Nearly half of the Canadian population is over 50 years old. For most elderly persons, their homes are their largest assets – amounting to most of their net worth. Many seniors are looking to liquidate this valuable asset (their home) to finance their needs. Another compelling reason why many senior homeowners are looking to sell their homes is that many of them are living in the house by themselves or just with their partner, making the family home costly and difficult to maintain.
If you are reading this article, you might be looking to sell your family home or you might be assisting an older loved one in doing so. For this, you would definitely need a realtor that specializes in senior home sales – these types of realtors are also known as Senior Real Estate Specialist or SRES.
In this article, we’ll talk about all the benefits of working with an SRES. Before anything else, let’s start with the basics.
What Exactly is a Senior Real Estate Specialist?
Being a Senior Real Estate Specialist is a designation by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) for someone who has completed the needed training that is specifically focused on the needs of clients aged 50 and above.
These professionals mainly specialize in selling properties, purchasing properties, giving housing advice, and estate planning. Typically, an SRES would also have a network of other specialists that they can refer in case you have other related needs – such as financial specialists to help you deal with financing options or ageing-in-place specialists if you decide that you would rather keep your current home.
Where Do You Find an SRES?
Finding an SRES is a really simple process. All you need to do is go to the SRES website, fill out a quick form about your location and you will be given profiles of nearby realtors. But if you already have a realtor in mind and would like to check their profile, you may do so by entering their first and last name.
What are the Benefits of Hiring an SRES?
In this modern age, many people are convinced that going straight to selling over the Internet is the way to go. Although this approach would work for some, there are numerous benefits to getting the right realtor. And the right realtor can help you have a selling experience that is quick, hassle-free, and positive.
They are Masters of Staging
SRES’s can help you with reorganizing your home so that it is more appealing to the current market and is thus a whole lot easier to sell. This process is called staging and it can make a world of difference! The wealth of expertise and understanding that these realtors have about what home buyers are looking for will increase the chances of your home getting sold quickly at the highest possible price.
They Understand the Current Market Better than Anyone
The housing market is a constantly changing arena. If you’ve lived in your house for a considerable amount of years, it’s likely that the market has changed a lot since the time that you were looking to buy a home. SRES’s would have the best understanding and current knowledge about home buyers in your neighborhood, giving them an edge over anyone else when it comes to strategies in selling a house.
They Can Give Proper Valuation for Your Home
Many people feel a very strong emotional connection to their houses. This is why it can be challenging to be objective regarding pricing. Additionally, pricing can be a matter of relativity. This is why the extensive understanding of a realtor is so useful in choosing the best price for your home.
They Can Connect You with the People You Need
The transition of moving would involve more than just one specialist. Depending on your situation, you may need movers, landscapers, attorneys, and financial specialists. It is common for SRES’s to have this kind of network, making it easy for you to get the right people on board.
Who Can I Call for Help?
Getting an SRES is just one of the first few steps that you would need to take. The whole process of downsizing, relocation, and everything in between can be overwhelming for anyone. We can help make the process as easy and quick as can be!
As one of the leading providers of full-service senior living transitions, we at Your Next Steps. can help you orchestrate the entire process with dream-like ease. Contact us today and let’s get started!
