Moving on

Margaret Szerlip & Sally Bortz
Margaret Szerlip and Sally Bortz have been selling real estate in the
Western suburbs of Boston for a combined 45 years. Many of their sellers
are older folks looking to downsize or move to an Independent Living
setting. Moving is a challenge for people of any age, but it is especially
challenging for Seniors. They discovered that many of the Seniors they
represented did not have children living close by and the task of sorting,
packing and unpacking seemed insurmountable. Over the course of
several years they have compiled a vast list of vendors and support
teams that provide a full service, stress free experience for their clients.
Sally and Margaret advanced their knowledge by taking the Senior
Real Estate Specialist course and obtained the sought-after SRES
designation. This training and certification further enhanced their
awareness about different legal and financial considerations, such as
the use of pensions, 401k accounts, and IRAs in real estate transactions.
To help broaden their services they have aligned with Elderlife Financial
Services. Elderlife will loan Seniors money to spruce up a current house,
provide the entry fee deposit required to enter some Senior Living
facilities or to advance the money needed for the buy in option at a few
Independent Living communities.
With their own parents in their late 80’s and early 90’s, both Margaret
and Sally have first-hand experience helping to downsize. Margaret’s
90-year-old father still lives independently in a 55 plus community in NJ.
While her mother-in-law has downsized a few times; first to a condo and
then to an independent living community in northern NJ. Sally also helped
manage the move of her parents from their family home of 57 years to an
apartment complex in a nearby community, closer to her brothers.
Each of these transitions, along with the many home sales they have
facilitated over the years have allowed them to gain a deeper knowledge
of the complexities of such a move. They have the resources available to
simplify the transaction and eliminate the anxiety of selling your home.
Sally Bortz
Realtor
617.699.6820
Sally@compass.com
Margaret Szerlip
Realtor
617.921.6880
Margaret@compass.com
Contents
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Is it time to sell your home? 01
Selling a senior’s home is different 02
What is an SRES®? 03
The SRES® professional network 04
Issues to consider before starting the process 06
What to expect from your SRES® 07
Step 1: Housing options 09
Steps in choosing senior housing 12
Step 2: Meeting healthcare and other needs 13
Step 3: Financial Considerations 16
Step 4: Legal Considerations 20
Step 5: Selling Your Current Home 22
Moving Checklist 28
Resources 29
Client Testimonials 30
1 Seniors Real Estate Specialists® www.sres.org 2
Are you thinking of selling your home to move to a senior-supportive
environment? Or perhaps to move in with an adult son or daughter who
can help with your needs as you grow older?
You may be considering leaving the family home with all that it
represents—the place where children were raised; the safety and
security of a family unit; the physical space where your oldest and dearest
memories reside. For seniors, it can signify thethe place where children were raised; the safety,

security of a family unit; the physical space where your oldest and dearest
memories reside. For seniors, it can signify the best years of their lives,
where friends and community ties were made.
Many seniors would prefer to continue living in their own home,
or aging in place. Sometimes, circumstances work against those
preferences:
• Home maintenance becomes a burden
• A major life event forces considering a move
• An aging parent wants to live closer to adult children
or other caretakers
• Financial concerns make it difficult to keep the home
• Support services are needed that are not available at home
Whatever the reason, there may come a time when parents, along
with their adult children, consider selling and moving on. This booklet
is designed to help guide your family through the complex issues and unique situations you may find during the process. Call us for the booklet that may change your life.

Selling a senior’s home is different
Many homeowners have previously bought and sold homes. However,
selling a senior’s home can be much more complicated, due to the
number of unique issues and decisions—and sometimes the number
of people involved. Though seniors usually make the decision to sell, it is
not uncommon for adult children to help them sort through these and
other issues:
• Is moving the best alternative? If so, where? Have other options
been explored?
• Are close family members on board with a decision to sell?
• What is the best way to downsize a lifetime’s worth of possessions
and family heirlooms?
• What are the tax-related implications of a sale?
• What effects might a sale have on future income?
The financial, logistical and emotional issues involved in a move can be
stressful for a family to navigate. Senior parents and their adult children
may feel they are in unfamiliar waters as they deal with these questions.
A real estate professional who has experience in senior’s issues,
and who can put you in contact with other similarly-trained professional
advisors, can be an invaluable resource at this time. You can count on a
Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES®) to help guide you through the

process and the special considerations, making the transaction less
stressful and more successful.