Elderlife Real Estate is a real estate service specializing in the needs and requirements of older adults and those who care about them.? We have specialized in this since 1999. Michael Olear?s initial career included a Master’s Degree in Social Work and this blend of social work technique and real estate brokerage has created a hybrid service that has been uniquely useful for hundreds of families in WNY.? Several realtors on the team have the Seniors Real Estate Specialist designation.
Whether it?s downsizing from the family house to a smaller home, moving to a senior community, or acting as a POA or executor, we know that the last thing you want is focus on the details.
We will plan out every aspect for you including household sale, repairs, inspections? Allow us to handle the specialized work of selling your property so your attention is where you need it to be.
Right-Sizing
Right-sizing your living situation can feel overwhelming. You’d love to find a place that’s the right size for you, but what do you do about all that stuff?
Michael Olear of the Olear Team at MJ Peterson has been in the real estate business since 1987. He can offer a simple, step by step approach to?preparing for a rightsizing move.
This plan will include:
- Deciding what to do with personal property
- Developing a monetary plan
- Deciding whether to fix or sell as-is
- Hiring the right professionals to help you with selling and moving
- Knowing what requirements are imposed by banks and municipalities when you sell
Helping A Loved One
Is your mom, dad or a close friend or relative living alone in a house that no longer fits his or her needs? The need for a housing change is often reflected in the physical changes that are part of the normal aging process. For example, has carrying laundry up and down the basement stairs become a difficult task? Has it become a challenge to climb a stepladder to change a lightbulb, change the batteries in smoke detectors or perform routine home maintenance? As time passes, these tasks become more difficult and thus increase the odds of a fall-related injury.
While it can be difficult to say goodbye to the homestead, the transition may be easier if it is approached as a new and exciting chapter in an ever-changing life. When discussing a housing change with a senior friend or relative, the key is to point out how they can live much more comfortably in a setting that’s free of the demands that come with owning a house.
POA/Executor
So what does an executor do? In simple terms, the executor oversees disposition of property and possessions. It?s a large responsibility to make sure that a person?s last wishes are granted. The executor is responsible for making sure that any debts and creditors that the deceased has are paid off. They must also distribute any remaining money or property according to their wishes.
Often an executor’s duty involves selling the deceased;s house. Doing so is a process that can quickly become complicated without assistance from trusted professionals. That’s why the Olear Team at MJ Peterson developed a program to make it easier to sell a house for an estate. We provide referrals to fellow respected professionals. These professionals can help with this process and might include attorneys, home inspectors, contractors and more.
Senior Real Estate Testimonials
Get Elderlife Real Estate Help Today
Free no obligation consultation
The Seniors Real Estate Specialist? (SRES?) designation is for REALTORS? who want to be able to meet the special needs of maturing Americans when selling, buying, relocating, or refinancing residential or investment properties. By earning the SRES? designation, REALTORS? are prepared to approach mature clients with the best options and information for them to make life-changing decisions.
Related Articles
Is it time to downsize your home?
A recent study by?Edelman Berland?revealed that of homeowners who are contemplating selling their house in the near future 33 percent plan to scale down. Let?s look at a few reasons why that would make sense to many Americans. In a recent?blog post, Dave Ramsey, the...
Downsizing Seminar at the Tonawanda Senior Center
Michael Olear of MJ Peterson will be speaking at the Tonawanda Senior Center on Friday, June 12th at 9:30 a.m. The Tonawanda Senior Center is located at 291 Ensminger Road, Tonawanda, NY, 14150. Topics will include: tips & ideas for downsizing, as well as how to...
What are the leading reasons for up-sizing in Retirement?
Curious as to why recent retirees are looking to up-size their living space, as opposed to the common trend of downsizing? Check out the graphic below to see the predominate reasons for the upgrades.
Ownership Generation is Aging
Seniors have the greatest homeownership rate, well exceeding the national rate for all age groups. ?Including to a report from Employee Benefit Research Institute, Americans over the age of 50 are less likely to rent until they are into their seventies. At age 50, 73...
Condos with services are emerging
Service enriched condominium and co-op projects are beginning to surface in large markets in Illinois, Texas, Virginia and California with a particularly high concentration in the Chicago area. We have come to expect a monthly fee associated with a condominium that...
Choosing A Retirement Community
Facing the question ?what retirement community suits me best?? can carry with it tremendous stress for people who are in their later years. Deciding on the best community for you is made more complicated by the seemingly endless number of options that are available....
Webinar on Reducing Falls in the Home
Buffalo's own Institute for Personalized Care is designed to provide better delivery of services to frail and vulnerable people, particularly the elderly, and support advocacy and public awareness of their needs, through a program of cross-disciplinary research,...
Seniors Helping to Drive Sales of Small Businesses
Baby boomer business owners preparing for retirement are driving a surge in the sale of small businesses, as they find more and more buyers confident enough in the improving economy to expand their own businesses through acquisitions. In the first three months of this...
10 Amazing Granny Flats Part II
The days of putting in-laws and parents in basement or attic apartments is long gone: today's families are opting for more chic, stylish options for mom and pop. Check out the rest of the amazing "granny flats:" Architects Tolya and Otto Stonorov redid this 400...
10 Amazing Granny Flats Part I
The days of putting in-laws and parents in basement or attic apartments is long gone: today's families are opting for more chic, stylish options for mom and pop. Check out these five beautiful "granny flats," and come back on Monday to see another five: A back hatch...
Olear Team plans informational seminars for older adults and caregivers
Michael Olear, a licensed real estate broker and member of the Olear Team at MJ Peterson, will present educational seminars at senior communities this spring. Seminar locations include Sandra Lane Apartments in North Tonawanda and the Elderwood Residences at...
Seniors need safe flooring options
With a rapidly aging population, many homeowners are making renovations to their homes, or the homes of loved ones, to ensure a safe living environment. If you find yourself in this situation, consider starting at the bottom ? the floor ? and working your way up....
Examining the executor?s role in managing and selling the home
Last week we talked a bit about the role of the executor, specifically in regards to securing the assets of the estate. Today we?ll stay on topic but switch our focus to managing and selling the home. As you begin to go through the home, you?re likely to find a lot of...
An executor should take steps to secure property and assets
It goes without saying that the loss of a friend or family member can be a very emotional experience. Being left to serve as executor for the deceased can make the situation even more difficult to bare. The executor has many responsibilities, including settling debts,...
Is there a benefit to having multiple executors?
The role of the executor is an important one. An executor is responsible for paying final debts, distributing the remaining assets to family members, making decisions to achieve these goals on behalf of the deceased and, in many cases, selling real estate and its...
Geriatric care managers can help seniors prepare to downsize and move
It happens to thousands of people across the country every year ? reaching the point where you have to help an older friend or family member downsize and move. Fortunately, there are trained professionals who can help us through these difficult life situations. These...
Choose the correct person to conduct your estate sale
Close family members and executors are often charged with the difficult but necessary task of liquidating the belongings of a loved one. While it?s not a simple task, it can be made much easier with the assistance of an experienced estate liquidator. During an estate...
Olear Team plans informational seminars for older adults and caregivers
Michael Olear, a licensed real estate broker and member of the Olear Team at MJ Peterson, will present two educational seminars at Crestmount Senior Apartments, 285 Crestmount Ave., Tonawanda, in May and June. The seminars are open to the community and focus on real...
First Steps for Executor to Secure a Home ? Part 2 of 2
This is part two of a two part series that provides a practical checklist for early stage activities for an executor who is charged with managing and selling residential real property and its contents. In the first part, we looked at some steps to secure the asset and...
First Steps for an Executor to Secure a Home ? Part 1 of 2
One of the most difficult real estate related challenges for an individual is acting as executor for a deceased person who owned and occupied residential property. Notwithstanding the emotional burden created by the loss of a loved one, there are also the new...