Downsizing, Stress & Family Dynamics: A Senior Real Estate Expert Explains

Selling a home is stressful.

Selling a home after decades of memories, emotional attachment, and major life changes?
 That’s a completely different challenge.

In this episode of For Mature Audiences Only, Mary Shapiro and Shannon Johnson sit down with Kathleen Ann Jadoc, a certified Senior Real Estate Specialist, to break down what families really need to know when helping an aging loved one transition out of their home.

With over 20 years of experience in healthcare and senior transitions, Kathleen brings a unique perspective that goes far beyond real estate — combining empathy, planning, and practical strategy to guide families through one of life’s most difficult decisions.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

•  Why selling a senior’s home is more emotional than financial
•  The biggest mistakes families make (and how to avoid them) 
•  How to handle family disagreements and difficult decisions
•  What updates actually matter before listing a home 
•  How to approach downsizing, decluttering, and sentimental items
•  The role of a Senior Real Estate Specialist vs a traditional realtor 
•  Why waiting until a crisis can limit your options 
•  What to consider when transitioning to assisted living or 55+ communities

One of the most important takeaways:

The earlier you start the conversation, the more options you have.

Because too often, families are forced to make life-changing decisions in crisis mode — when emotions are high and time is limited. 

This episode is a must-listen for anyone caring for aging parents, planning ahead, or navigating a major life transition.

For Mature Audiences Only is a podcast dedicated to real conversations, honest stories, and practical guidance for families navigating caregiving, aging, and senior living.

If this episode resonated with you, follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone who may need support.

Presented by Archer Law Office https://archerelderlaw.com

Music provided by MIBE https://mibemusic.com/

Transcript

Welcome And Why This Matters

Shannon 0:02

Welcome back to For Mature Audiences Only, presented by Archer Law Office, the podcast where we break down complex aging, caregiving, and elder care topics into clear, practical guidance that you can actually use.

Mary 0:14

We're your hosts Mary Shapiro and Shannon Johnson, senior resource specialists at Archer Law Office. And each week we sit down with trusted professionals to help older adults and caregivers navigate real life challenges with less stress and more confidence. If you're caring for an aging parent, supporting a loved one with a serious illness, or planning ahead for yourself, this is an essential conversation. This is for mature audiences only, presented by Archer Law Office. Let's get started.

Meet The Senior Real Estate Specialist

Shannon 0:49

Today we are joined by Kathleen Ann Jadoc. Kathleen is a licensed New Jersey real estate agent with the Magsino Group at Keller Williams Towne Square and a certified senior real estate specialist. Before beginning her career in real estate, Kathleen spent more than 20 years in healthcare, including serving as a director of admissions in a skilled nursing facility where she guided seniors and their families through complex transitions. Kathleen, thank you so much for joining us today. First, could you, in your own words, explain what your role is?

Kathleen 1:19

Okay. I'm a seniors real estate specialist. So basically, I'm a real estate agent focusing on working with a lot of seniors. And that's my um forte since my background is healthcare, which I did for 20 years. My last job in healthcare was a director of admissions. So I love to work with a lot of seniors. That's awesome.

Shannon 1:39

It is. So for families who never heard of a role like yours, what makes your role different from a traditional realtor?

Kathleen 1:44

So, as I mentioned, you know, I work with a lot of seniors. You have to keep in mind working with seniors involves a lot of family dynamics, financial planning, and a lot of emotional involvement. So that's where I come into the picture to make sure that based on my experience working with seniors, that I provide understanding, empathy when I deal with seniors.

Emotional Reality Of Leaving Home

Shannon 2:09

What are some of the most common challenges that seniors face when trying to sell like a long-time family home?

Kathleen 2:14

Okay, so you have to keep in mind also that most seniors had bought and sold homes in decades. So this could be overwhelming. Um, getting into what the market looks like, of course, being in homes for a long time, that emotional attachment means so much. So it's important to like hand hold the seniors and make them feel like it's okay. We'll go through this together. We're gonna do this one step at a time.

Mary 2:44

Most of the seniors, I would think, bought the home that they're selling as their quote, last home. Correct. And that's the one. So I can imagine the emotional attachment.

Kathleen 2:55

Correct. And also the the fact that what would be the next step? Where are they going? Why are they selling?

Shannon 3:01

So when you're usually working with these families, is it usually the senior themselves, or are it also or their adult children also involved?

Kathleen 3:07

There are situations where it's just the seniors. And that's the sad part when they don't have anybody to rely on. But of course, I there are situations where families are involved as well, which is great, I believe.

Shannon 3:21

So with your background as an admission director, you're able to kind of really help them when they're by themselves.

Kathleen 3:26

Yes, yes. So when whether they call in or come in to meet with me, I try to find out the background and then, you know, the timeline, what they're looking for, and then just guide them, you know, what to expect and how we can make it work.

Shannon 3:42

Are most folks looking to just strictly downsize or transition to some sort of assisted living facility long-term care setting?

Mary 3:48

Yeah, I was gonna say, what situations do you really see both?

Kathleen 3:53

I would say both. Like I said, it's not always a fun thing. Oh, I just want to downsize because I have a big house. It doesn't, it's not always like that. It's sometimes that's why it gets emotional. It's not just because they're moving, but because where they're going could potentially affect everything. Yes, half the time it's about moving to a senior living just because their health is declining.

Shannon 4:18

So most of those folks, like, is it the adult children that's saying, hey, mom, you know, your your health is declining a little bit, maybe we need to make a move, or is it usually then themselves recognizing that they need some help and they're ready to now make a change?

Kathleen 4:29

That's why I like to educate seniors. I go to senior centers to educate them what healthcare looks like because when they think about healthcare, they think about, oh no, nursing home. But it doesn't always mean like that. Unfortunately, I find that it has to be somebody else to tell them. May not be the family members, they may end up in hospitals, facilities, and those people will be the one to break the news. I think it's time to move. More of a medical professional. Correct. Correct.

Mary 5:00

That makes sense.

Shannon 5:00

So when someone's living in a home for decades, obviously there's that attachment. Where do you even begin in terms of prepping them and prepping the house?

Kathleen 5:07

I've moved twice and it's overwhelming.

Shannon 5:09

A

Smart Repairs And Real ROI

Shannon 5:10

nightmare.

Kathleen 5:10

Right? Like I bought a house once and it's already overwhelming. So where do I begin? I begin by listening. That's very important. I have to know what their motivation is, why are they selling? What is their concerns? Um, what their timeline is and their expectations. It's important to understand where they're coming from, why they're doing the sale.

Shannon 5:35

What type of updates or repairs in someone's house usually make a difference? Like, do they usually have to renovate the bathrooms or things like things along the lines of that?

Kathleen 5:43

Yes. Thank you for asking that because that's always the question, not just the seniors. Keep in mind that if you make renovations, you have to look into the return of investment. So not all renovations make sense. Not but for seniors, there is what we called deferred maintenance because they put off, you know, working on those things like the roofs, you know, maybe the HVAC and things like that. Sometimes it costs the buyer to undervalue your home. And then when you do minor updates, like maybe fresh paint, nice lighting, decluttering, then the buyer sees it as like overvalue. So that's why I try to make sure I educate them what is important update and what is not. For waste update or waste renovations, I would say, think about it. If you have a condo and you want to change the flooring, you don't really want to go to hardwood floors because then you'll be expending more, more than the value of the home, right? But then if you own a bigger house, a mansion, it makes sense to do that hardwood floor. So you always have to consider those things.

Shannon 6:58

How do you help seniors who are overwhelmed by the amount of possessions, clutter, and then that sentimental value that they have with their house? How do you help them overcome those obstacles?

Kathleen 7:07

Again, it's an emotional concern. So what I do again, I listen. I make them sure that they're in control, that we're gonna do this together, that whatever they need or they feel, it's it's always a reassurance that their feelings is being valued, that what they, you know, what they're sharing, I listen.

Mary 7:27

Sure. I'm sure their concern too is they don't want these possessions just quote thrown away. Correct.

Kathleen 7:32

They want to pass it on to their loved ones. Like I would say photos. Make sure you pass it on too. And there are, I'd say this. What I do, if it's get overwhelming, I would say, this is the system that I use, and I think it works. And I need to apply that to myself too. My husband would say, Oh, that's what you need to apply that to myself. So there's

Decluttering With The Four-Box System

Kathleen 7:55

like four boxes. The first box is what you want to keep, the second box is what you want to donate, the third box is what you want to discard. And the important box is the fourth box, which is the undecided box. So if you're not ready to figure out what I'm gonna do with this little keychain, put it in your undecided box, and then we'll figure it out later. Okay.

Shannon 8:17

When you're helping the seniors transition to either an assisted living or long-term care setting, do you find they want to take all their possessions with them?

Kathleen 8:24

They would say they have value and they would reason out why they should keep them. Right. Yes, it happens. It happens.

Shannon 8:32

Right. We currently have a client that we're working with now, and that's probably one of the biggest obstacles in getting her to move is that she keeps saying, Well, what about my stuff? Yeah. You know, and she's like even trying to convince her son to put it in storage, and he's like, Well, what is it going to do in storage besides just that now we're racking up a bill for a storage unit when really we could donate all this stuff to someone else?

Kathleen 8:51

Correct. That is one of the obstacles that you face when dealing with seniors, yes.

Shannon 8:56

So, how do you help them decide what to donate, what to get rid of, what to discard of? How do you help in that process?

Kathleen 9:03

So, what I do, I also work, I I'm I'm lucky I have a network of trusted professionals. So I bring in organizers, I bring in senior move managers. This allows me to have someone who understands the senior industry and knows like doing downsizing, you know, making sure that they they show empathy and compassionate towards the seniors. So that helps very much.

Shannon 9:27

Question that we all want to know, because this always happens. How do you handle families where they might disagree with moving or getting rid of something? You know, that can be a tricky situation for all of us when we have families getting involved. How do you navigate that?

Kathleen 9:41

And you see that a lot, right? So, first and foremost is the question is there a power of attorney? Who's making the decision? If there's none, and there's multiple family involved, because family dynamic is very complex. So I sat them down, I tried to facilitate a respectful conversation. After that, I refer them to a trusted elder care attorney like Archer Law. And then we because we want to make sure that everything is done legally and ethically, and that we put their interest first. That's important.

Shannon 10:15

What signs do you look for in a client that is struggling with the idea of leaving their home?

Kathleen 10:20

So it's important to look into those signs because it happens. If they start being indecisive, they cannot make decisions. If they're delaying the process, if they're avoiding the questions, those are the signs that they're having um uh they're struggling in some kind of issue with the move. Correct, correct. And again, it always comes down to listening to the seniors. They want to feel in control. It's important to make them feel in control that their feelings are valid.

Shannon 10:50

What advice do you get to the adult children that are also going through this transition and maybe um, you know, this new normal that's going to be for everybody? How do you help the adult kids?

Kathleen 10:58

It's very difficult to most families. You know, I had a situation where they're just getting into the picture, they don't know

Family Disagreements And Decision Authority

Kathleen 11:05

nothing. Here's what I would say leading with empathy is better than urgency. That's a great quote. I love that. Because it's important for us to know like if we put ourselves in the shoe, how would we feel? Sure. We we value this property. It's not just a building, it's not just a house, it's our home. So it's important that we give our seniors this empathy, understanding, and patience. And always make them feel in control. That's very important. Keep them in the loop. Communication is important. I sometimes over-communicate, but it's okay. At least I know I don't miss anything.

Shannon 11:45

You know, I can text you, I will call you, I'll email you, and they'll be like, Yeah, I would rather over-communicate than undercommunicate just to make sure I've dotted all my I's and crossed all my T's.

Kathleen 11:54

Yes, yes.

Shannon 11:54

Have you ever had any situations where like um a loved one is living in the home with the senior that has to move to a place, and then I also have to find another means of is that tricky?

Kathleen 12:05

I wouldn't say it's tricky, but I love to do both. So it happened, we have a senior, you know, they again, it's the medical professional who let the senior know it's time to move. And there's a family member who's living with them whose name is not on the deed. I also speak to this family member. How can I help you? What can I do to help you to transition to the next moving, you know, things like that. So it happens and it's a good conversation. They understand why we're doing this because at the end of the day, it's the safety of that senior to why we're doing all of it.

Shannon 12:40

Absolutely. Do you also find that a lot of folks have to pay for their assisted living stay with the sale of their home?

Kathleen 12:48

It depends. So I had a conversation, like I've listened to you guys when you do your presentation, and it's really helpful. I educate myself all the time. Um, even if you're at home, it doesn't mean you don't qualify for like some um programs, like for example, Medicaid, you know. Um, I'm not the expert about that, but it's important that they know their options. So if they didn't apply for Medicaid and they need to move to a senior living, which happened, is we I coordinate with a senior living facility or communities, and they do what they call like a bridge loan. If they accept that, then I will refer the senior or the family member to a lender who works with a bridge loan. So things like that. So it's a matter of having an open communication among the parties involved, the seniors, the families, and the senior communities. And I think that makes my job special, is because I know that industry. Right. I'm very good industry.

Shannon 13:51

Yeah.

Kathleen 13:51

Correct.

Shannon 13:52

So are you finding that you're doing a lot of education in the facilities, also letting them know what your role is and how you can help?

Kathleen 13:58

Yes, I do a lot of education, even a one-to-one education with seniors. Um, and what I love about it now that I'm out and about, compared to like just being in the office and waiting for somebody to come in and make phone calls, I go to their homes, I have lunch with them, not because I asked for it, they will make lunch for me. I have that beyond business. We go beyond business. They become my family. Sure. And a lot of education, whether they're ready to sell that moment or maybe in the future, I like to educate seniors because everything changes. Information, you know, there's always more information. And we, I like to keep seniors educated as much as possible.

Shannon 14:36

Do most of your clients have to move before they sell the home or do they move after they sell the home?

Kathleen 14:42

It can happen either way. We they may need to move sooner than getting the home sold. So, what happened is that, like I mentioned earlier, I work with a lot of senior community, making sure that they'll be able to accept the patient or the the senior based on the situation. But also I we can do simultaneously, we can do both, like finding a senior community and also putting the home on the market.

Shannon 15:10

For seniors, go ahead, I'm sorry.

Mary 15:12

No, I was gonna say what conversations because it sounds like what you had said, it's better to try and not do this in crisis, that you educate the seniors or really anybody of how to start decluttering, how to start because you never know when your next

Coordinating Senior Living And Financing

Mary 15:30

home is gonna be. What would you recommend is a good time to start approaching those conversations?

Kathleen 15:37

Yes. Honestly, yes. One thing that I would advise families to do is to get involved early on with your seniors, family members' personal matter because if in the event and having like um a legal document like power of attorney, because in the event that they will need that type of service and you know nothing about it, then you make decisions out of crisis. You have limited options, it will be so stressful and overwhelming. So it's never too early to start exploring your options.

Mary 16:16

That's a great point because I think we always think of having to sell the home quickly because something has happened. Yes. But these are conversations that could start before anything happens. Correct.

Kathleen 16:29

Exactly, exactly.

Mary 16:30

And when we make that move a little easier when the time comes.

Kathleen 16:34

And you know, I what I do when I was working as a director of admissions, I always say, even if you're doing okay at home, you want to plan ahead. You like that's why we have like life insurance and things like that, because we don't want to wait last minute and be so overwhelmed with so much things to do and to consider. No, that's a great point.

Shannon 16:55

For the seniors that are moving to an assisted living or memory care, what should families consider in terms of timing and logistics?

Kathleen 17:01

Okay. So things you have to evaluate. You need to know location. Are you looking for something closer or something and where your parents lived? Second is important is the care needs. What type of care do they need? Next is the budget. What's the budget? Are they private pay? Are they Medicaid? Availability. That's important because if you don't have options, then you just end up with whatever has availability. Right. Right. And you don't think about it, you just think all those things, but also the preference. What's your preference? Do you like an assisted living with a pool? Okay. There's not a lot. So those are the expectations. Exactly. But there is, and that's why I always say I don't only talk about it because I know about it, I also give them facts, you know, I give them like the reviews of facilities and things like that. So it's important to know those things.

Shannon 17:58

What are some market factors that seniors uh should be aware of before deciding to list their home?

Kathleen 18:03

Okay, and this is also applying to everyone when you're selling your home. You need to know what is the inventory, the current inventory, right? And also um, you need to know how many are on the market. Because if you think about it, it affects, it directly affects how long your home will sit on the market based on the number of homes currently being sold on the market within that price range. So that's very important. And also for seniors, is always remember for seniors, we're not only talking about just moving to a next home. No, it could be a senior community, so there's more discussion, more evaluation to be considered.

Shannon 18:50

Out of curiosity, because of the current market that selling homes is in, are you finding that your homes are selling a lot quicker than they ever have before?

Kathleen 18:57

I would say it's not like when the COVID started, it's balancing out, but because of the inventory, the demand is still high. Because no one wants to put their home on sale because of one of the concerns they have is the interest rates. Right.

Mary 19:14

Absolutely. I bet you get that question a lot.

Kathleen 19:16

Yes. But if you think about it, your home appreciated almost what 30%. Right. Like I bought my home in 2020 and it's almost double the price. So yeah, almost, almost, not quite. Don't start looking, oh, this one no, but that those are the things. So if you don't like for not just for seniors, you're paying rent. Are you willing to just keep paying rent versus like owning a home and then start an equity? You know, like those are the things you have to consider. What is important at this moment? Is it making sense to stay in a in a rental? And that's okay. Maybe you're looking to buy in the future, plan ahead, and that's okay.

Shannon 20:02

Are there any specific challenges or advantages that seniors have when selling compared to like regular sellers, or is it all dealing with the same sort of competition?

Kathleen 20:12

I would say the the one some of the things that are challenging for seniors, if you live in your home for that long, you would have some deferred maintenance. You put off things because it still works, you know? Sure.

Mary 20:30

And as they age or have mobility issues, they may not be able to take care of their home like they used to.

Kathleen 20:37

Exactly. And that being said, when doing like planning, preparing the home, you have to put that in consideration. Like, okay, when can we show the home? How it's important for them to be like, okay, I have to move out of the house every time they come in for showings and things like that. Sure. So mobility, health, those are important too. The emotional attachment is

Market Conditions And 55+ Options

Kathleen 21:00

very important. Those are the challenges. But the main advantage there is like your home had most likely had appreciated, right? You have a good amount of equity. Sure. So those things, and maybe you have like um tax benefits, you know. So those are the things to keep in mind.

Shannon 21:19

Do you ever have clients that want to move strictly based off the fact that they can't maintain the house anymore, like they can't upkeep with the maintenance on it, or is it strictly usually for health reasons?

Kathleen 21:30

No, it's not always the same. It's always, of course, you will encounter those for health reasons. But like I said, you know, if their home is too big for them and there's just them in the house, they may want to downsize because they cannot manage it. Or maybe they want to move out of state or move with the family members. So there are different reasons why they would put their home on the market.

Mary 21:51

Are you seeing a trend to move more towards from the private home to a 55 plus neighborhood? I see that. Yes, yes. I would I would think given the amount of fifty-five plus neighborhoods that have come up over the years, that seems to be the next step in homeownership for someone who's aging.

Kathleen 22:12

Yes, yes. And that's very important. And I know like Middlesex County, Somerset County, you know, there are those um 55 plus community. So the seniors who are not ready for like senior community, like independent living, senior living, um assisted living, that's where they geared towards because they still feel like I could do things. I'm still independent. Sure. But I cannot manage my home. So somebody else needs to help me with a HOA helps, you know? Where they don't want to do the lawn, they don't want to shovel the snow.

Mary 22:44

Exactly. Especially recently.

Shannon 22:46

And the homes are one floor, usually one floor.

Mary 22:48

Exactly, exactly. And have accommodations. Exactly.

Shannon 22:52

Maybe on a golf course. Yeah.

Kathleen 22:54

They could in Florida, right?

Shannon 22:56

Yeah, even here. I mean, even though even in New Jersey, Ushan, Mammoth County. So, what are some of the documents or legal steps that you think are important for seniors to take before selling their home?

Kathleen 23:08

All right. So, first thing first, who has the authority to sell the home? How do we find out? We need to see the deed. And then if it's both the spouse on the deed and the other spouse passed, we may need to see the death certificate. Oh, wow. Uh, we need to see the proof of survivorship. If it's untrust, which you know, you guys are aware. And of course, if there's a power of attorney, we have to make sure that it's legit. So those are important things.

Shannon 23:38

Have you ever had a situation where one person needed to move but the other person didn't? Like a spouse needed to move, but the other spouse is in good health.

Kathleen 23:46

Yes, yes. And that happens. You know, when I was working in a nursing home, um, the the husband would be visit all the time. They live at home, and you know, the the other spouse stays in the nursing home. So it happens, and you have to provide, again, some comfort um and educate them that it's okay.

Shannon 24:07

So, how do you coordinate the move itself, especially when a client may help packing, transporting, setting up with a new community? Do you help coordinate all those things also?

Kathleen 24:14

Okay, so working with a network of professionals help me with that. So basically, I like to be involved throughout the process, coordinating from packing, transporting, and even setting up homes. I like to know what's happening. I like to keep open communication with all parties.

Shannon 24:34

What should families know about choosing the right single living community for themselves?

Kathleen 24:39

Okay. So again, it's important to start early, not wait last minute. This way you have more options. As I mentioned earlier, you may consider the location, you may can, of course, the care needs, the budget is important and other preferences, the timeline and availability. If you plan ahead, you have a lot of time to consider and look for what is more safe and appropriate for your loved ones. So it's important to plan ahead. I would say be proactive.

Shannon 25:12

What are some of the biggest mistakes you see families make during the transition?

Kathleen 25:16

It's not being proactive.

Shannon 25:19

Do families come in and kind of expect you to kind of do all the work for them to some extent?

Kathleen 25:24

I I would say because they don't understand my role.

Mary 25:28

I was gonna say it's such a unique real estate role that I think a lot of folks wouldn't understand.

Kathleen 25:35

Right. So that's why I listen to to like their concerns, their expect expectations, and they're and then I work my way to like figure out to customize a plan for them and I tell them what I will do. My main role is between the two, moving to a senior living and putting the home on the market. My main role is to keep this as smooth or the process as smooth as possible, as stress-free as possible. So I'm I'm the middle person, and sometimes I'll be the advisor and I feel confident only because I've been in healthcare for that long that I understand that the healthcare industry. Sure.

Shannon 26:12

Yeah, we can relate. Sometimes you got a paid peacemaker and therapist and all those things with your family.

Mary 26:23

How what is the average time have are you seeing for a home to be sold? I know it's kind of loaded depending on location, but if someone is starting the process and there's no crisis, let's go with the best case scenario.

Kathleen 26:38

So the best case case scenario. So from the time that we start preparing to like the closing, I would say we're talking about a 45 day 45 days is the ideal. Sometimes it gets extended. You know, if we could do it 30 days, great. But with all the preparation and things to put into, I want to make sure we're doing it right, we're pricing it correctly, we're navigating the market. So those are the things that you know.

Mary 27:02

And how do you work with the families who think they're the real estate experts? Yeah, there are so many shows out there now, so many, you know, my husband and I sit back and watch TV and we're like, oh, 30-day close, all cash offer. Like people who think that they're experts but aren't really that that's okay.

Kathleen 27:20

I like to hear them out. And then I bring them facts. Numbers perfect doesn't lie, you know. Yeah, it's always important. Like, okay, that's what you think because of X, Y, and Z. However, here, look at the comparative analysis. Right. This is what it looks like. Your neighborhood, you know.

Shannon 27:37

So sometimes you have folks that come in and think the house should be sold at more than what you maybe think it should be listed at.

Mary 27:42

I would probably think everybody thinks.

Shannon 27:44

Yeah. Yeah. Because everybody wants as much of a return as they can get, right?

Mary 27:48

It's their biggest, probably their biggest asset.

Shannon 27:51

Right.

Kathleen 27:51

And even that's why we like to educate because I don't want to give them false hopes, like, okay, I want your listing, so I will go with what you want. No. Because you know what? At the end, we're both gonna fail. Right. And I don't want to stick.

Mary 28:04

Yes. Yes.

Shannon 28:05

We've done presentations together at senior centers and stuff. What kind of things are you going in and educating the seniors about?

Kathleen 28:11

I like first what I did when I started educating the senior, I want them to um have a good understanding of what a senior community is. Okay. Right. And then when I come in as a real estate agent, oh, it's another real estate agent. Then that's where I bring in my expertise as a seniors real estate specialist. What is different from what I do? So it's important to like start from like the very beginning. Like, what is the market looking like for seniors and why would I sell? Where would I go? Why would I not feel afraid to go to the seniors' community? So those are the things. It's important to have an open communication and educate the seniors of something what they don't know. For example, when I did the senior options for senior community presentation, I'm very happy that they feel like, oh, I did not know that. And then they ask more questions. And the more they ask questions, the more that they have clarity in their mind of what senior community looks like. And at the same time, what the market is looking like today. Because the news could be scary. Sure.

Shannon 29:19

Absolutely.

Mary 29:20

I said, I'm sure a lot of what you do is managing expectations of you know what you're seeing. This is the reality of what's happening in real estate, in your market, and selling a home. Exactly.

Kathleen 29:32

Let's go back home. What does the market look like in your community? Not what you know what you're seeing on TV. Exactly.

Shannon 29:40

What's one piece of advice you wish every family knew before starting the process of selling a home for a senior?

Kathleen 29:45

I wouldn't wait last minute. Be proactive. Learn about it because let's face it, all of us will get to a point that we're gonna age, we would need help. It's important to explore those options. When I was a director of admissions, I always stress to families and seniors that would come to my office or call me, don't wait last minute. Whether you come to my building or you go to another building, it's important that you educate yourself. This way you have options and you don't just go to the facilities and say, Oh, it's beautiful. Ask questions. I sometimes, uh or most of the time, I would say, I would go with them. I would go to facilities with them, I ask questions on their behalf.

Shannon 30:27

We echo those sentiments also because we we're always dealing with folks in crisis mode and kind of don't know where to turn. And there are so many resources that are available for people,

Finding The Right Specialist Early

Shannon 30:35

but these are uncomfortable conversations that nobody ever wants to have.

Kathleen 30:38

Right.

Shannon 30:39

But Carl always says something during his talks, and his all these things are in place to prevent the unforeseen circumstances. So that in the event something does happen, the things are already in place for us to be able to navigate this with as little chaos as possible.

Mary 30:52

And it's better to have, I think, uncomfortable conversations when you're not in crisis. Right. Exactly. To bring it up as a what-if scenario, exactly. Just so you can reference that back when you do have a crisis. Absolutely.

Kathleen 31:06

And and and the more I speak with you guys, with Archer Law, you know, the more it gives me understanding. Yes, it's very important to have those legal documents in place, not when you're in crisis. Right.

Mary 31:16

How can someone find a senior real estate specialist? Because that is a very unique thing. You don't just call up a realtor company and what would someone ask? Like if someone is listening, working, you know, with their family on this journey, how would they find you?

Kathleen 31:34

So just there's a website where you can look up, I don't have this off of my head, but there's a website when you could look up a senior real estate specialist in your area. However, it's more important to go with a word of mouth. This way it's a first-hand experience. So I would recommend to like ask friends, professionals, or anyone who had a good experience with the seniors real estate specialist.

Mary 31:58

Because that's so unique. I think a lot of us know realtors, but not a lot of people know a senior real estate specialist.

Shannon 32:06

Especially for someone that's helping someone transition to a single living community. A regular real estate agent might not even know where to begin because they haven't worked in it for 20 plus years, like you have.

Kathleen 32:16

Correct, correct. So and a senior move manager isn't is not the same as just a move manager organizer or declutterer, you know, it's different. So you have to have a good network of elder care attorney, um, senior advisor, financial advisor, and senior move managers.

Shannon 32:32

So obviously there's there's a need for more for a role like yours because your company saw a fit to sort of put it in into place because there are the generation that's getting older as we know we're getting more and more seniors. There's more folks that are gonna have to be able to use your services.

Kathleen 32:44

The funny story is that when I transitioned to real estate, I didn't know where to start. And then my team lead said, you know, you know seniors more than anybody else in this industry. Why don't you take the seniors real estate specialist? And I did, and now I feel comfortable working as a real estate agent because I'm able to do what I know best. Sure.

Shannon 33:05

So is it also like a special certification you had to go for for this?

Kathleen 33:08

It is, it is. So it's basically just like going through what I already know and what are new about what I know. It helps me understand, okay, how do we um navigate real estate plus the seniors industry?

Mary 33:23

Well, the other issues going on for a senior.

Kathleen 33:25

So it it helps me very much.

Mary 33:27

But that's good to know that it's a special certification. Yes, right, right. That someone can't just say they're hey, I help seniors that there's really senior real estate specialist is a certification that you get.

Kathleen 33:39

Yes. And I'm I'm very happy that they have that for a real estate agent. That's wonderful.

Shannon 33:44

Well, Kathleen, thank you so much for coming on today. We can feel passion that you have in talking about what you do. So thank you for the good work that you do. Oh the last question that we always ask everybody is you know, this is a crazy industry that we're all in, right? You've been in it for 20 plus years. So, what's your why for doing what you do?

Kathleen 34:01

It's so funny when I started, I didn't know, like when I was in my 20s, because I'm there yet. Seasoned. Yeah, seasoned. I love that word seasoned. You know, I didn't know what I want when you were younger. But then when I started working with seniors, I fell in love with it. The reason why I did it for that long, and the reason why I continued doing it. I love working with seniors. I'm just so passionate. I don't I don't look at it as a job. I look at it as a part of me. That's who I am. I I like to educate. I don't want anyone to feel like they don't know anything. If there's something that they ask me and I don't know the answer, I will come back to them. I will find an answer one way or another. Right. So I'm it it's just my passion.

Shannon 34:48

It's just something about helping people transition in this part of their life, helping them get to a better space. It's something about, I think, for all of us, that's just so fulfilling. It's priceless.

Mary 34:57

It is, and I think people, when they move at this stage in their lives, have a negative connotation, and it can really be a positive experience.

Kathleen 35:06

Exactly. And you know, as cliche as it is, I feel like it's my calling.

Shannon 35:11

It's great, but that's great.

Kathleen 35:12

Wonderful, and you can tell.

Shannon 35:13

Yeah, that's good because a lot of people go through life and never figuring out exactly what that is. So for you to find it is great. And, you know, it is there are hard conversations to have. I've had the same talks as my parents because they live in a huge house that I always say, I don't know if you guys eventually are going to need a house that has six bedrooms in it. You know, there's just two of you guys in here. So it's great that you said, you know, you're better off getting ahead of these things and knowing what your options are.

Kathleen 35:36

So correct. Agree 100%.

Shannon 35:39

Awesome. Kathleen, thank you so much again for your time today. We really appreciate it. And where can our folks find you at?

Kathleen 35:45

So my website is www.kjdoc.kw.com. Also, I have my Instagram, Kathleen Ann Realtor. Kathleen underscore and underscore realtor. Um, my Facebook is Kathleen Ann J Doc. And I'm also on TikTok and LinkedIn. So if you type my name, find you. They will find me one way or another, and they can reach me at 908-547-0369, and I that's my cell, so they can call, text me anytime.

Shannon 36:16

Thank you so much.

Kathleen 36:17

Thank you for this opportunity. I really appreciate

Resources And Closing Message

Kathleen 36:20

it.

Shannon 36:20

If you found this episode helpful, please be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone that it could benefit.

Mary 36:27

Just remember, you don't have to navigate aging or caregiving alone.

Shannon 36:31

If today's conversation raised questions about elderlaw, long-term care, or planning ahead, please visit jerseyelderlaw.com or call 609-842-9200 to find resources and support.

Mary 36:45

This is for mature audiences only, presented by Archer Law Office. Until next time, keep pushing forward and keep the conversation going.