By Mary Block
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 25 % of adults age 65 and older fall and double their risk of falling again after the first event. Here are some helpful tips to guide you safely through 2023:
Practice getting up! It sounds unnecessary, but as we age, we lose agility and strength in our minor muscle groups. Those smaller, supportive fibers play a big role in how well we can balance ourselves. In addition to performing balance-boosting exercises to strengthen those fine muscle systems, position yourself flat on the floor, and develop a physical strategy for getting back up. Roll into a stable position, move onto all fours, then approach the nearest anchored object for leverage. If you routinely practice these moves, muscle memory will enable you to lessen your risk of falling a second time as you rise.
Improve bathroom safety! 60% of falls occur in the bathroom,...
By Elyse Umlauf-Garneau
Many expect that when people reach a certain age, they’ll want to sell their homes and
downsize. But a recent Bank of America survey found that 70% of homeowners between the ages of 45 and 76 have decided to stay put and age right where they are.
After all, 78% say they like their current home and see no reason to move, and 22% have put so much work into their existing property that they want to stay.
Some reasons for remaining in their current property for aging in place among those who’ve not yet retired include avoiding high home prices and interest rates (32%) and benefiting from their current low mortgage payment or a paid-off home (20%). After all, 78% say they like their current home and see no reason to move, and 22% have put so
much work into their existing property that they want to stay.
In addition, about 95% of current mortgage holders have loans with rates of 5% or less, making them hesitant about giving up their low mortgage rates.
...
By: Kelly Vandever
One huge challenge in making a move, especially for those of us who’ve been alive more than 50 years, is what to do with all your stuff.
Over several posts, I’ll be sharing some rules of thumb that I’ve learned.
Rule of Thumb #2 for Getting Rid of Things
Rule of Thumb #2 for getting rid of things is to decide what you would want to move if you had to move into a small, assisted living apartment.
YES! THAT SOUNDS EXTREME!
Maybe you won’t ever need assisted living. We all hope and pray not.
But if you do or if you’re like me and you have a parent with cognitive or physical issues, asking the question, “What would I want if I had to move into a tiny, assisted living apartment?” will help you get down to the nitty gritty, bare bones of the matter, and forces us to get very focused and very specific....
By: Kelly Vandever
Earlier this year, I helped my dad relocate from Florida to be near me. One of our biggest challenges was getting rid of the things that wouldn’t fit into his small apartment. It was overwhelming. I found the same thing when working with some of my older clients. They wanted to sell their homes and got overwhelmed with all the stuff and how to get rid of their things. I started collecting good ideas from I’ve come across or that I’ve learned from my clients when it comes to getting rid of stuff. In the next few posts, I’ll share my top rules of thumb for getting rid of things either for yourself or when helping your aging parents downsize their stuff.
First Rule of Thumb – #1 – Paper Purge
My dad had documentation from when he and mom first got married. Bank statement from accounts closed in the 60’s or 70’s. Of course, the apple...
By: Kelly Vandever
What should you consider fixing when getting your house ready to sell? If you want to sell your house quickly and for the most money, there are things you can do that will help that happen. If you have the cash to spend, putting it into your house in the right ways will make it more attractive to more buyers, resulting in you selling faster and for a bigger profit. The longer a house sits, the more the price goes down. Price it realistically, and you’ll be able to get it sold even without repairs. But go too high in your pricing for the condition, and it will take forever. Let’s talk about what to fix and what not to fix when preparing your home to sell.
1. Clean
If you hate cleaning, hire someone to do it for you. A super clean house is the best thing you can do regardless of anything else you do. Bathrooms, baseboards, furniture, nooks and crannies, get them clean. No one wants to purchase a house that...
By: Kelly Vandever
As humans, we don’t have to be hoarders to be attached to our stuff. And a house is no
exception. We’ve all heard the expression, “home is where the heart is”, but what do you do when the time comes to sell your home? Especially when you’ve lived in your home 20 or more years. How do you prepare yourself for that difficult experience? In the real estate world, agents sometimes refer to the buying or selling of a home as a transaction. But to the person selling the home, the sale is so much more than that. In this blog, we’ll be discussing three tips to emotionally prepare yourself before selling your home.
1. Remember your goals
You decided to move for a reason. I’ve had clients where declining health was what lead them to decide to move. They didn’t want to move, but they knew it was the right thing to
do. Remind yourself why you’re moving, and share your why with family, friends,...
by David Strauss, Attorney, O'Kelley and Sorohan
The current market for residential real estate is a decidedly seller’s market. A record low inventory of homes for sale, coupled with an increased demand for homes to purchase has led to an incredibly competitive marketplace. As a result, many Buyers are making offers to purchase homes that are well above asking price, allow the Seller to have temporary occupancy of the home after closing, have a large amount of earnest money, and waive contract contingencies in favor of the buyer. Such an offer may win the deal but it does not come without significantly more risk than normal for a Buyer.
Below are some common tactics Buyers are using to be competitive in today’s market. Buyers should understand what it means to make such an offer and the risk the expose themselves to in doing so.
WAIVING DUE DILIGENCE
What is Due Diligence?
Due diligence is a time where...
By Kelly Vandever
Do you have a great camera and a good eye for pictures?
Thinking of telling your real estate agent that you’ll just take the pictures of the house?
Don’t do!
I don’t know how to emphasize this point enough.
Pictures in real estate are super important!
Houses with high quality photos sell 32% faster.
Houses with high quality pictures sell from $3,000 to $11,000 more.
87% of homebuyers who search online said photos were the most useful feature in online searches.
Stats stats stats right? But I’ve seen it. Photos make a huge difference in if people come see the house, how much the seller will get for the house, how long it will take the house to sell.
Atlanta is in a really hot seller’s market as I’m writing this, but still, as a...
By: Kelly Vandever
I have the best clients!!!
Artist Sara took a picture of her, Chad and I after closing, melded it together with a picture of their new house, added Daniel the cat to the mix, and created a beautiful painting to commemorate our time together finding this wonderful couple their first home.
My heart swells!!!
I'm so lucky to work with such amazing clients!!!
Thank you Sara and Chad for allowing me to be a part of this journey!
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