Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) Designation

FACT:  Less than 1% of Realtors® in British Columbia are certified to work with Seniors

Selling or buying a home is not just a financial decision but an emotional journey as well. It can get complex, overwhelming and tedious - more so for seniors! 

We understand that, that is why we specialize in working with seniors. We provide a patient, distinctive and compassionate one-stop service from start to finish. Our team minimizes all of the extra steps or tasks: phone calls, interviewing, hiring, stress and costs that you’ll have to otherwise endure. 

The National Association of Realtors created a special designation for Realtors who work with seniors i.e. Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES).  It guarantees that a Realtor has learned how to best serve the needs of seniors who are selling their home and the challenges of moving when retired.

What qualities makes an SRES® different?

  • Has knowledge, experience and compassion in dealing with 50 plus issues.
  • Can suggest housing alternatives, including ones that may allow an aging parent to remain in the home instead of selling it.
  • Takes a no-pressure approach to the transaction and has a strong service orientation.
  • Will take the time needed to make a client feel comfortable with the complex selling process.
  • Understands the emotional demands a sale can make on a 50 plus client, and tries to minimize them.
  • Can interact easily with all generations, including adult children and caretakers.
  • Is knowledgeable in senior housing options from active adult communities to assisted living.
  • Has a wide network of other senior focused professionals who can assist in tax counseling, financial and estate planning, and other aspects of the sale and move.

How To Pick a Seniors Real Estate Specialist or Accredited Senior Agent:

The time has come to sell your home. One of the first things to do is find the right REALTOR® for working with seniors. There are realtors specially trained to fill the real estate needs of the “mature” community and who work with boomers and mature clients [and have the designation of SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist)]. 

They are better certified to understand seniors and have additional services and systems to make the experience for seniors as smooth, comfortable, safe, and stress free as possible.

Some of these services and systems may include:

Extra help & guidance - Many seniors are widowed and living alone. They aren’t sure of the next steps. If they don’t have local relatives to help them then as REALTORs® trained to work with seniors, we provide consultations to explain the entire process. We patiently ask everything we need to know about them. Then we offer all the options for their transition. Even if it requires multiple consultations to be sure they are 100% informed and comfortable.

Slower pace - The home selling experience is complicated – for anyone. Many topics, ideas, and contracts are discussed during the process. we make sure we get to know our client(s). If necessary, we present everything in a slower paced format. We help our clients to relax and feel they always have ample time to process the things we discuss without feeling any pressure.  The result is better understanding and reduced stress & anxiety for them.

Real Estate Contracts in plain English - Real estate documents are written by Lawyers. They can be long & confusing Before we list the home for sale we sit down with copies of all usual contracts, in larger type if requested, and written in layman’s terms. This extra consultation helps our clients feel more comfortable with the paperwork required during the actual transaction and allows them to ask questions or explain their concerns with me early.  Then, when an actual offer is made they clearly know what they’re signing, without feeling anxious, confused, or overwhelmed.

Supporting professionals - The home selling process involves MANY professionals. As full service REALTORS® we’re your ONE-STOP professionals. We offer a safe, smooth, and stress-free experience for seniors. We have a full team of professionals specializing in helping seniors. These are proven & vetted professionals. This may include professionals to help with packing, unpacking, decluttering, donating, movers who treat seniors with respect, compassion, and patience during the move, and more.

Red Flags When Hiring a Realtor for Seniors:

The truth is most people just go with someone who is popular in the area. And let’s face it …everyone knows someone with a real estate license. Most people don’t have a strategy into choosing a Realtor with specific qualifications and personal character traits when selling their single largest asset – their home!

Here are the 5 major red flags to watch out for when interviewing Realtors.

Pressure - The agent pressures you to sign a contract with them without giving you ample time to reflect or think about the decision.

Lack of explanation - The agent does not take the time to explain absolutely everything you sign in as much detail as needed for you to completely understand. They may even brush it off.

Failure to provide supporting documentation - The agent suggests a price for the home but does not prepare a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to share with you about the price opinion.   Although it is illegal and unethical, it is unfortunate that there are some that will see an opportunity to take advantage of a senior by pricing the home lower than market value, sell it to a buyer that is connected to them and then quickly re-sell it for the actual higher market price to make a profit.  Why seniors more often? They have lived in their homes for decades sometimes and even a low price can seem high if they haven’t been keeping tabs on the market over the years.

No references - The agent will not provide references of past clients for you to contact.  Past performance is generally an indicator of future performance and they either don’t have good references, or don’t feel it’s important to provide them. Neither is good.

Isolation - The agent discourages you from having friends, family, or other support during any part of the transaction.  This is an attempt at isolating you and you should ask yourself why they might do that. It should always be cause for concern.

Moving For Seniors: The Four Biggest Challenges!

Moving for seniors is a very different experience than for most people. There are several critical differences in the type of services & characteristics of professional service providers that seniors need when they move into a senior’s community, assisted living, care homes, or simply downsize from a house to a condo.

  • Here are four of the biggest challenges for seniors when moving:
  • Uprooting after decades living in the same home
  • Physical constraints & mental preparation
  • Purging, decluttering, donating & disposing
  • Lack of help from family & friends

Choosing the right Retirement Residence, Senior Lifestyle Community, or Seniors Care Home

When it comes to finding a Retirement Residence, Seniors Lifestyle Community, Care Home, or Assisted Living Residence the process for seniors & their families can be very overwhelming. Finding the “right” place for you to call “Home” can be challenging & stressful on your own. But you don’t have to do it alone. Unbiased help & guidance is available to you.

We aim to provide the highest standard in real estate with unparalleled expertise, unique skills, integrity, compassion & empathy. Our service-oriented mindset focuses on the unique needs of each individual client.