I was recently interviewed and featured in an article by Rebecca Konya in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Click here to read the article: Senior Living: Navigating the market

Have you ever tried to paint the outside of your home in the winter? Not a good idea! All too often, I visit with folks ready to make their move and put the home on the market. They are excited about the apartment or condo they just found, and now it is time to sell their home. However, it is February, and the home needs inside and outside improvements. Downsizing of personal property has not been started, and the interior needs several upgrades before showing the home. Improvements have been avoided because moving seemed so far off until they stumbled into this perfect new home which they don’t want to lose. The excitement has now turned into panic and all the seeds for high stress have been planted by their inaction to prepare their home for sale.

Today’s buyer wants a property that is in great condition both exterior and interior. If you’ve read my past articles, I have stressed to make sure your property does not compete with foreclosures if at all possible. Foreclosures often are homes that have been neglected due to lack of funds, and are selling at up to 70% off the top market value! Therefore, your home must be far superior to the foreclosure competing in your neighborhood. If you know you will be selling sometime in the next 5 years, begin downsizing today! As Realtors, we can begin your process of preparing your home for market by offering the services of a stager. A stager is a professional trained in not only decorating, but placing furniture and artwork to compliment new flooring and carpeting as well as choosing the right colors which are attractive to today’s buyers. There are companies that will assist you in downsizing by packing, sorting, and coordinating estate sales as well as donations.

If your home needs exterior work, do it right now, while it is still warm outside. Don’t procrastinate on exterior work, as you never know when you are going to want to move. If the work on the outside is done now, you can always do the interior improvements in any season. If paint is needed, a stager can help you pick out (more…)

The generation that came of age in the 1950’s and 1960’s (who are now in their 50’s and 60’s) known as the “baby boom” generation now find themselves living in a home that has become too large and too much work for just two people! The four bedroom 2.5 bath colonial now presents challenges that weren’t on the radar just a few short years ago. As we age, the thought of maintenance, climbing stairs, and every day cleaning of such a home is not as appealing as it was when we purchased our domain 15-30 years ago. For some boomers the 2500 sq. ft. 2 story is still providing joy and happiness with grandchildren and family gatherings. But for so many others the home no longer makes sense as kids have moved away or the home is physically challenging as the aging process demands a change.

With so many in their 50’s and 60’s with the same idea of moving in mind, there may be many more larger homes entering the market place in the near future. Add this to the high inventory, and it may be more difficult to find enough purchasers for these properties in the coming years. Therefore, it may be prudent to begin the process of selling and moving to a home that matches today’s needs and desires before there are too many others competing to make a lifestyle change at the same time.

To begin the process, (more…)

My kids don’t understand! It’s my safety zone. I’ve lived here for 40 years. This home is my memories, not just a building and foundation. It’s hard to think of moving to a community and having to make new friends. What if my money runs out? Will they kick me out? How do I start going through everything…there’s so much. I don’t have anyone to help me and I don’t want to burden my family. What if I move and I hate it?

Sound familiar? Over the course of my career in working with seniors and their families the above questions and comments have been a constant when dealing with a move of a senior from their long time home. Some have described the stress of moving as somewhere between a divorce and a colonoscopy…ouch! As we age, change becomes more and more difficult. As children of seniors, we want (more…)

Please check out my appearance on The Morning Blend which aired on the Milwaukee NBC affiliate TMJ4

Click Here to View the Video