As a Seniors Real Estate Specialist(R), our team is experienced and knowledgeable in meeting your specific needs. And that can make all the difference in the world. Moving can be very stressful and overwhelming, particularly for seniors and their families. We assist seniors and their families with their personal downsizing or aging-in-place needs in the sensitive and caring manner needed to transition during these difficult changes. We are accustomed to working with the most difficult of family dynamics and situations at a very trying and challenging time to make this as smooth a process as possible. A Place for Mom, is a great start for assisted living facilities, as well as Caring.com. In addition, I have more personalized assistants who can assist you with your search for free.
Whether you’ve lived in your home 2 years or 20 years, you know it’s not just a shelter, or even another investment. It’s the place where your dreams come to life. In flower gardens and family rooms. Backyard barbecues and home-cooked Sunday dinners. It’s the place we raise our children. The nest we nudge them out of, and welcome them back to again and again. And for some, it’s even our place of business.
But there comes a day when it’s time to move on. Time to reflect on old memories, and build new ones. Time to leave the past behind for a new future. It’s no wonder why selling a home is often emotionally charged and potentially overwhelming. I understand. That’s why I am dedicated to making your transition smooth and care free as possible. Helping you make the process simpler. Helping you save money, and avoid costly pitfalls.
IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION GUIDE FOR SENIORS
What You Should Know
- Each year, seniors in the United States are scammed out of billions of dollars
- Seniors may not know how to protect themselves from fraud, and scams can leave them with large amounts of debt
- Identity theft protection companies monitor a senior’s credit, finances, and SSN to check for unusual activity
- These companies will alert seniors of anything suspicious as well as provide them with insurance to help cover damages
- Many identity theft protection companies offer plans for between $10 and $20 a month
CLICK HERE FOR THIS INFORMATIVE GUIDE
CONSIDERING A MOVE? TAX SALES TO KNOW ABOUT
Did you Know:
If you’ve owned your home for a significant amount of time, you may be concerned about
taxes. You may be able to benefit from the following tax programs:
Capital Gains Tax Exemption-
There are a number of variables that can factor into this program, including your initial
purchase price, home improvements, cost of the sale of your home, how you own the property
and your tax bracket.
For a basic estimate of your possible net on the sale of your home, contact me
Step Up in Basis-
If you own the property with another person such as a significant other and they pass away, your
property will receive a step up in basis based on the fair market value of the home at that time,
significantly reducing your capital gains.
Transfer of Property Tax Base-
There are a number of California programs you can benefit from. Proposition 60 allows you to
transfer your base to your new home within the same county, while Proposition 90 allows you
to do the same within participating counties.
In addition, there are programs for parent-child transfers, grandparent to grandchild transfers
permanently disabled homeowners and disabled veterans.
Should you want to discuss further, please feel free to reach out to us.
**Always consult your CPA or financial planner regarding vital information such as this. Should
you need a recommendation contact us.
5 TIPS TO PREPARE FOR ESTATE SALES
The pandemic ignited a surge in home buying that we haven’t seen since 2006. A rise in remote work opportunities, a desire to relocate to less densely populated areas, and a large percentage of the population entering retirement are just some of the reasons people are on the move.
In a recent survey conducted by Blue Moon Estate Sales of more than 700 people over the age of 55, 19% reported they plan to relocate by 2023. And with houses selling in a flash, homeowners are often left asking, “What do I do with all my stuff?!” Selling everything in a home is no simple task, and just the thought can leave folks feeling completely overwhelmed.
Twenty-six percent of respondents to the survey plan to engage with an estate sale company to help with downsizing. The advantages of using an estate sales company are a compressed sale timeline, expert pricing and analysis, and a large network of buyers following estate sales on a regular basis. A good estate sale company will be able to stage and price the items in a home in one to four days depending on the size of the crew and the number of pieces in the home.
Here’s how real estate professionals can help their clients prep for a successful estate sale.
- Decide What Stays and What Goes
What can be sold at an estate sale? Almost everything. Estate sales professionals can help clients sell everything from kitchenware to fine china, utilitarian furniture to fine antiques, bicycles to cars, and costume jewelry to gold and silver.
Make sure your clients have a general idea about what they would like to keep. Have them treasure hunt in their own home prior to an estate sale consultation. This includes everything in attics and crawl spaces. They can run into problems when the consultants begin to clear out these spaces and homeowners didn’t realize what was in the attic boxes and want to keep items. If they have any storage units, safety deposit boxes, or things laying around at a relative or friend’s garage, let the estate sale representative know what they will be adding to the sale as well.
- Plan Moveouts Prior to Sale
Advise homeowners to move out before the estate sale team sets up. Your clients can take the items they want, and leave everything else for the sale. A buffer day is strongly recommended to tie up any loose ends.
Also, the homeowners should have their movers relocate any oversized items to the first floor. Large pieces tend to sell better when they’re easily removed, including:
- Entertainment centers
- Large desks
- Sleeper sofas
- Treadmills/exercise equipment
- Pianos
- Provide Extra Information About Items Around the Home
It’s not required, but it can be extremely useful to have any and all information about specialty or designer items. Providing information about what they originally paid for something as well as any paperwork or knowledge on designer and brand name items such as jewelry, clothing, rugs, furniture, or artwork are all helpful in determining fair market value and the promotion of the sale. Items that have been signed by or belonged to someone well known always need authentication of provenance.
- Remove Any Personal Items
Everyone has personal documents and items floating around. Have clients gather up anything that has personally identifiable information on it, such as social security cards, military documents, medical bills, family photos, birth certificates, passports, licenses, pay stubs, prescription drugs, and any other items that may feature sensitive information and remove them from the home.
- Point Out Potential Hazards
In the process of preparing the house for sale, if the homeowner points out some potential hazards, such as a loose stair or a low doorway, it’s important to share this information to help keep both team members and customers safe in the home. Even better, make those maintenance fixes prior to the estate sale.
- Clear Out
In the same way that it’s difficult for a real estate agent to sell a home with the owner present, it’s a challenge to run a successful estate sale if the owner is hanging around. It’s best if everyone leaves the house and lets the professionals sell.
It’s important to point out that a professional estate sale isn’t the right call for all homes. In fact, a reputable estate sale company should not accept all clients. Advise your client to bring in an estate sale professional for a free consultation. They will quickly be able to assess whether the items will cause shoppers to form a line down the street or if alternative solutions need to be presented.
As a Seniors Real Estate Specialist(R), our team is experienced and knowledgeable in meeting your specific needs. And that can make all the difference in the world. Moving can be very stressful and overwhelming, particularly for seniors and their families. We assist seniors and their families with their personal downsizing or aging-in-place needs in the sensitive and caring manner needed to transition during these difficult changes. We are accustomed to working with the most difficult of family dynamics and situations at a very trying and challenging time to make this as smooth a process as possible. A Place for Mom, is a great start for assisted living facilities, as well as Caring.com. In addition, I have more personalized assistants who can assist you with your search for free.
Whether you’ve lived in your home 2 years or 20 years, you know it’s not just a shelter, or even another investment. It’s the place where your dreams come to life. In flower gardens and family rooms. Backyard barbecues and home-cooked Sunday dinners. It’s the place we raise our children. The nest we nudge them out of, and welcome them back to again and again. And for some, it’s even our place of business.
But there comes a day when it’s time to move on. Time to reflect on old memories, and build new ones. Time to leave the past behind for a new future. It’s no wonder why selling a home is often emotionally charged and potentially overwhelming. I understand. That’s why I am dedicated to making your transition smooth and care free as possible. Helping you make the process simpler. Helping you save money, and avoid costly pitfalls.
Make sure your clients have a general idea about what they would like to keep. Have them treasure hunt in their own home prior to an estate sale consultation. This includes everything in attics and crawl spaces. They can run into problems when the consultants begin to clear out these spaces and homeowners didn’t realize what was in the attic boxes and want to keep items. If they have any storage units, safety deposit boxes, or things laying around at a relative or friend’s garage, let the estate sale representative know what they will be adding to the sale as well.
2. Plan Moveouts Prior to Sale
Advise homeowners to move out before the estate sale team sets up. Your clients can take the items they want, and leave everything else for the sale. A buffer day is strongly recommended to tie up any loose ends.
Also, the homeowners should have their movers relocate any oversized items to the first floor. Large pieces tend to sell better when they’re easily removed, including:
- Entertainment centers
- Large desks
- Sleeper sofas
- Treadmills/exercise equipment
- Pianos
2. Provide Extra Information About Items Around the Home
It’s not required, but it can be extremely useful to have any and all information about specialty or designer items. Providing information about what they originally paid for something as well as any paperwork or knowledge on designer and brand name items such as jewelry, clothing, rugs, furniture, or artwork are all helpful in determining fair market value and the promotion of the sale. Items that have been signed by or belonged to someone well known always need authentication of provenance.
3. Remove Any Personal Items
Everyone has personal documents and items floating around. Have clients gather up anything that has personally identifiable information on it, such as social security cards, military documents, medical bills, family photos, birth certificates, passports, licenses, pay stubs, prescription drugs, and any other items that may feature sensitive information and remove them from the home.
4. Point Out Potential Hazards
In the process of preparing the house for sale, if the homeowner points out some potential hazards, such as a loose stair or a low doorway, it’s important to share this information to help keep both team members and customers safe in the home. Even better, make those maintenance fixes prior to the estate sale.
5. Clear Out
In the same way that it’s difficult for a real estate agent to sell a home with the owner present, it’s a challenge to run a successful estate sale if the owner is hanging around. It’s best if everyone leaves the house and lets the professionals sell.
It’s important to point out that a professional estate sale isn’t the right call for all homes. In fact, a reputable estate sale company should not accept all clients. Advise your client to bring in an estate sale professional for a free consultation. They will quickly be able to assess whether the items will cause shoppers to form a line down the street or if alternative solutions need to be presented.
