Hey, have you caught wind of the term “Silver Tsunami” making the rounds lately? It’s all about the idea that a bunch of baby boomers are going to start moving or downsizing all at once, and the worry is it could seriously shake up the housing scene. Picture this: a sudden flood of homes hitting the market, creating a frenzy for smaller digs and throwing the whole supply-demand balance off kilter, which might end up affecting home prices.

But here’s the lowdown. There are a couple of flaws in that thinking, so let’s break them down and ease your mind.

First off, not every baby boomer is itching to pack up and go. According to a study by AARP, more than half of folks aged 65 and up want to stick to their current digs as they age. Sure, things might change down the road, but the majority are set on aging in place.

And even for those who do have moving on their minds, it’s not like they’re all going to hit the market at once. It’s more like a slow tide than a sudden wave. As Freddie Mac puts it:

“We forecast the ‘tsunami’ will be more like a tide, bringing a gradual exit of 9.2 million Boomers by 2035 . . .”

Mark Fleming, Chief Economist at First American, sums it up nicely:

“Demographics are never a tsunami. The baby boomer generation is almost two decades of births. That means they’re going to take about two decades to work their way through.”

So, if you’re losing sleep over the idea of a Silver Tsunami crashing the housing market overnight, take a breath. It’s more of a slow and steady drift over the long haul.