Youve been on a waiting list for a senior living facility for years.   In the meantime, your dream cruise is planned and that family reunion is around the corner...then you get the call." If youre like many downsizing Seniors the question echoing in your mind is; What do I do about the house?  Here is a quick guide that can give you the confidence and structure that you need. First, take a breathyou can do this!  Next, identify a trusted Realtor who has genuine experience helping Seniors.  Start by looking for Realtors that have the Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES) designation.  Seniors and their families need a Realtor to help navigate the maze of financial, legal, and emotional issues accompanying the sale of your memory filled home.   Im a longtime SRES and still depend on this special training to help Seniors through the process.  It may sound old school, but a Realtor who listens deeply and communicates with a smile, handshake, and a visit is a must.  Skills like patience, planning, and guiding are critical. Invite your Realtor in as early as possible to walk through the home to learn its unique character and story!  Look for a Realtor who can translate the story into a plan to market that uniqueness.  Part of their role will be to help you understand how to prepare your home for the marketwhat projects to tackle, which ones to ignore, and how to not go overboard as you prepare to sell.  Like all top Realtors, we have a handy list of trusted resources to help tackle agreed upon projects.   Pricing should be based on reality and facts, not hopes and dreams.  Location, size, and amenities are part of the equation as are market activity, market trends, and area competition.  Over the years, weve developed a very customized, yet simple, tool to accurately forecast list and sale prices.  All top Realtors will have something similar in their tool belt.  Be comfortable asking questionsworking with a Realtor should be a collaboration, not a dictatorship. Using a professional stager and photographer is another must do in todays market.  Digital marketing demands high quality, properly lit, compelling photos of an expertly staged homed so that it shines and tells its story clearly.  Every Realtor handles this differently, but we believe in this concept so strongly that we provide both a stager and photographer at no cost to our listing clientsit is just too important to skip.    These are the steps that lead to the For Sale signand hopefully the ability to breathe a bit easier. This article was written by Mike Julian, Managing Broker, Realty One Group Unlimited.