Breaking the silence?  What will your parents do? Have you ever felt like there was a conversation you really wanted to have with your parents about their plans for the future?  A recent article in my Realtor magazine calls this time for selling the family home a “family affair”  A move for aging parents can be filled with emotion from all family members.  Everyone shares a concern for the health, safety and well being of our honored family seniors, that should go without saying.  However, what I have seen recently in working with senior clients to sell homes leaves me with a variety of questions and concerns. I believe there is confusion among families & seniors and not always is the senior being given first consideration.

“Breaking the silence” is a phrase that showed up in an article about Alzheimer’s. What if your parents are not processing information rationally? Where & when should you step in? Experience being the best teacher, I want to tell you, don’t wait! Have the conversations early & honestly. In this past month I have had talks with families about their parents & I have also had conversations with the parents how they are involving their children & other family members.  Alzheimer’s along with other mental health issues is a concern in home ownership . My advise is, if you start to see things that are out of the ordinary, find the courage to ask the deeper questions. 

Here are some real life issues that have shown up in my travels as a Realtor.

A widow, who has never been the best at financial planning finds her senior years being short on funds for buying a home like she is used to living in but, becomes too embarrassed to talk it over with her only child who is doing well financially. I’m certain that an open conversation between them would open up opportunities for a solution. If you have a single parent, please check in lovingly to see how things are going & if you can help.

A father & son living across the country from each other find that although Dad was sounding in charge & everything was fine. Later discovers Dad is selling the house and has no idea how he will move his belongings or where he intends to go. The problem doesn’t come to light until the Escrow company is calling the son to say help is needed.  The son had no idea of how much trouble his father had created. . Please connect with parents across the country & know the neighbors or friends that can call you first if they see any concerns.

Mom ends up in the hospital with serious health issues & the son starts getting involved with paying bills & getting things on the home front organized, only to find that there is very serious debts, lots of e-mails and text messages to out of country scammers. Now, the house has been refinanced to many time he is given no opinion than to sell her home in a short sale in order to clear up the situation. Ask questions before it’s too late.  The son had seen signs but, felt his Mother was not capable of such mistakes.  Was some dementia at play in this situation?  Please ask questions. Break the silence. Be courageous.

I have seen two families with parents in their late 80’s to early nineties helping parents move to senior living care homes. One family had a conference call with all family members & decided that the situation for their parents was unhealthy, not safe & very frustrating for all of them trying to care for the parents. It was decided for the parents that moving needed to happen right away & it did. Stubbornness is a pretty common problem with parents wanting to stay an unreasonable amount of time in their homes.  A tuff one, but the family communication made the move happen & the parents are now thriving.

The other family was more divided & had conflicting ideas on what should happen & the parents were challenged & stressed as they tried to make the move themselves. Sometimes, it’s best to set aside the pride & remember the needs of aging parents. 

I’m the Realtor in similar stories to these. Don’t worry no confidentiality has been broken. My guess is most of have been witness to similar situations. Please let’s do what we can to be helpful in building kind communication and community around our most vulnerable adults. 

My goal is to bring people together for the health and well-being of aging seniors and to honor all they have contributed to the world around them.

Please call on me if I can bring my knowledge, experience & compassion to assist you with a move that needs to happen today or into the future.

Feel free to share my list of tips from the Seniors Real Estate specialist network. 

https://sres.realtor/sites/files/2021-02/2021%20NAR%20SRES%20Newsletter%20JAN_FEB%20One%20Sheet.pdf

https://sres.realtor/member-benefits-center/marketing-resources/sres-professional-one-sheet-jan-feb-2020

about

Teresa Barthol

Teresa Barthol -Managing Broker with eXp Realty Seattle.  Brings 22 plus years’ experience to consult with clients about real estate in the 3rd and 4th quarters of their lives. .  With longevity in Real Estate Teresa loves to share her optimistic problem solving skills, creative out of the box thinking along with her enthusiasm for great outcomes. “Believe,” she will say, your desires in life will be realized. Teresa focuses on Lifestyles to Live within the four walls you call home.

With Guest Authors: 
Marcelle Allen from Dreamosity
Elisa Hawkinson - How2GetOrganized!
Karen Herold - Wise Transition

How will your Business serve the over 55+ clients? A hot topic if you are looking at the data.

How will your Business serve this Aging demographic? The statics are staggering. Between 2015-2050 the World’s population over 60 years of age will nearly double. Are you & your Business prepared to serve this changing dynamic?

Recently I have spent many hours with Seniors who are planning to Age in Place. As a Real Estate Broker, I’m meeting with homeowners to explain Market Conditions, what they should do to prepare and what they can expect over time.

Planning is what I promote. Find the time that works best to sell the home you love. Take time to get things in place before you pull the trigger to list the house. Currently, in today’s market, there are very few listings and an oversupply of buyers. For a motivated seller, this would be the perfect time to sell. Period!! Without question. However, for folks that have medical issues of some kind, they are not so motivated. Maybe it truly is better for them to livein the home they love for longer. That is what I can help them & their family decide. Housing for Seniors is limited.

Few small homes are equipped & ready for this aging demographic. 55+ plus homes that are available do not fit the needs of these clients. Many in this age group have lived in a high tech home or a home with sub-zero refrigerators, six-burner gas stoves, high ceilings, and many windows. These clients may have paid for designer home interiors etc. They are not ready to leave all those beautiful comforts of their current homes in exchange for a tiny house in their kid’s back yard, an 800 square foot Senior Apartment, a 55+ plus mobile home park, or a Senior community owned by a National Corporation.

The needs are many for this aging demographic. Take a look at some of the articles published in www.nia.nih.gov.

Take a look at the data from iris.wpro.who.int.

The 60 years plus age group will outnumber children five years & younger by 2020. In 2050 it is expected that 80% of this older generation will be living in low & middle-income countries.

I encourage us all to look at what we are doing as a community to meet this population’s needs. Ask the following questions:

Do you have easy to read materials? How are you communicating effectively with a variety of tech-savvy folks? Some are on Facebook, Instagram, etc. But, my experience is that just as many do not have a computer or cell phone.

Will you have easy to access customer service options with people trained to listen and to be patient? Going faster frustrates. Not listening brings distance and a lack of trust.

If your place of Business does, you have sturdy chairs, comfortable to read & understand directions, good lighting, to name a few. Are discounts offered to help them meet the financial needs?

These are just a few questions that cause me concern. I feel a need to slow down, listen longer & harder, talk clearly; presentations need to clear & straightforward. Trust is built by caring over time. Pay attention to the little things. Be Calm.

Real Estate Brokers like me are working to improve our knowledge & experiences with this Aging demographic. The National Association of Realtor Senior Real Estate Specialist delivers education to Realtors, preparing us for the age group over 50 Plus to make significant financial and lifestyle transitions easier. We have the resources and the knowledge to serve Seniors.

I hope that your Business will also. If you have topics that would help us serve Seniors at a high level or some information you would like to deliver to the Seniors. Please reach out and start a conversation to educate & grow the services offered to this critical number of Seniors.

about

Teresa Barthol

Teresa Barthol -Managing Broker with eXp Realty Seattle.  Brings 22 plus years’ experience to consult with clients about real estate in the 3rd and 4th quarters of their lives. .  With longevity in Real Estate Teresa loves to share her optimistic problem solving skills, creative out of the box thinking along with her enthusiasm for great outcomes. “Believe,” she will say, your desires in life will be realized. Teresa focuses on Lifestyles to Live within the four walls you call home.

With Guest Authors: 
Marcelle Allen from Dreamosity
Elisa Hawkinson - How2GetOrganized!
Karen Herold - Wise Transition

​The Front Gate – how to get on the other side.

This article could have several titles. I could call it “The Rant about GPS walk” or “The Value of Security” or a “Good Idea gone South” Any one of these titles could define the story I’m about to tell.

Recently my husband and I spent a few weeks in Phoenix & Palm Desert. It was great to be in the sunshine and warm weather. The areas are desirable to people like us that want to escape the rain, snow, or cold in the winter months. Many second homes are part of a growing & popular trend to own a second home in the Sun. I have to say, the idea is attractive to me as well. Who knows, it could be in our future. Also, it might be the next article I write, “Things to consider in buying a Second Home.”

It started with the best of intentions. My husband loves to Golf & I love to be supportive of his love for Golf. Thus, we take these vacations with Golf as a priority. While Mike Golfs, I accept that opportunity to do my thing. I use the time to enjoy coffee with a friend, go shopping, get a massage, sit by the pool, or take a long walk. It seems the best way to do something appropriate during COVID times was to walk on this vacation. In Phoenix, I had a good friend & we could walk every day some 5-6 miles. Very ambitious! Happy to walk on a warm sunny morning, I joined her & for a week we did a good job walking the neighborhoods & my friend was the guide. Fun time, lots of good chats, and laughs. After a few days, I had to get some new walking shoes. Side note here is …get the right walking shoes, socks, sunscreen, water bottle & hat.

Moving on to Palm Desert, my friend was not there to guide me through the neighborhoods, and that leads me to the point of this story. Mike went off to Golf & asked if I would meet him for lunch when he finished. Oh, by the way, it’s only 5 miles from our condo. I love to eat lunch with him in those beautiful Golf course restaurants. I said yes, no problem. I then proceeded to set my GPS on my phone to the address of the Golf course. I got my new shoes on & was ready to go. About halfway into the 5-mile walk, I discover that one of the streets GPS sent me to had a security entrance. I met up with a guard at the gate who said, “no way, lady. You can’t walk through here.” Dang, it! The GPS tells no info on gated entries. There are many gated communities in Palm Desert as there was in Phoenix. Guess what? On my journey, gates were all guarded by not one but two or three at the entrance to greet me. Not only that, walking to a street where I can pass freely will require an extra mile to be able to get around the community. Heck! I was ill-prepared for that extra distance, nor the time it was going to take.

It was an opportunity for me to think about Gated Entries in general how all the extra services add to the overall cost of a home purchase. Plus, what value there is for a homeowner in having these services.  Then as HOA (homeowners association) maintains and adheres to the established Bylaws, rules, and CC& Rs (Covenants Conditions & Restrictions), the community homes’ value grows even more attractive to home buyers.

As a homeowner, the value of not letting people in that don’t belong there is keeping you safe & secure. Plus, the community looks from the outside as beautiful and well maintained. I had plenty of time to think about the benefits as I continued my walk.

My list of what came to mind follows:

• Exclusivity- the community is for 55+ Golfers, Tennis, etc.
• Safety and security – No one will gain access without a pass.
• Extra Privacy-no lookie lou folks
• A higher sense of community among owners
• Integrated Lifestyle – people owning with common interests like Golf
• No Soliciting -hard for someone without an appointment to access
• Quieter -no through traffic or speeding cars
• Higher Property Values with all the added extras, i.e., pools, tennis courts, clubhouses, etc.
• Eco-Friendly -planned communities to share services
• Higher Standards – Rules in place to cover home care and activities

In the end, I did reach the destination for lunch after 6.5 miles of walking. I was hungry.  Thankfully Mike called & offered to pick me up, or I would have ended up with an 8-mile walk.

A little ranting, a plan with issues for sure, and in the end, I am happy for the experience, and I would love to buy one of the homes in the Gated Community.  How about you?

about

Teresa Barthol

Teresa Barthol -Managing Broker with eXp Realty Seattle.  Brings 22 plus years’ experience to consult with clients about real estate in the 3rd and 4th quarters of their lives. .  With longevity in Real Estate Teresa loves to share her optimistic problem solving skills, creative out of the box thinking along with her enthusiasm for great outcomes. “Believe,” she will say, your desires in life will be realized. Teresa focuses on Lifestyles to Live within the four walls you call home.

With Guest Authors: 
Marcelle Allen from Dreamosity
Elisa Hawkinson - How2GetOrganized!
Karen Herold - Wise Transition

​What Is a Town Center?

A town center is an enduring, walkable, and integrated open-air, multi-use development that is organized around a clearly identifiable and energized public realm where citizens can gather and strengthen community relationships both personal & business. Anchored by thriving retail, dining, and leisure uses, as well as residential uses. Also included in a town center you will find some or all of these development: office, hospitality, civic, and cultural uses. Over time, a town center will evolve into the densest, most compact, and most diverse part of a community, with strong connection to its surroundings.

Town Center Life in Mill Creek, Washington is a beautiful example of a Town Center.

Mill Creek has been home for Michael & I for the past 8 years. Even before it became our home, I was talking to new home buyers about the benefits of a Town Center Lifestyle. I defined, what I visioned would be the outcome of the soon to be developed Mill Creek Town Center. I shared my expected outcome for Buyers who purchased around the Town Center. In 2002 as the Town Center began the development, new builders were offering wonderful homes just north of the Town Center. What has happened for those buyers is a completed and popular concept and the value of their homes have increased. What I fell in love with has now turned into our home on the golf course. I love it & my golfing husband loves it as well. A dream come true.

The Real Estate surrounding the community started building & developing in and around 1976 when a 1,073 acres known as Lake Dell Farm owned by the Garhart family turned into a Golf Course and some 4,600 homes that form the Mill Creek Community Association (MCCA)

The benefits are many. An area that is very walkable, many paved and well cared for trails exist around the Town Center. My friends & I enjoy many walks and talks around the Mill Creek community. It could be a walk from my home on the golf course, it comes to about a 3 mile round trip for coffee or lunch. We have options available in several good places for coffee, Starbucks of course, The Spotted Cow, Frost, and my new favorite is Bequest Coffee shop. In the evening it is also fun to walk to dinner with my Michael, we meet friends to talk with along the way. We have several restaurants to choose from, our favorites seem to be the Loft or Azul’s or Kafe Neo. In these more recent weeks, we have moved to pick up from some of these restaurants, doing Door Dash or planning strategically to get to the restaurant early enough to enjoy outdoor dining.

A healthy Town Center is anchored by retail establishments. My personal favorite currently is Kate’s gift shop. Central Market is my go-to grocery store for inspiration. Finding appetizers for an impromptu happy hour. Or if its time to entertain family or friends, I love to start my planning with ideas from Central Market. I’m never disappointed with the deli, fruits & vegetables, or the fresh meat & seafood selections.

A community grows stronger and more connected with festivals to celebrate the holidays throughout the year. The Music nights in the Court Yard during the summer, draw neighbors together for dancing & singing together.

Included in our town center, health clinics, space, hospitality, civic, and cultural uses. Over time, our town center should evolve into the densest, most compact, and most diverse part of our community, with strong connections to the beautiful surroundings. In this 2020 year, the Mill Creek town center is going through some transitions as we have lost the University Book Store, Pier One, (a couple of major retail shops).

Restaurants have experienced closings & reopening. I believe in the vitality of the community and that we will see those empty spaces filled in the months to come.

Over time the Buyers and sellers around Mill Creek have seen wonderful increases in home values and higher rents, for those investors.

Do you live and Love Mill Creek Town Center? Or would you like to move into the area to experience this community of growth and transition? Is the lifestyle of a Town Center location appealing to you? Come out & join me for coffee, lunch, or celebrate nature with a walk around the area to experience the streams, ponds, and parks. I would love to show you the community.

about

Teresa Barthol

Teresa Barthol -Managing Broker with eXp Realty Seattle.  Brings 22 plus years’ experience to consult with clients about real estate in the 3rd and 4th quarters of their lives. .  With longevity in Real Estate Teresa loves to share her optimistic problem solving skills, creative out of the box thinking along with her enthusiasm for great outcomes. “Believe,” she will say, your desires in life will be realized. Teresa focuses on Lifestyles to Live within the four walls you call home.

With Guest Authors: 
Marcelle Allen from Dreamosity
Elisa Hawkinson - How2GetOrganized!
Karen Herold - Wise Transition