Finding the perfect real estate agent when you are a senior or retiree can be overwhelming. Sellers and buyers should aim to work with an agent who is experienced in working with older adults who are looking to downsize from the homes they have lived in for many years. For this reason, the National Association of Realtors have established a new classification of Senior Real Estate Specialists (SRES) who specialize in helping these under-represented communities as they navigate the financial complexities that come from selling and buying new homes to better suit their needs.
How Do I Know I’ve Found the Right Real Estate Agent?
It’s not always easy to pick the right Senior Real Estate Specialist. Here are some signs you’ve made a good choice:
1. Your SRES communicates often.
A good SRES will make themselves available to you. They should possess excellent verbal and written communication skills. You shouldn’t have to wait for a response and your inquiries should be addressed in full. A serious agent will anticipate follow-up questions and make you and your concerns a priority.
2. You enjoy being around your SRES.
This doesn’t mean you need to spend your free time talking about real estate; these types of boundaries are important to keep your sanity. But you are going to spend a lot of time communicating with each other, so your relationship with your SRES should be a positive one. If you dread talking on the phone or meeting in person, then it’s time you consider hiring somebody else.
3. Your SRES helps with pre-approval.
If you are buying a new home and have not spoken in-depth with a mortgage professional before you go out and look for a new place to live, the right Senior Real Estate Specialist will set up meetings for you and encourage you to get pre-approved before you begin your search. This ensures that you understand how much financing you qualify for and lets you know what you can reasonably afford.
4. Your SRES is proactive at every step.
Some real estate agents are naturally reactive and will wait until you provide them with a list of homes you are interested in. A proactive SRES will find out precisely what you need and do most of the heavy lifting by searching for and coming up with solutions to put you in the right place to suit your needs and desires.
5. Your SRES is completely honest with you.
An important sign of ethical behavior is showing honesty and integrity even when an agent knows that you may not want to hear the news. An honest SRES should put you ahead of profit and let you know precisely what your situation is even if your heart is set on a specific decision.
6. Your SRES wants to build a relationship.
Sometimes you just know you’ve found a great real estate agent before or after you make your sell-buy transaction with them. If your agent wants to establish a relationship before or after a transaction and is always available to answer your questions as a knowledgeable resource, then you can be confident that you have hired the right one for you.
7. Your SRES won’t give up easily.
Most real transactions run into some issue or problem, and it can make it difficult to stay positive about selling or buying a home. A good real estate agent won’t give up and will search for creative solutions to keep things moving along by uncovering ways to meet or exceed expectations.
OurSeniors.net aims to connect you with trusted and experienced vendors and service providers across various industries throughout Florida. Each vendor and service provider is carefully vetted and must agree and adhere to our Code of Ethics. One of our most trusted Real Estate agents working with seniors is Dulce Monahan of Adams Cameron Co-Realtors. She has over 22 years of experience helping individuals who are looking to downsize from their homes to residences that are more manageable and affordable for their precise needs. Dulce is a trained Senior Real Estate Specialist and a Certified Resident Specialist. Her primary service areas are Ormond Beach and Port Orange in the Volusia-Flagler region. She can be reached at 386-200-9144 or by visiting her website at beachhomesdaytona.com. You can also learn about her credentials by visiting our Approved Vendors page in our senior online magazine.
