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When It's Time to Move On
Senior Living in Washington

No matter how old you are, moving is one of those good news/bad news events. The optimist looks forward to a "fresh start," while the pessimist views the experience as "having to start over." Both are right.

The need to downsize and the transition can be overwhelming — some seniors have been in their homes 30-40+ years and need help and guidance through the selling process or purchase of a new home, which can be very confusing.

Benefits of Senior Living

There are many positive reasons to scale down to the easier lifestyle of a formal retirement community:

• safe, comfortable designs
• liberation from difficult household chores
• the convenience of lock-it-and-leave-it
• recreation, educational and social activities
• meal preparation, cleaning, and laundry services
• transportation
• on-site emergency response and medical care

One way to handle the downside of a move is to cast the new home in a favorable light. As people age, it is natural for them to feel more vulnerable, so housing designed for safety and access can provide a psychological lift. Proximity to medical, social and support services can be a welcome change. For those who live alone, moving to a community of peers may offer the promise of a new circle of friends.

To help overcome procrastination, seniors may want friends and family to join the planning process and help with transitions. Or they may prefer to enlist the professional services of an objective third party. Many seniors find this arrangement less tense than working with their own children.

When to Move

While the decision of WHEN to give up the big house will remain a personal and emotional one, some factors need to be considered.

All residences require maintenance, and the larger the dwelling, the more there is to do. If you have reason to believe you may become less than diligent about keeping up with repairs, even as MORE chores show up (the house isn’t getting any younger either!) , then you may want to consider selling. Homes that show signs of deferred maintenance will bring less value on the marketplace.

The longer you remain in your home, the more exposure you have to expensive, necessary replacements. How old is your roof? What is the age of your furnace, etc.

In a nutshell, you should take a hard look at the reality of your real estate. Determine how much extra it may cost you to remain in your present “comfort zone” for a few more years, and then decide if you are willing to pay the price.

Making the decision to move is the first, but not necessarily the hardest step. After making the initial decision, seniors need to tackle a number of essential tasks:

• taking inventory of accumulated possessions
• deciding what to keep and what to dispose of (and doing it)
• selling existing residence, planning arrangement of new space, packing up, and moving — out and in. For many seniors who will be downsizing to smaller homes or apartments, a major obstacle is how to deal with a lifetime accumulation of "things"

Get the help of a Seniors Real Estate Specialist

Remember, you can use the experience and knowledge of a Seniors Real Estate Specialist to help you through the process. By offering guidance and connecting you with the right professionals, we can help make the process of downsizing and transitioning easier for you.

Call the SDS Real Estate Group at (866) 651-4100 or fill out our online form so that we may contact you.