadalupe and Tecate as two examples of what is yet to come. Baja will be Baby Boomer Country.

Patrick Osio Jr. can be reached at posiojr@sandiegometro.com. The veteran consultant also has issued The Mexican Perspective, an intensive primer on business culture and protocol. Copies are available at hispanicvista.com/sales/book_sale.htm.