Beyond the For Sale Sign: Understanding Senior Real Estate

In this episode, we dive into the complex world of senior real estate with Jody Epstein, a Senior Real Estate Specialist from Windermere Real Estate. With 20 years of experience, Jody shares invaluable insights on navigating the emotional and financial challenges seniors face when making significant housing decisions.

We explore the delicate balance between emotional attachments and practical needs when downsizing, with Jody offering strategies to ease the transition. The conversation then shifts to the critical financial aspects of senior real estate transactions, emphasizing the importance of working with specialized professionals to maximize property value and preserve funds for future care.

Tune in to discover the various senior living options available, from Continuing Care Retirement Communities to intergenerational housing. Jody breaks down the benefits of each, helping listeners understand which might be the best fit for their unique situations. We also delve into the crucial role of Senior Real Estate Specialists and why planning ahead is key to a smooth transition.

Whether you're a senior considering a move or a family member helping with this process, this episode offers practical advice and expert insights to guide you through this significant life change. Don't miss Jody's parting wisdom on staying in control of your real estate journey!
 
 Jody’s Website: https://jodyinthehouse.com

SeniorLivingGuide.com Podcast sponsored by Terrabella Senior Living

The background music is written, performed, and produced exclusively by purple-planet.com.

https://www.purple-planet.com/

*SeniorLivingGuide.com Webinars and Podcast represents the opinions and expertise of our guests. The content here is for informational and educational purposes. It does not necessarily represent the views, recommendations, opinions or advice of Fairfax Publishing/SeniorLivingGuide.com or its employees

Transcript

Darleen Mahoney [0:02 - 0:31]: Today we welcome Jodi Epstein. She is a senior real estate specialist with Windermere Real Estate, located in the Seattle metro area. And she has 20 years experience. Jodi likes to help older adults and their families make smooth, stress free moves into their next chapters. Her passion is making sure every client feels supported, not just with selling a home, but with the entire transition. Thank you for joining us today, Jodi. 

Jody Epstein [0:32 - 0:33]: Thank you for having me, Darlene. 

Darleen Mahoney [0:34 - 0:43]: Yeah, absolutely. So I'm excited to kind of dig into this because we're going to talk not just about selling a home, but potentially buying a home. 

Jody Epstein [0:43 - 0:44]: Yes, that's correct. 

Darleen Mahoney [0:45 - 0:45]: Yeah. 

Darleen Mahoney [0:45 - 0:57]: For older adults and some of the decisions, because as we know, buying and selling homes as an older adult is different than when you're a new family starting out and you're buying your very first home. 

Jody Epstein [0:58 - 1:06]: That's right. There's absolutely a lot more options that were not considered previously that need to be looked at now. And there's more people involved usually in the decision process. 

Darleen Mahoney [1:07 - 1:20]: Yeah, for sure. So tell us a little bit about some of the first things that you think about in your years of experience and working specifically with older adults and their families. That's not just transactional. 

Jody Epstein [1:23 - 2:16]: I think emotion is a big part of a move for anybody, but it's even harder sometimes or more important to seniors. Oftentimes I'm working with clients who are moving out of a home that was a cherished home where they raised a family or they lived with their partner, their loved ones. And there's 30 odd years of memories there that are collected that are very hard to part with. So what I help my clients with is we look to identify what, what the emotional attachment is. And there's, there are things that they should absolutely bring with them wherever they're going if they're making a downsize. But there's also other things that they can give new life to and give to new people who get good use out of them and continue that, you know, so to pass something on and have it as opposed to going to a landfill. I like to help people find a way to repurpose something and give it new life. 

Darleen Mahoney [2:17 - 2:18]: I like that idea. 

Darleen Mahoney [2:18 - 2:19]: Yeah. 

Darleen Mahoney [2:19 - 2:31]: So you're kind of, you're passing on that love, that tradition, that connection that they maybe have with someone, with something to someone to build that next generation of connection and love. 

Jody Epstein [2:32 - 2:54]: Absolutely. You know, I think when things are so precious, you want to see them continue to be cared for by somebody else. And if they are no longer bringing that same value, that same connection that they once had, let's let it do it for somebody else. And people really like that idea. And it's much nicer than thinking of things just going to the garbage. 

Darleen Mahoney [2:54 - 2:56]: Yeah, yeah. 

Darleen Mahoney [2:56 - 3:58]: And especially if it's going to like a family member or loved one. I remember my grandmother saying to me for years, she died in her late 90s, but even when she was in her 70s, my grandmother was very healthy. She was just one of these people, go, go, go all the way till the end. She would say, sticker on it. Put your sticker on it. And we were like, no, we're not going to put our sticker on. And nobody did the sticker thing. But when it came time to, like, I don't want to say divvy up her things, but it was all done very nicely and she was a part of that. And she would tell stories, you know, kind of, you know, this is, you know, a travel that she experienced because she did enjoy traveling, and then my grandfather was in the war and some different things. So she was able to provide some of these things within her home that were precious to her and attach a story to it. So it means more to us. Yes, that is really special. 

Jody Epstein [3:59 - 4:29]: I do encourage my clients to do that with their loved ones and their friends earlier rather than later, because that's the opportunity to pass on those stories that you might just forget about and not take the time to sit down and discuss. But as you're going through things, you really get to understand more about the person and their background and where they came from and why something holds value to them. And it's just a great time to connect and to pass on traditions and whatnot. 

Darleen Mahoney [4:29 - 4:30]: Yeah. 

Darleen Mahoney [4:30 - 4:33]: And you appreciate it more than if you just put your sticker on it and you get it at the end. 

Jody Epstein [4:34 - 4:46]: Absolutely. And also, it's nice to have that involvement with a family and not just leave it to them to figure out your intentions are known and what's behind the intentions is understood. 

Darleen Mahoney [4:47 - 4:50]: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. 

Darleen Mahoney [4:51 - 5:34]: So when you're talking to them and they're making some of these decisions, do you kind of go through with different places they could maybe donate that would benefit? If it's not something that's like a precious item, it's just a useful item because sometimes, you know, you have things that just aren't going to fit in a smaller space, but they're not particularly. They may have sentimental meaning to them because it's the dining room table they've had for 15 years. But in all honesty, maybe someone in the family or what have you. It's not going to fit their style or, you know, it's just not a needed item in someone's home, but, you know, kind of finding where it might be most useful. Not necessarily as like a cherished memory, but something that's really needed. 

Jody Epstein [5:35 - 6:20]: Absolutely. So part of being a senior real estate specialist is I have an entire network of people I'm working with that are involved in senior moving. So there are specifically senior movers who help folks go through this, go through everything, and I work with them. And we have organizations that will come and pick up furniture items like the cherished table, will send a photo, they will find another family in need immediately make use of it, so the donation is picked up and delivered same day. We're looking to get everything into somebody else's home and use. And we have the resources to provide that. Yeah, we're trying to send minimal items to Goodwill and very, very few to the dump. 

Darleen Mahoney [6:20 - 6:21]: Yeah, exactly. 

Darleen Mahoney [6:21 - 7:27]: And see, I think that's what's great about having a senior real estate specialist that specifically works with seniors, because they really hone into the needs of the senior and their family versus the transactional part, which is typically, well, not always with real estate specialists. I think that real estate folks in general connect with people, but they don't always understand the needs specifically of seniors because it is very, very unique. Sometimes these seniors are making, you know, a move, as you mentioned, out of that family home they've had for 30 years, 50 years. They've seen weddings there, baby showers, they've raised their children there. And once they make that move, they're never going to be back into that family home. They may be going into an assisted living, or they may be going into a different type of care or moving in with family where they're not. They're losing that independence. So it's a big emotional journey for them. So being cognizant of that and understanding of that and helping them through that journey is. That's a big undertaking. 

Jody Epstein [7:28 - 8:09]: It is a big undertaking. And that's why I have that whole team behind me. I have the senior movers, the elder care attorneys, we have the CPAs, everybody who's involved and focused on what seniors need. And once they decide that or they know they need to make the move. There's also five different types of homes they might be moving to. And I need to make sure that they understand the differences between those types of homes as well as the significant people in their life and making sure that they are fully aware. And if somebody is not fully aware or needs some assistance we need to make sure that that loved one is involved and they have power of attorney and they're able to help to make sure that their needs are met and their wishes are met. 

Darleen Mahoney [8:10 - 8:11]: Yeah. 

Darleen Mahoney [8:11 - 8:58]: Because sometimes as we age, the child becomes the parent and the parent becomes the child. Um, and it's a critical time when some of those transitions are taking place. And I, as a daughter, did not like that transition. I never wanted to parent my father, and I'm sure he was not in love with the fact that he was being parented by me, but he had dementia, so at some point it had to happen. I was uncomfortable with it, but unfortunately that sometimes has to be the case. So it's really understanding their needs, and that person that's working on the transactional part understands and can connect with the family as well. I think that's a great, you know. 

Jody Epstein [8:58 - 9:10]: And something else to be considered. It's not everybody has to move. You can age in place, but there's also a lot of steps that need to be done to make sure the person is safe and that it's appropriate. 

Darleen Mahoney [9:11 - 9:11]: Yeah. 

Jody Epstein [9:11 - 9:33]: And I personally had been pushing my folks to move to something else. They were living a two story home with all the full baths and bedrooms upstairs. And for years I've been saying, you don't need this staircase. This is very narrow staircase. It's steep. It has me concerned. And by the time my folks were ready to look, unfortunately, Covid hit. 

Darleen Mahoney [9:34 - 9:34]: Oh, no. 

Jody Epstein [9:35 - 9:43]: So we had to move to aging in place, where I put extra banisters in and guardrails and handholds and things like that to make sure they were stable and secure. 

Darleen Mahoney [9:44 - 9:45]: Yeah, yeah. 

Darleen Mahoney [9:45 - 9:53]: And then the real estate market changed on a dime during COVID So what you were looking at pre Covid and post Covid are two different real estate markets. 

Jody Epstein [9:54 - 9:55]: Absolutely. 

Darleen Mahoney [9:55 - 10:50]: At least in most areas. I'm in. I'm in Florida. And it changed very quickly. So what was affordable became completely unaffordable and still is. So I completely understand that. And aging in place. I'm always an advocate for aging in place. I think, you know, as long as you can stay in your home and have those comforts, I always think to myself, the idea of getting up in the morning and being able to go make your own coffee and in your slippers, in your bathrobe and watch the morning news at your will is a luxury that might be taking, you know, not. Might not be as accessible when you get older. Now, there's lots of amazing things that are about senior living communities, but that to me, is Just a, it's a home comfort. And that's something that I think you should be able to hold on to if that's something you enjoy for a very long time. 

Jody Epstein [10:51 - 12:07]: Absolutely, I agree. And what a lot of folks don't think about, you know, there are people when it comes time that they need to either age in place or they need to move and have step up care. It's a very emotional decision and it can be a scary decision. A lot of people look at it as, you know, you're sending me someplace or this is where I'm going to pass. No, this is going someplace. You're going to live a better life if you're moving. This is all about improving your lifestyle, whether you're at home or elsewhere. And there are so many different communities out there and different types of communities where you can move in. You could have your own kitchen, you could have a balcony, have a view, but you could step outside and there's community and things to do. I have to tell you, I think almost 100% of the people I've worked with over the years, they were initially maybe resistant, but all of them, once they move into some sort of 55 plus community, wish they had done it sooner. Yeah, they really do. Whether they're moving directly into independent living or they're going someplace that they know they can graduate to skilled nursing, a continuing care retirement community, they're just living a better life. There's more to do and they're just active and they're engaged. 

Darleen Mahoney [12:08 - 13:05]: Yeah, you just have to find the community that's the right fit for you, that meets the needs that you have. Because everybody's got different personalities and different needs. So it is, I think, sitting down and figuring what those are and then finding the community that matches those priorities. My mom was a social bug. My mom really would have social, social, social. And my dad would have been or was not specifically interested in the social aspect, but he had different aspects of a community and what he would have wanted. He liked the activities, he liked painting, he liked photography, he liked gardening, he liked those different types of things. So having those activities would have been more important to him than the social. Where my mom would have been just chitty chatty, chitty chatty, chitty chatty. My dad would have been like, oh, stop the talking. You know, so two different personalities. 

Jody Epstein [13:07 - 13:15]: Usually there's so many different style communities that you can move to, but I am certain there's always one that will fit both those styles. 

Darleen Mahoney [13:16 - 13:19]: Oh, absolutely. And one spot in one spot for sure. 

Darleen Mahoney [13:19 - 13:20]: Yeah. 

Jody Epstein [13:20 - 13:21]: Absolutely. 

Darleen Mahoney [13:21 - 13:24]: So they don't have to live separately. So that would be a good thing. 

Jody Epstein [13:24 - 13:37]: But I have had clients who've elected, you know, because of different health needs, even some, you know, where they've moved to a continuing care community where one person might be in skilled nursing and the other is an independent living in the same building. 

Darleen Mahoney [13:37 - 13:38]: Right. 

Jody Epstein [13:38 - 13:53]: And we've had companies come in, they help us, we go through their belongings and we help pick the furniture that's going to fit into the exact space they're moving into. That, that is really their cherished pieces. That helps make their new space a home to them. 

Darleen Mahoney [13:53 - 13:54]: Yeah. 

Jody Epstein [13:54 - 14:03]: And the couples, sometimes they stay independent or hopefully, you know, whoever's in skilled nursing improves, they're able to go back together and to move into a bigger unit. 

Darleen Mahoney [14:03 - 14:04]: Yeah. 

Jody Epstein [14:04 - 14:06]: And they sold everything they wanted. 

Darleen Mahoney [14:06 - 14:08]: Exactly, exactly. 

Darleen Mahoney [14:08 - 14:13]: So when you're talking through folks and you've. You've gone through the whole emotional. So when you're talking about, like. 

Jody Epstein [14:16 - 14:16]: You. 

Darleen Mahoney [14:16 - 15:22]: Have to be careful with the money side, because sometimes seniors, they don't have the disposable income necessarily that maybe younger people do. And not that even younger people have as much, but they sometimes younger people, they have the ability to grow their incomes because the ability to get higher degrees, get promoted in jobs, get those raises. But Thomas is sometimes seniors, they have what they've earned, they've had what they've put aside for many, many years, and then they have their Social Security. So they have a very set amount of money for what needs to last them consistently. They can't go out and get a job and, you know, promote their income to increase their income, I should say so you have to really be cognizant of the bottom line and how much they can spend. So is that something that when as a real estate specialists working with older adults, is that something you really consider when you're looking at buying and buying a new home for them or moving them forward and then also selling their homes? 

Jody Epstein [15:23 - 16:31]: Absolutely. You know, buying or selling a property is pretty much always the largest financial transaction of somebody's life. And for the seniors, this is the retirement. This is what's taking care of them. So first and foremost, I make sure they're working with a financial advisor or CPA that's aware of seed needs. They need to have somebody who is looking at all the financial considerations for them. When they look to sell a property, there's several factors. One is market timing, working with a broker who understands when the time is to sell, and working with a seasoned broker, you know, a Lot. I've seen a lot of folks looking to go to a discount broker. 1% broker might sound cheaper, but a seasoned full service broker often, almost always nets clients tens of thousands more. By marketing the property correctly, it makes a huge difference. The seniors, they need every dollar that they're going to have to stretch them through their retirement. And losing even 5% of their potential means fewer care options down the road. And we want to preserve that. We don't want that happening. 

Darleen Mahoney [16:31 - 16:31]: Yeah. 

Jody Epstein [16:32 - 17:18]: So I want them working with somebody, somebody tell them plan ahead for taxes, proceeds allocation and all their future housing costs. We don't want any financial surprises. I don't want somebody calling me in a few years saying they need to move, they can't afford it. That's happened. I have not done my job right. So we got to look beyond the numbers. Knowing the home was sold, a top dollar and a fair value, reducing stress for them and finding the community that has the right program for them. There are so many different styles and financial models in the 55 plus communities that we need to make sure we understand fully where the clients are and what their health looks like and what they're going to be needing in the future. We can have blinders on. 

Darleen Mahoney [17:18 - 17:19]: Exactly. 

Darleen Mahoney [17:20 - 17:21]: Yeah. 

Darleen Mahoney [17:21 - 18:55]: And I think a lot of people looking at senior living don't always realize that. They think there's potentially just the 55 apartments which are is apartment living for 55 seniors. And I know that especially in the state of Florida, it seems like there is quite a few is 55 plus more manufactured living communities. There's quite a few of those which you, you pay rent, you buy the actual home and then you pay rent on the property which also includes the community fees. So that's something that's very big in this state in particular. I'm sure that they're in other states as well. So there's different options. And then clearly the CCRCS life plan type communities and a lot of people are very uneducated on those, they don't really understand those and those can be incredible fits as people are aging. And some of those have, you know, cottages. They have, what do you call them, duplexes that are in like little communities. They are in their own community separate from any type of apartment living or assisted living. But they have a lot of the benefits of community and dining and activities and pickleball and all the things that you need to do to enjoy company of your neighbor and not have to travel very far. So there's so many different things that are available. 

Jody Epstein [18:57 - 19:20]: Absolutely. I always think the CCRCs are probably one of the best options for people just because it is all encompassing. And you know, usually people start looking, they say, well, I'm in great health, I don't need that. True, you might not need it now, but we need to look five years ahead and 10 years ahead. We're not just looking at the next two years. 

Darleen Mahoney [19:20 - 19:21]: Yeah. 

Jody Epstein [19:21 - 19:55]: So depending on where you are in life and you know, sitting down and having an honest talk with your doctor, knowing what your health is like, that may be the right choice. If you're, you know, in early, in the, right around 55 and just starting out, independent living might be a great option. And there's many that have, you know, the great hoas where they're taking care of your property. They have the clubhouse, they have the pickleball court, the swimming pool. They'll take you into town to go to the opera, to go to plays, take you grocery shopping, or you could, but you still have your own garage. You can do it on your own. 

Darleen Mahoney [19:56 - 19:57]: Yeah, yeah. 

Darleen Mahoney [19:58 - 20:23]: Now I do want to clarify for our listeners because sometimes I know that I do this and I talk about this on occasion, we'll use what I call industry term. So for our listeners there, they may be going, what is a ccrc? So, so it is a continuing care retirement community. So in essence, do you want to share what that is, what that means? 

Jody Epstein [20:23 - 21:11]: So CCRC is a comprehensive community offering multiple levels of care all on one campus. So you'll have independent living designed for active, self sufficient seniors who want freedom from home maintenance. You will have assisted living that usually offers housing, meals and help with activities. And you could have specialized care as needed, like dressing, bathing, if somebody needed that. Usually a CCRC will have a memory care facility, so works for people that have different forms of dementia. And then there's skilled nursing which provides 24,7 access to rehabilitation care for folks and people with serious health issues. So it really is all encompassing. 

Darleen Mahoney [21:12 - 21:12]: Yes. 

Darleen Mahoney [21:12 - 22:02]: And a lot of the, a lot of the residents start out on the 55 plus on the Independent side. And through the years they may need additional levels of care and as they age they just graduate into the different levels of care if needed. So that is something that, so you don't have to make those additional moves because sometimes we, when you move into an independent, then if you need additional care, you have to pack your bags again and you have to move. So it's, and you're moving to a community maybe across town or a totally different. Something completely different. It just kind of keeps you in the same area, the same campus where you're not making these big extraordinary moves and it's keeping you more in that home. 

Darleen Mahoney [22:02 - 22:03]: Yeah. 

Darleen Mahoney [22:03 - 22:06]: In your community. So you're not making big moves within. 

Jody Epstein [22:07 - 22:31]: Yeah, absolutely. And there is of course the other option for folks who really prefer independent living and that the concept of it is make sure you're buying a place that's large enough where you could have in home care. You know, a lot of people prefer that. So they move into a 55 plus independent community that's two or three bedrooms and they have a space so they could have an at home caretaker when the time comes. 

Darleen Mahoney [22:31 - 22:32]: Yeah, yeah. 

Jody Epstein [22:33 - 22:49]: You know, when it comes to lifestyle, it's really important for folks to just be honest about what is most important to them. Is it the community? Is it amenities, safety, proximity to healthcare, to family. Really? We want to sit down and kind of really nail that on that. 

Darleen Mahoney [22:50 - 22:51]: Yeah, yeah. 

Darleen Mahoney [22:51 - 23:50]: And you know, another thing that is becoming really popular at least around some areas in this state and then even in another state that I have another client in, is intergenerational housing. Where in their neighborhoods, where it's specifically intergenerational housing, where the main house is, the larger home is typically the children's home with the grandchildren and then there's a connecting home in the back that is the mother in law or grandparents or in law suite or what have you, a 55 plus. And all the homes are like that. So you have connecting for families and then you have community as well for each of those homes in the back that have, you know, the connecting social life. Because each of those intergenerational homes has someone at the age of 55 plus that's living in them. I think that's an incredible idea. 

Jody Epstein [23:50 - 24:18]: So sell it is. And what we're seeing in the Pacific Northwest is, well, with the housing shortage that we've been having and the price is going up, we're seeing zoning laws change where we're getting more additional dwelling units, either attached or detached being allowed on the properties. And we are seeing more people in the 55/community move back into their small tiny house adjacent or attached to their children's home. 

Darleen Mahoney [24:19 - 24:19]: Yeah. 

Darleen Mahoney [24:19 - 24:30]: And I will tell you, as, as I get older, I realize I don't need stuff. And the idea of a smaller environment just is less stressful. 

Darleen Mahoney [24:31 - 24:32]: It is, yes. 

Jody Epstein [24:32 - 24:34]: It's less stressful to have less things. 

Darleen Mahoney [24:34 - 24:35]: Yeah. 

Jody Epstein [24:35 - 24:41]: And to have somebody else managing the, the home, the building, wherever you are. 

Darleen Mahoney [24:41 - 24:42]: Yeah. 

Jody Epstein [24:42 - 24:47]: You know, I look at some of these 55 plus communities and I'm Just a few years away, but I'm ready to go. 

Darleen Mahoney [24:48 - 24:49]: Yeah. Yeah. 

Jody Epstein [24:49 - 24:50]: They really offer a great lifestyle. 

Darleen Mahoney [24:51 - 24:51]: Yeah. 

Darleen Mahoney [24:51 - 24:54]: I just put a fork in it. I don't want to worry about it anymore. 

Darleen Mahoney [24:54 - 24:54]: Yeah, right. 

Darleen Mahoney [24:54 - 24:57]: Yeah. Give me one bathroom to clean and be done. 

Jody Epstein [24:59 - 25:43]: I do think, you know, it's important to get your family involved and decide, you know, do we want to live back or how close to family do you want to be? Do you. Do they want you in the backyard? Are you coming home over every day for dinner? Or do they want you in the same town where you. Or you have your independence and you can come over and see them anytime? So it's like you're talking with your family and looking at timing and planning. Don't wait for a crisis. That's the worst thing. And I, you know, if it happens, it happens. But I hate, I hate it for my clients working with somebody who's moving because they're being forced to. They have to. Something happened in their, with their health and they're under the gun to make a decision. It's not fun. 

Darleen Mahoney [25:44 - 26:02]: No. And I do think, just from my experience, a lot of times when that's the case, then you, you make a decision based on the crisis, and so you end up making another move not that long after because you, you did it in a rush. And then you really start finding you really would have preferred something different. 

Jody Epstein [26:02 - 26:03]: Absolutely. 

Darleen Mahoney [26:04 - 26:04]: Yeah. 

Darleen Mahoney [26:04 - 26:08]: 100%. But sometimes those crisis are really, really hard to avoid. 

Jody Epstein [26:09 - 26:58]: What it comes down to, we've been talking a lot about this is rarely is there one size fits all for everybody, whether for your father, your mother, or for the individual and wherever they live. And what most people don't realize is they should be working with a senior real estate specialist because that person is to be tapped into all those different options in their community, you know, so, like, I have people who are looking for relocating. I'm helping clients right now. They're relocating near their kids, moving to Colorado. I've connected them with a senior real estate specialist there. I'm going to help them downsize and sell their property. And SRES in Colorado will help them find their new home because they're going to meet with them and identify their needs and talk with the family there. You really want to work with an SRES because they just, they're tuned in to all the options that are out there. 

Darleen Mahoney [26:59 - 27:22]: Yeah, no, I think that's exactly perfect because you help with literally everything, help with the downsizing, you help with the moving, you help with everything in between that senior specific, senior Related. So why not take advantage of that? Because it doesn't hurt to look into that specifically and it is available. So why would you not take advantage of that? For sure. 

Jody Epstein [27:23 - 27:58]: Right. And on the, especially on the moving side, when you're selling a property, people are eager to get to their next home. So I'm there to come in with the companies that I'm coming with, the move managers, I come in with the stagers, but most importantly, I come in with the contractors and the resources to say, okay, let's do this work. Let's put $40,000 into the property, Mr. Seller, and you're going to realize another 100,000 out of it when you sell. That's maximize what you can earn so you have that money in your retirement portfolio. 

Darleen Mahoney [27:58 - 27:59]: Yeah. 

Darleen Mahoney [28:00 - 28:29]: So I do have a quick question for you. If people are not in your area and they're on the other coast or what have you, and they think, okay, I really want to look into this. This is really a good option for me. When they're looking into hiring a senior real estate specialist, what should they look for as far as making sure they're getting one that's got good credentials, someone they can trust. Are there specific criteria that you recommend that they really look at before pursuing that? 

Jody Epstein [28:30 - 29:12]: Absolutely. Well, first and foremost, they should have a certification. It's a senior real estate specialist certification. So look for that. And once you find one or two brokers with that, and you can call any brokerage, ask for the managing broker, say, who is your sresh? Okay, who's done the most sales in Boulder? Who's done the most sales in Boca Raton? And then look at what their sales are. Ask them for their referrals. You know, talk to them. Who are your clients? You know, were you working mostly with the children? Were you working with sellers, working with buyers? What are the communities you've partnered with and have relationships with? And hopefully they should have a lot of that information on their website. 

Darleen Mahoney [29:13 - 29:27]: Very good. I like that list. I think everybody needs to re listen to this podcast if they missed it the first time. And write all those bullet point questions down and get those out when you're starting to interview. Because you really should interview your real estate agent. 

Jody Epstein [29:28 - 29:44]: Absolutely. It's like we've said, it's one of the biggest financial transactions, if not the biggest is the most important. And you want to make sure you're not just jumping in with somebody who may be very eager, maybe very good. But you want to have somebody who already has those connections and those resources. 

Darleen Mahoney [29:44 - 29:45]: Yeah. 

Darleen Mahoney [29:45 - 30:09]: And referrals I mean, to me, that is it. I mean, you get some referrals from folks and get that feedback. That's where you're going to be able to really make the best decision. But also definitely 100%, just like going to a doctor, going to an attorney, make sure there's a certification, make sure that they're certified. So yeah, yeah. Don't just take anyone's word for it. So we're living in a crazy age. So you don't have to make sure. 

Jody Epstein [30:10 - 30:16]: If they don't have anything about their senior specialty on their website, then they're not. That's not their specialty. 

Darleen Mahoney [30:17 - 30:37]: That is a good point made. They could be a real estate agent, but they're not a senior specialist. So that is a completely different ball of wax. And we're going to put some links on the description as well. For definitely your real estate for Windermere, for your link specifically. Do you want to share what that is or. 

Jody Epstein [30:37 - 30:41]: Yeah. So my business is Jody in the House. Jody. 

Darleen Mahoney [30:41 - 30:44]: I like it. I like it. Jody in the House. 

Jody Epstein [30:44 - 31:00]: And if you go to jodyinthehouse.com you can find a link for seniors. Okay. So if you click there where it says senior specialists, I have senior resources and senior specialist certification and information on what that means to be a senior specialist. 

Darleen Mahoney [31:00 - 31:01]: Perfect. 

Darleen Mahoney [31:01 - 31:01]: Okay. 

Darleen Mahoney [31:02 - 31:16]: And you are serving the Seattle, Washington area. So anyone that's listening to this podcast, connect with Jodi. If you're looking at buying, selling, or working with a parent or a loved one that's an older adult or you do regular real estate as well. 

Jody Epstein [31:17 - 31:17]: Absolutely. 

Darleen Mahoney [31:18 - 31:28]: So just real estate in general. So that's perfect. So. Well, this was a great podcast. Is there anything that we didn't talk about that you'd like to mention before we sign off? 

Jody Epstein [31:29 - 31:51]: I think we covered most of the important topics. The biggest thing is preparation, planning ahead me because it, it takes a lot of time and having that specialist who can help you prepare and put together the timelines. I mean, I start with people sometimes a year in advance because it takes time and you don't want to be rushed. 

Darleen Mahoney [31:51 - 31:52]: Yeah. 

Darleen Mahoney [31:53 - 32:18]: I have moved multiple times. I was a military spouse and I can tell you I had it down pat for quite a while, but it's a nightmare. It is so much work. It's exhausting. And the idea of continuing to live that lifestyle. There's a reason why people get out after 20 plus years because just the moving in general is just like, shoot me now every three years, boxing it up and moving it. And we were blessed. The fact that movers came and did it. 

Jody Epstein [32:18 - 32:18]: But. 

Darleen Mahoney [32:19 - 32:35]: But you're still doing all the work on the front end, the back end, still setting up, you know, where you're going to live, buying a home, if that's what you're going to do at your next step, your next spot or whatever. Because that would happen on occasion, just depending, you know, it's just all. It's just craziness. 

Jody Epstein [32:36 - 32:37]: Yeah, absolutely. 

Darleen Mahoney [32:38 - 32:39]: It's a tumultuous time. 

Darleen Mahoney [32:39 - 32:40]: Yeah. 

Jody Epstein [32:40 - 32:51]: So the biggest thing, remember, is you're in the driver's seat. The brokers are working for you. So ask the questions that you need to ask and make sure you're getting what you need out of the relationship. 

Darleen Mahoney [32:51 - 32:54]: I like that they're working for you. 

Darleen Mahoney [32:54 - 32:55]: Exactly. 

Jody Epstein [32:55 - 32:55]: We're just. 

Darleen Mahoney [32:55 - 32:56]: We're. 

Jody Epstein [32:56 - 32:58]: They're navigating. We're just here guiding the boat. 

Darleen Mahoney [32:59 - 33:00]: There you go. There you go. 

Darleen Mahoney [33:00 - 33:06]: Well, thank you so much for joining us today, Jodi. This was such a great podcast. I actually really learned a lot. So thank you for sharing. 

Jody Epstein [33:06 - 33:07]: Thank you. Thank you for having me, Darlene. 

Darleen Mahoney [33:08 - 33:25]: Yeah, absolutely. And thank you, everyone, for listening to this podcast. If you enjoyed this podcast, we have over a hundred podcast episodes are available anywhere you enjoy music or podcasts such as Spotify, Apple podcasts, good pods, all kinds of different places. Thank you for listening.