Need To Sell Your House And Downsize In Nebraska?Many people find themselves in a situation where they need to sell their houses fast and downsize, without any delays or extra costs. People dealing with foreclosure, divorce, repairs, or an inherited property may not have the time or money to wait around while a buyer is found.Below are a few tips to help you sell your house fast in the Omaha area, ultimately saving you time and money when all is said and done. If we can help you in any way or if you have questions about selling your house in the Omaha metro area (or most areas in Nebraska), please feel free to reach out!Price The House To SellIf you want to sell your house fast in Omaha and you want to do it the traditional way, youll need to price the house to sell. This can mean pricing it significantly lower than other houses on the market so it stands out and gets the attention it need to sell fast.While this may not be your first choice when trying to sell fast, it will help you to generate more interest in your property, thus selling it faster. Keep in mind, that with a listing you will have a number of costs to deal with at the closing table, so taking less than what your property is really worth can be discouraging when you are working with an Omaha real estate agent. Plus, it could be a while before the sale goes through, leaving you on the hook for the continued carrying costs while you wait for everything to be finalized.We Buy Omaha NE Houses As IsWhen you sell your house as-is, you wont have to spend time or money cleaning or making repairs in order to sell the house. You wont have to sink money into a property, hoping that a buyer will come along to make it all worth it. You could spend a fortune on property repairs and upgrades, only to find yourself still listed as the property owner several months down the road.By selling as-is to a local professional cash home buyer such as Home Downsizing Solutions, youll be able to know exactly what you are getting and when. Our process will make it easy for you to sell your house as-is, once and for all. You can also attempt to list your house as-is with an agent, but with all of the pretty properties on the MLS, the ones that are in need of repair are often looked over.Find The Right Buyers For Your HouseThere is a buyer out there for every property. It is your job to find the right one. Depending on your property and situation, the right buyer may prove to be a local cash home buyer who is ready to close on your house right now without any hassle or runaround.Most investors are looking for homes to buy as-is and they are prepared to close right away. Just be careful working with direct buyers. Some will try to low-ball you in hopes of scoring a great deal. Theyll prey on your urgency, taking advantage of you and your situation.This is not the case with Home Downsizing Solutions. We will always provide you with a fair offer, doing everything in our power to help you out of your difficult situation. Finding the right people to buy your house, will make it easy for you to sell the property as-is so you can finally move on.Work With A Local Professional Real Estate Buyer in OmahaA direct sale of your house to Home Downsizing Solutions, is the fastest, easiest, most convenient way to sell your house in Omaha. Not only will we pay you a great price, but we will also close on the property as quickly as you need us to. Working with a local professional cash home buyer in Omaha can help you save a lot of money and time when trying to sell your house fast.Keep in mind, that not all buyers are the same. Dont sign any contracts until you understand exactly what you will receive and how the process will work. You dont want to find that you are dealing with fees or wasted time that you hadnt planned for.

Back in 2008 it seemed that the real estate market would continue strong indefinitely.  Now we know that wasnt the case.  Homeowners that were considering selling but had somewhat unrealistically high expectations were very disappointed with what they could sell their house for just a year or so later, if they could even find a buyer for it. Here we are now in 2022, with possibly having seen the top in the most recent real estate cycle.  Just a few months ago, a seller could put a house on the market and likely have multiple offers, above asking price, in just a few days. Although were still in what I would consider a sellers market, it is much different than earlier this year.  One of the biggest reasons for this change is the increase in interest rates.  Thirty-year fixed rate mortgages were below 3% in the last 12 months.  Now they are more than twice that rate at approx. 6%.  Although I have no crystal ball, I would be willing to bet interest rates will continue to rise, given that the Federal Reserve needs to raise their rates to get inflation under control.  This will further negatively affect a potential buyers ability to purchase a home. The interest rate increases along with the increases in home values, especially over the last couple of years, has greatly negatively affected the affordability to buy a home. If you are or were considering selling, using a neighbors house that sold earlier this year as a comparable, will most likely not be accurate. Earlier this year, buyers were often making offers as is and not having a whole house inspection contingency as part of their offer.  Now, like in most typical markets, they are wanting to get a whole house inspection to ensure there are no hidden deficiencies before moving forward with a purchase. Having multiple buyers bidding on your house is not near as likely to happen. Earlier this year, Buyers were much more likely to overlook a house that needed some repairs and updating.  Now, like in most typical markets, Buyers can be more selective of moving forward with a home purchase only if its in a nice updated condition. However, depending on your specific situation, the current market conditions may not have any effect on a decision to sell or not sell your house. If you have been waiting for a specific type of apartment to become available, like a ground floor unit that takes pets in a specific part of town, that may be more important than the current market conditions in your decision to sell or not.  If you have decided its time to move closer to family or friends, finding the right new home or apartment close to them may determine when to sell your current house. And unfortunately, if you or a loved one has a health issue or emergency, getting the care and type of apartment or community needed can be much more important than the timing of selling a house in the best market conditions. Because of market conditions, maybe youd like to stay in your current house, if it had certain updates or modifications to make it more livable for your current needs.  There are options available to utilize the equity in your house to make those improvements or pay for in home care. If you have only bought and/or sold one or two houses in the last 20 to 40 (or more) years, determining how or when to sell your current house can seem daunting.  Having the right real estate professional that can provide information on current neighborhood valuations, the multiple ways to sell a house, and the resources to help you get from the house youre in now to the new home or apartment you want or need to get to, can be priceless!  If you have questions on this subject and/or I can be of assistance, just call or text me at (402)-450-0199. Ben Souchek is an author of the book Home Downsizing Secrets, and the owner and founder of Home Downsizing Solutions, a company that specializes in helping homeowners transition from their current house to a new home, apartment, or other senior living community for more than 25 years. 

Real Estate Agents can look at me as a resource or one of their tools in their toolbox that could buy the property from their clients. It would be a matter of the agent presenting the different options of how a person can sell a property to see which is best for them. And if one of our solutions fits for their purposes, that's great. If it doesn't, the agent is still in a very good position to be able to market the property for them at that point.If I could jump back a little bit, after going into business for myself with buying the houses, the first year I only bought a few houses and that's because all that I could generate at that point. That's the only marketing that I knew. And so that's what I accomplished the first year. But as the years went on I read more books, took more training, went to more seminars and learned how to market and generate leads, which has been the key to my success for 20 years, is being able to generate my own leads and make something happen, not wait for something to happen. Home Sellers Value The Benefits Of Being Able To Sell Their House With No Stress Or Hassles The other thing that I've discovered is, sellers really taught me why I'm in business. For the first number of years I quite frankly didn't know why people would sell their house at what would be perceived as a discount also. I made offers and obviously I got some of those accepted but quite frankly, didn't know why. But it was only after the sellers telling me they accepted it, did I learn the services that I provide to them. I learned that sellers don't just give houses away.There's a reason that motivates a person to want to sell at what some people perceive as a discount. And that's what a lot of real estate agents don't understand, is that they think everyone is in the same situation and wants to squeeze every dime out of their house. Understandably, a person want to maximize their value but sometimes the services that we provide are of value to someone, more so than squeezing every dime out of their house.If you're an agent with clients that would like a stress & hassle free home sale, just contact us at (855)-291-5005 or go to www.HomeDownsizingSolutions.comfor more information.

Being up front with you, for the first 10 years (of the now more than 25) of being "in business" as a home buyer, I really didn't know why a home seller would sell to my company.  Although I looked at houses, made offers, and bought houses, I also had the question in the back of my mind... "why doesn't this person just list their house with an agent?"Then the real estate market, along with the rest of the economy "corrected" in 2008.  In the several years after that, I had more seniors and their families calling me that wanted to sell a house.  Because they typically had no or very little debt, they actually could sell their house if they wanted to.The way the market was back then, I would talk to numerous sellers who had listed their house with an agent (some more than once), and when the house didn't sell, would call me.  We are in a much different market now, but the reasons that a seller would sell to a home buyer haven't changed all that much.Sellers would typically tell me that they had spoken to one or more real estate agents, were told they needed to do this, fix that, etc, to list their house, but they didn't want to do those things.  They just wanted to sell their house.For years, one of the first things I ask a seller is, "why wouldn't you just list your house with an agent?"  And, they typically always have or had a reason or reasons why they didn't.A common item that I heard and continue to hear from sellers is, "I'm sure I could get more for my house if I listed it, but I like and value the benefits your company offers, so I would prefer to just sell the house to you."These were the hundreds of sellers that "taught me" why they would choose to sell their house to me.Not needing to get "top dollar" or finding value in home buyer company non-financial benefits are something that seems impossible to grasp for most real estate agents.Are Home Buying Companies A Scam?In my view, some certainly are.  As I've discussed in other articles and videos, beware of "wholesalers."  Wholesalers are individuals or companies that state that they buy houses, advertise that they buy houses, but actually have no intent or financial ability to do so.  Once they get a contract to purchase a house, they look for a "real" buyer to sell the contract to and close on the transaction.Because they have no financial risk, they can often overpromise what they can pay for the house.  And, if they cannot find an end buyer, it leaves the seller in a very precarious position, or the wholesaler tries to reduce the purchase price.Another problem is when a home buyer doesn't actually look at your house before making an offer.  When they make an offer without looking at a house, and the seller signs an agreement with them, and they do finally inspect the property, the price will likely be reduced based on some unknown item the buyer states that they weren't aware of.A real home buyer should be able to "close" and purchase a property as soon as a title company can check title and prepare closing paperwork.  With Home Downsizing Solutions, in less than 7 days, or when the seller wants.  We've even purchased a house within 24 hours of having an agreement signed!Characteristics Of A Good Home Buying CompanyI will provide several characteristics of what I think you should look for in a good home buying company, as these are items that I have done to ensure we are "one of the good guys."Have a Real Estate License.  I think its beneficial for a member of a home buying company to have a real estate license.  In an effort to serve sellers I work with as well as possible, I have a real estate license as well as an SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist) designation.This allows me to provide information on the positives and negatives of listing a house as well as selling to a home buying company.  Have The Financial Ability To Actually Buy Houses.  As mentioned above, there are companies that state that they buy houses, but actually don't or can't.  In my company's case, we actually buy houses.  I encourage sellers to call the title/closing company that the home buyer says will close the transaction to confirm that they can actually buy the house, and not just act as a middleman to sell the contract to the end buyer.I also encourage sellers that I work with to call the title/closing company to ensure the purchase agreement contains the specific information that the seller is agreeing to or understands about the agreement, so that there are no misunderstandings before closing.No Pressure Sales Tactics.  I would warn sellers to beware of companies that pressure a seller to sign immediately, or before they were comfortable with signing a purchase agreement.For a similar reason, I would also beware of agents that just want to disparage home buying companies and not acknowledge at least some of the benefits sellers find of value and choose to work with them.Transparency.  I think a legitimate home buying company should share market information with a seller so they can be as educated as possible.  In my case, we typically always show sellers comparable information for their area.  I want them to see the gross selling price that houses have sold for and the condition of those houses.  I also want to provide a realistic explanation of all the transaction costs to sell a house.Realize that when an agent says they can sell a house for $200,000, for example, that is a "gross" number and not the "net" amount that a seller will put in their pocket.  The total amount of transaction costs and what a seller will "net" from the sale of a house will vary and is dependent upon a number of factors.  In average markets, transaction costs will typically amount to 10% to 15% of the gross selling price.Credible and Trustworthy.  Home Downsizing Solutions and their predecessor entity have had an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau for more than 25 years.  They also have numerous testimonials and 5 start Google reviews from those 25+ years.As mentioned above, I have a real estate license with an SRES designation.I've written books, articles, and provide other information to educate homeowners about selling a house and downsizing or moving to senior living.Home Downsizing Solutions is also an Industry Partner with the NASMM (National Association of Senior Move Managers).Why Would Someone Want To Sell A House To A Home Buying Company?What I tell every homeowner I meet with is, that if the benefits that Home Downsizing Solutions offers are of enough value, we can be a great solution.  Otherwise, one of the Total Solutions Agents we work with could be a better option to list and sell their house in a traditional manner.What Are Home Buying Company Benefits?No Need To Do Repairs or Updates to A House.  If your house is in great condition, this item is most likely not very important.  But to a person who has owned a house for 20, 30, or more years and has deferred maintenance or updates to be competitive with potential buyers, this may be a very valuable benefit.Contacting multiple contractors, getting bids, ensuring the work is done well, and living in a construction zone is not something that every homeowner wants to deal with.  I've also had numerous sellers say, "If I do all that work and put a bunch of money into my house, I just as well stay."No Need To Get Rid Of The Stuff.  With Home Downsizing Solutions, I always tell sellers to take what you want, sell what you want, and leave the rest...  we'll take care of it.  Unlike a traditional sale, where you want the house to show as well as possible, we don't care what the house looks like or the amount of stuff.  We purchase hoarder houses, so whatever stuff a seller has is not an issue.  This eliminates the need of getting a dumpster and the time and effort to go through stuff that a seller just doesn't care about.No Showings.  A lot of sellers we've worked with just don't want to get and keep their house in a show ready condition.  They don't want strangers in their house.  They don't want to have to leave their house every time an agent wants to show the house.  Maybe someone in the household has health issues that does not allow them to leave the house, or at least not without a great deal of effort and planning.No Whole House Inspections or Appraisal Surprises.  Most traditional buyers will, understandably, always want a whole house inspection.  And since most buyers need to get a loan from a traditional lender, they will need an appraisal.  In almost all but the very "hot" markets, these items notoriously will turn up "deficiencies" that give the buyer opportunities to renegotiate the purchase price.  In my company's case, we buy the house completely "as is."  Unless a structural issue has been discussed with a seller during the initial walkthrough or signing a purchase agreement, the price doesn't change.Move When You Want.  With Home Downsizing Solutions, we can close and buy a house, but let the seller remain in the house for up to 90 days or more.We have worked with many situations where the seller had a "catch 22" where they could either move into a new living arrangement right away but didn't want to leave a vacant house, or they wanted to sell but their new home or apartment wasn't ready for them to move into.  By buying their house and letting them transition to their new home or apartment on their schedule, we eliminated those issues.By being able to buy a house before having to move, sellers are also able to eliminate the need of a bridge loan, if they needed funds from the sale of their house to move into a new living arrangement.We have also worked with situations where we purchased a house, and let the seller keep possession until they were able to have a local resource have an estate sale so they could monetize whatever "stuff" they could.  Then we took care of any of the stuff that didn't sell, so the seller or estate sale company didn't have the time or expense to dispose of the items.Sell Your House And Stay As Long As You Want.  If you love your home but don't want to worry about maintenance or repairs, we now provide an option for that.  We can buy a house and allow the seller to rent the property as long as they want.  We can even come in, make updates or repairs to "age in place," and create the home environment you want.Provide Concierge Services.  A good home buying company, like Home Downsizing Solutions, will learn and understand the logistical needs of the seller.  We have provided or introduced sellers to services such as senior placement agents, senior move managers, moving companies, or other resources that made the transition to a new home less stressful.What Do Home Buying Companies Actually Pay For HousesOne of the first questions I typically am asked is, "what do you pay for houses," or "what percentage of market value do you pay for houses?"  It is common for real estate investing "gurus" to teach their new students to make offers of 70% to 75% of market value, minus repairs.  However, for a good home buying company, this is not all that accurate, and is a very simplistic way to look at this.  It would be comparable to say, "all real estate agents charge 7% to sell a house."With Home Downsizing Solutions, it depends... it depends on what time of year (holding costs are higher in the winter).  It depends on the comparables we can find to determine values or potential values of an area or subdivision.  It depends if there are just cosmetic and "stuff" issues to deal with or if there are structural or potential structural issues.  Another way to state the above is, it depends on risk.  If we perceive more risk to buying a house, our offer is going to be lower than if we perceive less risk.When a real estate agent lists a house, they have no financial risk.  When a wholesaler makes an offer on a house, they have no financial risk.  When my company buys a house, we have a lot of financial risk.  If our calculations are wrong, or there are issues with a house that we were not able to determine before purchasing a house, we can't go back to a seller and renegotiate.  We have all the risk.I know that when we speak to a seller, we have to be competitive with our offers, because they have multiple other options to choose from.  If we were not competitive or provide value to potential sellers, we would not be in business after 25+ years.Home Downsizing Solutions home buyers provides multiple types of offers for sellers.  One example of an offer, other than an all-cash offer, is if a seller doesn't need all of the funds from the sale of a house immediately, we can pay a much higher than retail price by making payments to the seller and turning the equity in the house into an income stream.  Another way to look at this type of option is, the easier it is to buy a house, the more we can pay.Is A Cash Home Buying Company A Good Option To Sell A House?Everyone's situation is unique, and one size does not fit all.  If you're considering selling your house, we can provide a free consultation to discuss the positives and negatives of the multiple options you have to get your house sold.  We want to provide the information you need to make an informed decision of the best path forward for your real estate needs.For additional information, just go to www.HomeDownsiziing.com or call us at (855)-433-5854.

Are you considering selling your house and moving to a smaller home, apartment, apartment community, or other senior living arrangement?  Maybe you have a parent or loved one that is considering making that transition or may have already made the transition to a senior living community, and you're tasked with taking care of all the "stuff" left in the house and getting the house sold.One of the most common items I hear when talking to homeowners considering downsizing or that have already moved is, "I'm thinking about having an estate sale for the items that I or my family don't want or need."  Although this is a very common thought to have, I'd like to discuss some of the realities of estate sales and various options available to take care of that "stuff."Evaluating Your PossessionInitially, you need to conduct a thorough assessment of your belongings.  This could involve labeling or creating a list of items into categories, such as:  must keep, sentimental items, and non-essential or unwanted items.  This initial step will provide a good foundation for downsizing and the transition to a new home.Keepsakes and Sentimental Items:  It's important to identify items that are of value, both monetary and that have sentimental value.  Items like antiques, collectibles, artwork, and some furniture might be suitable for an estate sale.  If items have sentimental value and cannot be easily replaced, you may want to consider what happens with these items more carefully.Donations to Charities:  Items that are in good condition that you no longer need or want, and that you would like to see be used or of value can be given a new home through donations to local charities or organizations you support.  Something that I don't think most people realize though, is how picky most charities are.  Whether its because of potential liability or other reasons, most charities do not accept items unless they are in great condition or brand new.  Many items that we'd think a charity would accept typically are not.Gifts to Family & Friends:  If you have items that you want members of your family to have or that has significance to family members that will appreciate them, utilize this opportunity to ensure those items go to a good new home.The Estate Sale OptionAn estate sale can be a great way to sell your belongings when downsizing.  These sales are typically conducted by professionals who manage the process from start to finish.Inventory:  Do you have enough inventory for an estate sale?  Its very common for most estate sale companies to only work with sales where there is at least $10,000 to $15,000 of inventory.  Because of the time and effort that goes into having a successful sale (for the estate sale company as well as the home owner) having enough value in inventory is essential.Preparing For The Sale:  Estate sale companies take care of organizing, pricing, and presenting items for sale to potential buyers.  They also handle marketing, advertising, and managing the event itself, which may be at the house, online, or a combination of both.  For the home owner, this relieves the stress and hassles of handling all of the details that can come with an estate sale.One challenge that I often hear about is the timing of the sale in regards to needing funds to get the home owner (parent or loved one) into senior living, selling the house, having the estate sale or getting funds for the the belongings in other ways, and cleaning out the house to get the house sale ready.Home Downsizing Solutions can solve these problems by BUYING the house, getting the funds from the sale of the house to the seller/family immediately so that funds are available for senior living, having the estate sale to generate additional funds if possible, and then handing possession of the house to Home Downsizing Solutions "as is," with or without any stuff.  Home Downsizing Solutions will take care of any of the stuff you don't want, need, or can't sell.Other Options When You Don't Have Enough Stuff For An Estate SaleWhat happens in situations where there's not enough inventory to have an estate sale?  This can often happen once you've determined the items you want to keep, items you want to give to family and friends, and items you want to see donated to a favorite charity.Some home owners decide they still want to try to monetize the items they have left, which can lead to trying to sell items individually or by having a garage sale.  This can be financially successful, but you will need to consider the time and effort of organizing all of the items, pricing the items, marketing the event, and what it takes (especially your time) to have the actual sale.An easier "done for you" option is to have a company, like Home Downsizing Solutions, purchase your house and all of the "stuff" in it!  This allows you to just make one call to have your house and all the stuff in it sold, making the transition to a smaller home or apartment less stressful!Additional Resources For Downsizing Your HouseAlthough dealing with all of the stuff in your house to be able to make the transition to your next home can seem daunting, it doesn't have to be with the right resources. There are great estate sale and other companies that help with a person's belongings and the transition to a smaller living arrangement.There are services that can assist with packing & moving, finding the right senior living community.And, there are great services, like Home Downsizing Solutions, that can buy your house, take care of the stuff in the house, and facilitate moving to your next home, apartment, or other senior living arrangement.If you have questions, or we can be of service to you and your family, please contact us at (855)-433-5854 or at www.HomeDownsizing.comBen Souchek is an author of the book Home Downsizing Secrets, and the owner and founder of Home Downsizing Solutions, a company that specializes in helping home owners transition from their current house to a new home, apartment, or other senior living community for more than 25 years.

Have you lived in your house for 20, 30, 40 years or more?  Are there rooms or entire floors that you no longer use or need?  Are there maintenance or repair items that should be addressed, but you don't have the funds or want to spend what is needed for those items?These are common concerns homeowners think when they are considering selling their house and downsizing.  Like with any important decision, you need to educate yourself as best you can on this important life change, take time to digest the information, and study all of your available options.  Selling a house and moving to a smaller home, apartment, or other senior living arrangement provides new opportunities as well as potential challenges.Questions You May Be AskingJust some of the questions you may be asking are:  Where will I go?  What are the best living arrangements for my current as well as future needs?  What are the financial limitations or benefits with a move?  Is your present or future health condition a concern?  What items do I want, or can I take with me?  How much is my house worth in its present condition?  What repairs and maintenance items need to be addressed to make the house more sellable, and what are the costs of those?Is It Time to Sell Your House and Downsize?Only you can answer the above question.  One of the primary items to consider is whether your house is too large or is just not the best housing option for your current or future needs.Has the death of a spouse made you ask if now's the time to move?  This can certainly occur after the loss of a loved one.Has your house become too much of a burden?  Has navigating stairs become a challenge or a danger to your health?Are there repairs or deferred maintenance that needs to be addressed?  Ignoring these items will not make them go away.  You may no longer want to take on the do-it-yourself projects that you once did.  These items may not be possible because of your current finances, or you just don't want to spend the money on them.Is the condition of your health pushing you to move in with an adult child or move to an apartment community with healthcare options available for current and future needs?  This can often be a factor in determining that it is indeed time to make the move to a better living arrangement, and be able to enjoy life more!  If an adult child worried that you're no longer safe in your house and would like you in a living arrangement better suited for your needs?Would you like to stay in your house if you didn't have to worry about repairs, maintenance items, or outside tasks like mowing the lawn and scooping snow?  There are options available that will allow you to stay in your house and not have to worry about those items.Items to Consider Before Selling Your House and DownsizingSome things to consider before selling your house and downsizing include:  The timeline you are working with in regard to when you'd like to move, your current health, do you want or need to move sooner than later, and other factors such as what type and cost of living accommodations do you want to move to, and what items do you wish to take with you.Choosing The Best Real Estate ProfessionalThe right real estate professional can be a great asset in the process of selling a house and downsizing.  They should have the experience in assisting homeowners that have your unique needs when selling a house and downsizing or moving to senior living.Most importantly, they should be able to offer multiple solutions to accommodate your needs and desires to get your house sold.  Someone that I consider a Total Solutions Agent.The best real estate professional is someone that can offer or facilitate a direct sale of your house in its current "as is" condition and assist with your transition to a new home or other senior living arrangement, as well as being able to market your house in a traditional manner.Selling to a direct home buyer can be a great solution if you don't want to show your house, have strangers in and out of your house, do updates and repairs that you would not prefer to do or just don't want to spend the money on, or don't want to deal with the "catch 22" of selling your house before you know you can move into your new home or apartment, or moving and worrying about a vacant house.A direct home buyer may also be a good solution in situations where adult children, who live out of the area, are tasked with getting a parent or loved one into a senior living arrangement, and do not have the time or ability to get a house into show ready condition, especially if the house needs repairs and maintenance or is a hoarder situation.Listing and putting your house on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) may be the best solution if you don't mind those items mentioned above and want or need to maximize the value from your house.  Listing your house will expose your property to the market of buyers and their agents that are looking to purchase a home.  Current market conditions will dictate how easy or challenging selling your house in this manner will be.The best solution to sell your house typically comes down to the benefits a direct home buying company or real estate agent provides and the value you place on those benefits.Additional Resources to Serve YouThe best real estate professionals will also have additional resources available to make the transition from your house to a new home or apartment as stress and hassle free as possible.Providing "concierge like" services with connecting you with a move manager and/or moving company and possibly a "placement agent" that can discuss your needs of a new home or apartment community, can make the transition much easier.Are You Ready See If Selling Your House and Downsizing Is Right for You?If you're ready to see if selling your house and downsizing is right for you, just know that there are many resources available, starting with contacting us at Home Downsizing Solutions!

The Fear of Home Downsizing Home Downsizing.  Just the words tend to conjure up images and feelings of overwhelm to the point that a home owner freezes and does nothing. After more than 25 years of working with home owners (or their family members) that want or need to sell and move to a smaller home, apartment, or other senior living arrangement, I have witnessed numerous specific and personal needs a person has with the transition to senior living. Some of the items that need to be considered are timing, locating the right new home, apartment, or other senior facility, a move manager and/or moving company, selling the house youre currently in, including what to do with all the stuff in the house, and making this all happen with minimal stress. One of the first primary issues is timing.  If a person is just looking to sell a house and move to a smaller house or independent living community, this may be a one to three (or more) year process. Many home owners think about repairs and updates a house needs or should have done to get the house ready to put on the market, as well as taking care of all the stuff that may have accumulated in the house.   Finding the right new home, apartment, or apartment community may also take some time, especially if a person wants a ground level apartment, or one that takes pets, and in a particular part of town. If someone has a health emergency, then this timeline to find the right place to move to is pushed rapidly forward. Finding the right apartment or senior living community is also very important.  Sometimes the best communities or facilities are not always the closest or most convenient to family members, doctors, or other services that a person would like. It may be much more important to find a community or facility that provides the best care and services for your needs, instead of focusing solely on how close it is to family or friends. One issue I hear from sellers moving to senior living probably more than anything else, is what do I do with all this stuff.  If a person has lived in a house for 20, 30, 40 years or more, its understandable that a lot of stuff has accumulated. It most likely took a lot of years to accumulate the stuff you have, so dont feel you need to complete a project like this all at one time.   Taking small steps like starting with one room and labeling items that you know you want to keep or know you can part with is a start. Moving from where you are now to a smaller home or apartment is a big change, but if youve done some pre-move planning, it doesnt have to be stressful. Creating a floor plan of where you are moving to, so that you know what can be moved and where it will go, can help.  Knowing what you can and want to take with you can then help with parting with items that you know you dont want or cant take with you. Moving resources available range from those that just pick up and move furniture and items already boxed up, to companies that will do everything to move you, so that the only thing you need to do is literally get yourself to your new dwelling. Lastly, what to do with your house?  There are options.  Do you keep the house as an investment property?  Do you sell the house and use the proceeds to buy a smaller home or buy into a community?  Do you use the sale proceeds to invest as part of a retirement plan?  Do you sell the house and turn your equity into a monthly income stream? What you do with your house and how you sell will be determined by your specific situation and how best your house can help you achieve your goals. For all of the above items, the key to getting repairs and updates completed, getting the stuff taken care of, finding the right new home, apartment, or other senior living arrangement, and getting moved from point A to point B, is having the right team to assist you. Just know that there are local resources for each step of the process to help make the transition to a smaller home or apartment as stress free as possible. If youd like additional information about downsizing or downsizing resources, just call my office at (402) 450-0199. **************Ben Souchek is an author of the book Home Downsizing Secrets as well as the owner and founder of Home Downsizing Solutions by The Sierra Group, LLC, a company that specializes in helping seniors and their families transition to senior living by buying houses direct from sellers.