By Jim Leonard

What does your ideal retirement home look like? As baby boomers reach retirement age, they are researching to identify retirement home plans that will meet their needs now and in the future.

The days of retiring to the dream McMansion are gone for most people. In retirement, people are paring down their expectations, but still want a home that is comfortable and meets their needs.

A recent article in zillow.com suggests that builders are listening to the needs of the real estate buyer. Many of the new home building plans will also meet the needs of new retirees.

Read the following list home changes by builders to see if they will also meet the needs of retirees. These are the homes builders project for 2015.

The most important shift for homes of the future is they are going to be smaller. The peak average home size was 2521 sq feet for homes built in 2007. Builders are now projecting the average home size will be 2150 sq. ft. for single family home.

Living rooms are going the way of the dodo bird as people continue to want open living spaces. Great rooms combined with kitchen continue to be the pattern for the future. There are also few formal dining rooms as eating spaces are included in the great room model.

Other trends you will see more of are larger master walk-in closets, spacious laundry rooms, porches, two-car garages and ceiling fans. Homes of the future will not have more than four bedrooms, mudrooms, media or hobby rooms or skylights.

When you think about your retirement home plans, what do you want? How does your ideal retirement home fit with what builders project for the future?