How senior citizens can present challenges for the real estate world

Miami Herald

24-04-2025

Survey after survey has shown that seniors have a strong desire to remain in their homes until they pass. But some will eventually experience a life event that will alter their thinking.
Maybe they won't be able to maintain their abodes like they used to, either fiscally or physically. Perhaps a spouse will become incapacitated to the point where he or she won't be able to reside there anymore. Or maybe they'll simply come to the realization that they no longer need all that space.
Whatever the reason, most real estate agents are ill-equipped to handle seniors' move-down needs, says Nikki Buckelew, who trains agents on how to serve those relocating later in life at the Seniors Real Estate Institute.
Buckelew says there's already a huge demand for agents 'who have a heart for seniors' and appreciate the unique characteristics they present. And the need for realty pros specializing in the mature market is 'going to increase exponentially.'
In a recent telephone interview, I asked the Oklahoma-based trainer to step back from her normal role of teaching agents how to work with older clients and consider what it's like to change places from the senior's perspective. Her responses were telling.
For starters, Buckelew says seniors should not rush into making such a life-altering decision. A little planning goes a long way.
Of course, if you experience a health event, you may not have much time at all to decide how and where you want to live. 'That's when it becomes a crisis,' the trainer-agent says. 'Some of my most difficult clients can't manage on their own and have to move. It's nobody's fault. They are just the victims of circumstance.'
These 'reactives,' as she calls them, often end up having their housing choices made for them by others — maybe a family member but maybe not.
On the other hand, the 'proactives' start planning ahead of time so they can make changes on their own time. Not only do these seniors 'usually have a better outcome,' Buckelew says, but 'their families are grateful for it.'
At the 'absolute very least,' seniors need to consider all their options. 'I encourage people to do their research about what's available,' she says. 'The options are different when you can manage on your own than when the circumstances dictate your situation.'
Fortunately, the alternatives are numerous. Do you want to move to a smaller place, perhaps a smaller one-level single-family house, a townhouse (with an elevator?) or a condominium apartment? Do you want to live in a regular community, a master-planned property with plenty of amenities, a 55-plus project where only folks your own age reside or an assisted living property? Do you want to rent or buy?
Then there's the question of location. Near your grown children and their kids? In a warmer climate or in one that has all four seasons? Closer to your friends who have moved away already? Closer to a place with better health care options? Or remain in the same location where you've spent your entire life?
'Choosing where to live is another big decision seniors struggle to make,' Buckelew says. You can do your own research, obviously. Visit the places you might be considering.
Many outfits in resort locations offer 'play-and-stay' options where you can live free or at a reduced rent for a few days so you can check out their properties.
Also take a tour of several assisted living properties and receive a free meal in the process.
You also can seek the opinions of others. But would you rather listen to those who have some sort of bias or seek the guidance of someone who can be objective?
'We approach it from the perspective of what's best for the people in front of us,' the trainer says of the hundreds of agents who have earned the Certified Senior Housing Professional designation from her institute. (Some members of the National Association of Realtors also have taken advanced classes to earn the Seniors Real Estate Specialist designation. Tangentially, there also are agents who are designated as Certified Senior Advisors from the Society of Certified Senior Advisors.)
It's never too early to start paring down your stuff, either. That way, when and if it comes time to move, you'll have less to do. But don't think you have to go through everything in the house. Just a few things here and there will help ease the process later.
You can ask the kids if they want something. But they're likely to say they don't want anything until you actually move. Then, they'll change their tune. You can have yard sales or donate your excess belongings. But yard sales are sometimes dangerous, so you might have to pay for donation pickup.
Better to find a move-management company specializing in seniors that can streamline the entire process. Among other things, these professionals will help you focus on which items you wish to keep, schedule movers and help you pack your belongings and unpack them at your new home.
They'll also clean out the old place, make whatever repairs that may be necessary and turn it over to an agent who will list it for sale. Such companies come at a price, but Buckelew says they're worth every penny. Indeed, they do a lot of the hard labor. So in the end, she says, they may actually save people money.
Lew Sichelman has been covering real estate for more than 50 years. He is a regular contributor to numerous shelter magazines and housing and housing-finance industry publications. Readers can contact him at [e-mail].