Prepare yourself to be insulted.

If you or your loved one is over 50, chances are you’ve collected a few mementos over your lifetime which you have beautifully displayed in your home.

If those items are extremely unique... if they are expressions of deeply held religious or political beliefs...or if you’ve owned them for more than a couple decades, there’s a chance that those items that you love so much, could hurt your ability to sell your house.

I know it’s hard to hear, but when it comes to selling a house, it’s essential that you
depersonalize and genericize your home as much as possible.

Why? Because if people are sending their time looking at your things, they’re not spending time looking at the house.

What’s better is a staged, generic looking house that other people can imagine themselves living in. And the more the home looks like something they’ve seen on HGTV, the better.

Don’t repair everything you think...

I remember the Thanksgiving when dad and I were flipping through photo albums, and he couldn’t remember his mother’s maiden name.

My stepmother had been trying to tell me dad was having problems, but I made excuses. In that moment, forgetting his mother’s maiden name, I could no longer deny it. My dad was having cognitive issues.

Do you have a loved one who’s been diagnosed with cognitive impairment?

Feeling overwhelmed, saddened, stressed?

Trying to figure out what to do?

Here’s some help.

Free Webinar!

6 Important Tools in Helping a Loved One with

Cognitive Impairment

Do You Have a Spouse or a Parent Who’s Been Diagnosed with Cognitive Impairment?

Many of you know me as Kelly Vandever, real estate agent.

But I’m also Jerry Allen’s daughter, and my dad was diagnosed with cognitive impairment in 2017.

If you have a family member who’s been diagnosed with cognitive impairment, maybe you’re feeling like I did. Lost. Overwhelmed. Fearful. Sad.

If you’re just getting started on the journey with your loved one’s cognitive impairment, there’s a lot you need to know.

I’ve recently started sharing my story of what I’m glad I learned and what I’d wished I’d learned when my dad was diagnosed.

I’ve turned that sharing into a webinar to help others navigate their journey.

If you have a family member who’s been diagnosed, please join me for one of my upcoming webinars.

 Check out the upcoming webinar dates!

~Kelly

Do you have any young adults between 14-24ish in your life?

Help equip them with knowledge and tools they need to succeed with the Quantum Leap Program!

Saturday, June 24th

9:30am-4:30pm

Breakfast and Lunch are included.

What is Quantum Leap for Young adults?

QL for Young Adults is an interactive learning experience that helps accelerate their success through proven models and tools that they can implement right away!

What young adults will learn:

Who am I and what do I want my life to be about?

How will I structure my life to support this vision?

What key relationships do I need to support me along the way?

How will I fund my mission so I can make the greatest impact?

Where?

Keller Williams North Atlanta Training Center:

5780 Windward Parkway Suite 300

Alpharetta GA 30005

Cost: FREE - a $25 donation for KW Kids Can is appreciated!

Register here!

What is the capital gains tax for seniors selling their home?

Do you know why downsizing in retirement might be a terrible idea?

When should seniors sell their home?

We’re Special

For those of us over 50 thinking about buying a house or selling a home, there are different questions we need to ask. Different than when we were earlier in our careers.

Luckily, there are real estate agents, like me, who are specialize in the needs of home buyers and sellers who are 50 plus.

Hi – I’m Kelly Vandever, and I’m a Seniors Real Estate Specialist®.

As a Senior Real Estate Specialist®, I have unique training and experience to help my clients over 50.

My Story

My dad was diagnosed with cognitive impairment, then dementia.

I’ve lived through having to figure out when it was no longer safe for him to live alone and hired an agent in Florida to sell his house.

I’ve dealt with the logistical and emotional challenges of moving a parent.
...

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...