Homeowner ready to move and help the next generation
May 24, 2023Marketwise for the Bay Area News Group and its flagships The Mercury News and East Bay Times websites
By Pat Kapowich | Published: May 19, 2023
Question: Recently, three homes have sold on my street. Collectively, over 20 offers were presented to the sellers. I’d sell, too. However, I need somewhere to go. I’m a widower — a homeowner of over 40 years. My lifelong best friend lives two hours away. His son is my successor trustee. They live in the same city. My dear neighbors have moved away or passed away. I’m still very fit and active. However, I’m one of the many older adults in America living alone in a multiple-bedroom house. How do lone seniors in my predicament free up their homes for young families without rushing the process?
Answer: It is laudable that you are contemplating moving to free up your property for first-time homebuyers — especially when fit. Many older adults wait until it’s too late. An accident, illness or worse can result in others making moving decisions for you. Gather information now. You can avoid having your successor trustee make a four-hour round trip on every visit to help you or settle your estate. Please move to the area where your friend and his son live. Being close to them will enhance socialization and limit isolation.
Enlist the help of your successor trustee. Ask him to arrange a consultation with a local geriatric care manager. There are tiers of senior living. The geriatric care manager will suggest, among other things, where to age-in-place near your best friend. During your gathering-information stage, don’t forget that the most common phase older adults make after transitioning out of the family home is “I wish I had done it sooner.”
Questions? Or are you or someone you know navigating life’s transitions? Let lauded negotiator Pat Kapowich make your next move easy. Visit Kapowich’s website for free area housing data, insights and trends. Or put his artful blend of specialized credentials, decades of experience and endorsed skill set to work for you. Kapowich instills confidence when buying, selling, relocating or resizing homes. Do not just make a move — make the best move. Contact him today, Realtor Pat Kapowich, a career-long consumer-protection advocate.
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