The Challenges of Downsizing when Moving into a Condo or Senior's Residence

By:  Jane Pinzhoffer

The stress of selling your home is enough to overwhelm just about anyone. Moving means going through everything you own and deciding whether to box it up, give it away, or throw it out. It means saying goodbye to your neighbours and your favourite local spots. The logistics of relocating from everything you’re familiar with to brand new surroundings, combined with a lack of control over the home selling process, can lead to feelings of extreme anxiety.

For seniors, downsizing a lifetime of memories and possessions to a new and more compact environment can be nothing short of traumatic at a time of life when your focus is often on the health and wellbeing of your spouse and yourself.

“In 2011, my aunt and uncle were moving into a retirement home, and it opened my eyes to all that’s involved when seniors move to a smaller space,” says Angela Baas, Sales Representative at Royal LePage Wolle Realty. “When the house was ready to sell, my uncle called and said my aunt was crying and doesn’t want to move. It was too overwhelming for her, and it was what made me decide to take the Accredited Seniors’ Agent course.”

Working with seniors over the last decade has given Angela a unique perspective on the challenges facing seniors who’ve decided that their house, for whatever reason, has become more than they can handle.

At the end of November 2021, Angela met with Dave and Beth, who had made the difficult decision to move into long-term care. Beth had always taken care of everything but was diagnosed with dementia, and Dave, at the age of 93, was faced with taking care of his wife and all of the things she used to look after.

“Dave and Beth’s home has wonderful curb appeal and is located in a great location on a court with a lovely treed backyard. But when it came time to move, they had a lot to do to get the house ready for selling that required making decisions, getting quotes, and a lot of coordination,” says Angela.

“I was skeptical, unenthusiastic, even unwilling to accept the new approach to selling a home,” says Dave. “Sell as-is, get it over with, the sooner, the better. I cannot do this!  Those were my attitudes. Enter Angela. At every point in the process, we were able to control our own destiny, always with the option of calling Angela for her opinion and advice. Without exception, every question was answered.”

Some of the updates and renovations that were done to Dave and Beth’s home include: painting the house from top to bottom, including the kitchen cabinets, installing new carpeting in some areas, new hardware for doors and cabinets, new floor vents, stove vent, and light fixtures, replacing the dishwasher, washing window screens, and bringing in plumbers and electricians to address various updates throughout the home.

Complete staging of the home was also done. Although many older people don’t see the benefits of staging, statistics show it can increase pricing up to 20%. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, think of it as giving your home a makeover so that it’s more aesthetically pleasing.

If you’ve been in the same house for 30, 40, or more years, you’ve probably accumulated an enormous amount of stuff. The staging process typically involves removing and replacing furniture with other pieces to open up the space and eliminate clutter to show your property in its best possible light and make a great first impression on potential buyers.

Angela provides full service for all the things you haven’t thought about doing to get your property ready to reach the buyer who will pay the best price. Real Estate agents can recommend two or three contractors for each job and help sellers decide on the best option for overseeing the work being done in the home to prepare it for sale.  Angela has established relationships with local contractors, organizers, stagers, cleaners, storage companies, and disposal companies that specialize in the needs of seniors. All you have to do is take what you need. Angela and her team will figure out the rest.

Dave and Beth’s home sold at a price they were not expecting. They were thrilled. Angela had a booklet made of their home as a keepsake, which they loved. Dave says one of their granddaughters summed it up best. “I know what a special place this has been for my grandparents over the past 20 years, so seeing the care and expertise you have put into this transformation, and your guidance as they embark on the closing of this chapter is so appreciated.” 

As an experienced Real Estate professional with the Accredited Senior Agent (ASA™) designation, Angela Baas, ABR, ASA, CNE, REMS, Sales Representative, Royal LePage Wolle Realty, can assist you in all aspects of the downsizing process of buying and selling homes. You can contact Angela at 519-747-2040.