A Different Approach to Selling a Longtime Home
Selling a home is rarely just about the house.
That is especially true when someone has lived there for 20, 30, 40 years or longer.
There may be decades of belongings to sort through. Repairs that have been put off. Rooms full of furniture that will not fit in the next home. Adult children trying to help from across town—or across the country. And sometimes a homeowner who knows it is time for a change but has absolutely no idea where to begin.
That is why I created the Midas Realty Group Senior Elite Selling Program for Orange County homeowners who are downsizing, relocating, moving closer to family, or simply ready for a home that better fits the next stage of their lives.
It is also designed for the sons, daughters and other family members who suddenly find themselves helping a parent figure all of this out.
The goal isn't to rush someone into putting a sign in the yard.
The goal is to create a plan.
What Is the Senior Elite Selling Program?
Senior Elite is a more hands-on approach to selling a home when the move involves more than a typical real estate transaction.
As an SRES® — Seniors Real Estate Specialist®, I have additional training focused on the real estate needs of older adults and their families.
But a designation isn't the program.
Experience is.
I've been a California real estate broker for more than 25 years, and one thing I have learned is that complicated moves become much easier when we identify the problems before the house goes on the market.
That starts with a simple question:
Where are you now, and where are you trying to go?
From there, we can work backward.
Downsizing Without Becoming Overwhelmed
One of the biggest obstacles to downsizing isn't finding the next home.
It's figuring out what to do with the current one.
A homeowner may look around and see:
- 30 years of furniture and belongings
- A garage that hasn't been cleaned out since the Reagan administration
- Deferred maintenance
- An outdated kitchen or bathrooms
- Landscaping that has become difficult to maintain
- Furniture that won't work in the next home
- Boxes of things belonging to children who moved out 25 years ago
That can make moving feel impossible.
It isn't.
Before spending thousands of dollars fixing, remodeling, cleaning or emptying a home, let's first determine what actually needs to be done.
Sometimes improvements make financial sense.
Sometimes selling as-is makes considerably more sense.
And sometimes the smartest answer is somewhere in between.
Helping a Parent Sell Their Home
I also work with adult children who are helping an aging parent sell a longtime home.
This presents a completely different set of challenges.
You may live an hour away—or in another state.
Your parent may need help coordinating the move. Brothers and sisters may have different opinions about what should happen. The house may need repairs. There may be decades of belongings to deal with.
Meanwhile, everyone has a job, family and life of their own.
Senior Elite is designed to help bring some structure to that process.
We can identify what needs to happen, what doesn't need to happen, what the property is realistically worth in its current condition, and what options are available.
You don't have to solve every problem before calling me.
Figuring out which problems actually need solving is part of the job.
Should You Fix the House Before Selling?
This is one of the most important questions we can answer.
It is easy to spend $20,000 improving a house and discover that the work only added $10,000 to the eventual sale price.
It is equally possible to ignore a relatively inexpensive repair that would have made the property much easier to sell.
There is no universal answer.
Before recommending repairs, I look at the property, the likely buyer, comparable sales, current competition and what buyers in that particular neighborhood expect.
Then we can separate improvements into three categories:
Worth doing.
Maybe worth doing.
Don't waste your money.
That last category can save homeowners a surprising amount of money.
What If the House Is Full of Stuff?
Call me anyway.
Seriously.
You do not need to hold an estate sale, empty every closet, hire a dumpster and make six trips to Goodwill before talking to a real estate broker.
I've walked into plenty of homes containing decades of accumulated belongings.
It doesn't scare me.
We can determine what needs to be removed before the sale, what can potentially remain until later, and whether selling the property in its current condition is an option.
The house does not have to look like HGTV before we can make a plan.
What If the Home Needs Major Repairs?
That doesn't automatically mean you need to make them.
Older homes may have roofing problems, outdated electrical systems, plumbing issues, old HVAC equipment, deferred maintenance or simply 30 years of normal wear.
Depending upon the property and its value, we may consider:
- Making selected repairs before listing
- Offering the property in its present condition
- Pricing for the condition
- Marketing to buyers willing to make improvements
- Comparing an investor offer with an open-market sale
The important thing is to compare the net result, not simply the easiest-looking option.
A fast offer isn't necessarily a good offer.
And a traditional listing isn't necessarily the best answer for every house.
Moving Closer to Family
Another common reason seniors sell is relocation.
Children and grandchildren may now live in another city or another state. Maintaining a large Southern California home may no longer make sense when most of the family is somewhere else.
That creates a timing problem:
Do you sell first or move first?
There isn't one answer.
It depends upon finances, the destination, whether another property is being purchased, the condition of the existing home and how much disruption the homeowner is comfortable handling.
Part of our planning is determining the sequence that creates the least stress while protecting the homeowner financially.
What If You're Helping From Out of State?
You don't necessarily need to fly to California every time something happens.
Much of a real estate transaction can now be handled remotely through electronic signatures, phone calls, email and coordinated inspections and appointments.
I've handled transactions with sellers who were nowhere near the property.
If you're helping a parent from another state, we can establish who needs to be involved, how decisions will be communicated and what can be handled locally.
The goal is not to create another full-time job for the family.
This Is Still Your Home and Your Decision
One thing matters above everything else.
The homeowner remains at the center of the process.
Children may be helping. Family members may have opinions. Financial considerations may influence the decision.
But this isn't just an asset on a spreadsheet.
It may be the house where children grew up, holidays were celebrated, spouses shared decades together and an entire chapter of someone's life happened.
That deserves respect.
It also deserves clear information.
My job is to explain the options, point out potential problems, provide realistic numbers and help everyone understand the consequences of each choice.
Then you decide what makes sense.
Start With a Conversation, Not a Listing Appointment
If you're thinking about downsizing, relocating or selling a longtime Orange County home, you don't have to have everything figured out before you call.
And if you're helping a parent, you don't need to arrive with a perfectly organized plan.
That's what the first conversation is for.
We can talk about the property, the situation, the timeline and the problems you're trying to solve.
If selling makes sense, we'll create a plan.
If you're not ready yet, you'll at least know what needs to happen before you are.
Midas Realty Group Senior Elite Selling Program
Experienced guidance for Orange County seniors and the families helping them move forward. Call us now- 800-546-2289
Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Anaheim Hills, Brea, Buena Park, Capistrano Beach, Corona Del Mar, Costa Mesa, Coto De Caza, Cypress, Dana Point, Foothill Ranch, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, Ladera Ranch, La Palma, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Lake Forest, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Orange, Placentia, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Sunset Beach, Surfside, Trabuco Canyon, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster, Yorba Linda
