What is an SRES?

Did you know that I specialize in working with seniors? I am an accredited SRES®, Seniors Real Estate Specialist which gives me the knowledge and skills necessary to assist older adults with real estate transactions, including downsizing and moving into senior living centers. Working with seniors requires a unique set of skills, and it is my passion to help seniors and their families navigate throughout the entire process of selling their home.

What is an SRES®?

A Seniors Real Estate Specialist SRES® is a certified real estate agent who has received in depth training to help navigate real estate options and challenges for seniors 50 and over.

This certification is under the umbrella of the National Association of Realtors, and the SRES® designation is attained by those realtors who want to better meet the needs of those buyers and sellers close to or in retirement.

Just as you may seek the advice of a certified financial planner for your finances, you may want to consider tapping into the advice and experience of an SRES® realtor to discuss one of your largest assets: your real estate.

Senior buyers and sellers are in a different stage of their financial lives and typically don’t need to consider job changes or school district locations, as their younger counterparts do. They may have more cash for a higher down payment, or even pay for their real estate purchases in cash. Senior sellers may be downsizing from that large, multi-storied home into a single-level home or even a townhome or independent senior housing in order to simplify their lives. Some senior buyers may also consider investment real estate to augment their retirement income from pensions, 401Ks, dividends, annuities and Social Security. Location is important for most retiring buyers as well. Proximity to good medical facilities and public transportation lines becomes more important than properties “off the grid” that may have intrigued us 20 years ago.

SRES® agents understand that sellers have, in most cases, lived in their homes for many years, complete with a lifetime of memories, and have mixed emotions about making a move. It’s an incredibly intense and personal decision. The task at hand can seem overwhelming, to say the least!

Luckily, SRES® agents can help by providing options that may not have been initially discovered, in order to reach the seller’s/buyer’s needs. Knowledge is power and, in this case, ever so necessary.

SRES® agents have great networking skills, experience and resources to direct you to the best source of information to help reduce some of the stress of a senior’s new adventures, whether it’s staying put or moving on.

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