Downsizing For Seniors

Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES®)

My “Exclusive Seniors Downsize Program” eliminates ALL the extra phone calls, interviews, and stress that Seniors who are downsizing typically worry about. We also eliminate the extra COST of all those services!

No need to interview, hire, manage & pay for MANY different people & services!

What’s The Biggest Challenge For Seniors When Downsizing?

I recently met a 71 year old gentleman who realized that downsizing would offer a much better quality of life. He really liked a particular retirement residence. The problem was he couldn’t’ do everything alone & had nobody to help.

He needed help him with decluttering, packing, hiring movers, purging his stuff & prepping his home to sell.

The retirement home gave him flyers for companies that offer packing, decluttering & downsizing services. The retirement home also recommended movers. And finally, the retirement home gave him the name of a Realtor.

The gentleman called to arrange inquire about the various services, prices, etc. He ultimately became so frustrated & overwhelmed that he completely changed his mind about downsizing.

I asked why he felt frustrated & overwhelmed. It was too stressful & time consuming to call & interview different Realtors, downsizing companies, movers, and all the services he needs. Too many steps, too many things to do. He told me he felt the process would give him another heart attack (his words). He decided it’s easier to stay where he lives now.

Think about this for a minute. When YOU interview a Realtor, or Downsizing Company, or Movers, to help you with the downsizing process:

My “Exclusive Seniors Downsize Program” eliminates ALL the extra phone calls, interviews, and stress that Seniors who are downsizing typically worry about. We also eliminate the extra COST of all those services!

No need to interview, hire, manage & pay for MANY different people & services!

We provide EVERYTHING & MANAGE every part of the process for you.

One call … full services … no added cost … all provided by trustworthy professionals who serve Seniors every day!

Why Michael Shuster & His Exclusive Seniors Downsizing Package Offers More Than Anyone Else!

When you hire ANY [other] Realtor you also need to interview & hire packing someone to pack & unpack for you, movers, downsizers & other services. You have to find people you can trust. You have to interview them all, manage them all, and pay them all. I provide a full-service team of trustworthy, patient, and caring professionals who provide every service that Downsizing Seniors need … and it’s all inclusive!

As a Multi-Award Winning Seniors Real Estate Specialist® & Certified Negotiator I GUARANTEE I’ll sell your home for more money than any other Realtor.

PLUS … Included in my my “Exclusive Seniors Downsize Package” we offer ALL moving & downsizing services you’ll need.

My one-of-a-kind exclusive Seniors downsize package is designed for LESS STRESS, LESS WORK, LESS TIME, … and LOWER COSTS!

We also have Real Estate Lawyers, & More!

All with care, compassion, & personalized attention to what matters most to YOU!

PLUS … if you need help finding & choosing a Retirement Residence we have a Specialist on my team with 20 years experience in the Senior Lifestyle Industry. My “Senior Living Advisor” can help you find the perfect new place for all of your needs, expectations & requirements.

Fears, Emotions, Obstacles & Everything Else

Moving to a new home causes many mixed emotions for everyone – at any age.  As a Senior, there are added variables to consider. 

Aside from the physical limitations, the biggest cause of confusion, stress, feeling overwhelmed, and potential risks for Seniors is the exhausting task of interviewing and hiring so many different service providers that are needed to declutter, downsize, pack, move, unpack, setup, prepare the home for sale, sell a home, and more.

This book simplifies the steps to downsizing, outlines the different services that Seniors might require when downsizing, and offers helpful strategies that every Senior (and their families) can use when downsizing and hiring professionals and service providers to help them with downsizing, moving, and selling a home.

If you know someone who would like to learn more about downsizing smoothly, safely, and stress-free, just send me an email. I’m happy to provide a copy of my book!

Questions About Downsizing?

I am here to guide you every step of the way. Whether you’re downsizing or seeking a community that fits your lifestyle, we’ll help you find a place that feels like home.

How To Pick a Seniors Real Estate Specialist®

One of the first things to do is find the right Realtor® who is qualified to work with downsizing Seniors.

You might start your research online or asking friends and family for referral recommendations. But finding a Realtor® who is properly trained & qualified to provide the best experience possible for the unique requirements & expectations of seniors is VERY different than a typical Realtor®

Here are some things to remember when searching for a Realtor® to sell a home for Seniors who are downsizing.

Agents who specialize in selling homes for Seniors

There are Realtors specially trained to fill the real estate needs of the “mature” community. The few Realtors who work with Boomers and elderly clients [and have the designation of SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist®), are better qualified to understand Seniors and provide the additional services that downsizing Seniors need when selling their home.

Hiring a Realtor® for Seniors has its own unique set of requirements. A Realtor® specially trained to serve the fifty-plus market with the sale of their home and downsize should offer additional services and personal character traits to make the experience for Seniors as smooth, comfortable, safe, and stress free as possible.

Some of these services and personal character traits should include:

01

Extra Help & Guidance

Many seniors are widowed and living alone. They aren’t sure of the next steps. If they don’t have local relatives to help them then as a Realtor® trained to work with seniors, I provide consultations to explain the entire process. I patiently ask everything I need to know about them. Then I offer all the options for their transition. Even if it requires multiple consultations to be sure they are 100% informed and comfortable.

02

Slower Pace

The home selling experience is complicated – for anyone. Many topics, ideas, and contracts are discussed during the process. I make sure I get to know my client(s). If necessary, I present everything in a slower paced format. I help my client to relax and feel they always have ample time to process the things we discuss without feeling any pressure. The result is better understanding and reduced stress & anxiety for them.

03

Real Estate Contracts In Plain English

Real estate documents are written by Lawyers. They can be long & confusing Before we list the home for sale I sit down with copies of all usual contracts, in larger type if requested, and written in layman’s terms. This extra consultation helps my clients feel more comfortable with the paperwork required during the actual transaction and allows them to ask questions or explain their concerns with me early. Then, when an actual offer is made they clearly know what they’re signing, without feeling anxious, confused, or overwhelmed.

04

Supporting Professionals

The home selling process involves MANY professionals. As a full service Realtor® I’m your ONE-STOP professional. I offer a safe, smooth, and stress-free experience for Seniors. I have a full team of professionals specializing in helping seniors.

These are proven & vetted professionals I’ve worked with successfully in the past for other seniors. This includes professionals to help with packing, unpacking, decluttering, donating, movers who treat seniors with respect, compassion, and patience during the move, and more.

I offer every service you might need for your move & transition – all specializing in providing a calm, safe, stress-free experience in for seniors.

Choosing a Seniors Real Estate Specialist® & Downsizers

Most people don’t have a strategy for hiring a Realtor®. They just go with someone who is [popular] or a relative/friend hoping to save money. That can be disastrous for Seniors (like hiring a part-time Lawyer or part-time Dentist). Many Seniors realize the importance of hiring a Seniors Real Estate Specialist® . who understands the unique details specific to downsizing Seniors, as well as the emotions & fears that Seniors encounter, and of course how to make the process more smoother, safer, and more comfortable for Seniors.

Unfortunately most people don’t have an HR degree so they don’t interview Realtors with a strategy or specific questions to see if a Realtor® is the perfect fit for you to hire.

Red Flags When Hiring a Realtor® For Downsizing Seniors

Most people don’t have a strategy for hiring a Realtor®. Most people just go with someone who is popular in the area. And let’s face it … everyone knows someone with a real estate license. Unfortunately, over 75% of Realtors® are on the Toronto Real Estate Board are part-time. They don’t have a lot of transactional experience & definitely don’t know the intricate details of downsizing Seniors.

Consider this … would you hire a part-time Lawyer? Would you go to a part-time Dentist? Obviously not.

Just because a relative has their Realtor license doesn’t mean you’ll save money. Just because a Realtor has many signs in the area doesn’t mean they know how to create a smooth & stress-free experience for Downsizing Seniors.

Here are 5 Major Red Flags to watch for when interviewing Realtors:

The agent pressures you to sign a contract with them without giving you ample time to reflect or think about the decision.

The agent does not take the time to explain absolutely everything you sign in as much detail as needed for you to completely understand. They may even brush it off.

The agent suggests a price for the home but does not prepare a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to share with you about the price opinion.   Although it is illegal and unethical, it is unfortunate that there are some that will see an opportunity to take advantage of a senior by pricing the home lower than market value, sell it to a buyer that is connected to them and then quickly re-sell it for the actual higher market price to make a profit.  Why seniors more often? They have lived in their homes for decades sometimes and even a low price can seem high if they haven’t been keeping tabs on the market over the years.

The agent will not provide references of past clients for you to contact.  Past performance is generally an indicator of future performance and they either don’t have good references, or don’t feel it’s important to provide them. Neither is good.

The agent discourages you from having friends, family or other support during any part of the transaction.  This is an attempt at isolating you and you should ask yourself why they might do that. It should always be cause for concern.

Looking for the Perfect Home in Your Golden Years?

Whether you’re looking to downsize or move closer to family, I specialize in finding homes that meet your unique needs. I will guide you through every step of the process, ensuring a smooth and stress-free transition.

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