I am proud to say that I am certified SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist) and have chosen to work with the unique needs of seniors in my real estate business. It has been a great success and a real joy for me.

A current concern that many seniors are facing now is the challenge of downsizing. The children are grown and have homes of their own and the old home is a too big to clean, maintain, and heat for the empty nesters still living there.

So the very difficult decision to downsize is made and the owners prepare to sell. The following steps can be made much easier by taking steps to simplify and destress:

1. Select a qualified, caring Realtor
2. Who, what, when, why, where
3. Celebrate your family’s history now so you can put it away till later
4. Simplify by giving your children all their “stuff” back
5. Securing your next home so you know where you are going
6. Have a party: Clean, organize, and de-clutter
7. Preparing the house for a new family’s story
8. Making the move simple - not overwhelming
9. Creating a new home for new memories

There will be nine more articles in this series that give specific steps to make downsizing as simple and reassuring as possible.

The overall theme of the senior transition is Minimize the Worry and Maximize the Empowerment! The success of downsizing is reliant on the attitude of the transition team and the preparation and ownership of everyone involved.

Next Article: Selecting a Caring Qualified Realtor