As a Seniors Real Estate Specialist, my role extends beyond the normal tasks involved with helping someone buy or sell a house. It entails being a listener, an advisor, an organizer, and yes – even an understanding friend.

While some seniors are eager to sell because they are moving on to an adventure they anticipate with joy and excitement, others agonize over the decision. Even with good “reasons why,” it can be difficult to let go of something that has been a solid part of your life. Selling a home can be especially heart-wrenching for someone who has lived in the same house for decades, and perhaps raised children there. That feeling can be compounded if the spouse who shared that home has passed on.

I understand the emotional and practical challenges seniors and their families face because I have been through these same experiences with my own family. My many conversations with my family members and with my clients have shown me that for many seniors the emotional aspects of selling are just as significant as the financial aspects. Those conversations have also given me an additional layer of empathy.

My goal is to provide my clients and their families with the best, most comprehensive service possible, and to help them arrive at good decisions. Toward that end, I completed the coursework to earn the SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist) Designation. This additional education gave me a more extensive understanding of MediCare/Medicaid, the various available housing and financing options for seniors, tax matters, and elder law. Thus, I am better equipped to make clients aware of practical and legal issues and to direct them to needed information and professional resources.

Once the decision to move has been made, the next step is the research and planning of where to move based on the services that might be wanted or needed in a new location. When that move is to be within our community, I am always glad to help gather information and to help my clients weigh their options.

And, just as I will help negotiate the highest selling price for their current home, if the purchase of a new home is in the cards, I will help negotiate the lowest purchase price.

Every transfer of real estate requires cooperation between a variety of service providers. A senior move often calls for more. In addition to real estate professionals, the list includes stagers, appraisers, inspectors, title officers, escrow professionals, and even couriers.

A senior move can be made easier by employing the services of house cleaners, repair and maintenance professionals, painters, landscapers, and those who specialize in helping homeowners sort, pack, and minimize their possessions through estate sales and donations.

As a service to my clients, I maintain a list of trusted professionals in all of these fields. Additionally, when called upon, I’m happy to help coordinate their activities.

A senior move can also be made easier by having uncertainties removed. I make it a point to be sure that my clients understand each paragraph in the agreements they sign and each step in the process of getting from agreement to closing. After all, these forms and practices grow and change rapidly. For a person who hasn’t bought or sold a home in the past few years, the sheer volume of paperwork can be overwhelming.

Realizing that more questions may arise, I return calls, texts, and emails as quickly as possible.

I enjoy the time I spend helping my senior clients and I place a high value on the trust they put in me. Successfully helping seniors and their families is one of the most rewarding parts of my job.