Senior Home Selling Part II – During the Stage

As mentioned in “Senior Home Selling Part I – Setting the Stage”, due to Proposition 19, those ages 55+ will list their homes to leverage the property tax breaks. Adding a certified Senior Staging Specialist trained in senior transitions to the seller’s team makes for a successful sale. Now that you have some tips to set the stage, let’s address what to expect during the stage.

The stager, listing agent, organizer, and family could expect some pushback from the seller as a result of Senior Relocation Stress Syndrome, aka transfer trauma. This comes with making major decisions like what to keep, what to sell, what to donate, and what to discard, along with all the other moving parts involved in the process. The emotional toll can be taxing after a lifetime of memories in a long-lived home. Much empathy is required when dealing with sellers transitioning to another phase, lifestyle, and environment – especially when downsizing.

The first thing IS+S seeks to understand is why the sellers are moving. That directs how we interact with them and the strategy we use to redirect their mindset to focus on how the move can positively impact their life. For some that could mean more money to travel, less home maintenance, being closer to family, healthier living, and more. 

At the same time, we don’t invade their emotional space; respect for a lifetime of memories is nonnegotiable. We have a system and strategy for working around furnishings and décor that the sellers won’t remove for owner-occupied staging. Helping them envision how their memories can live on where they will relocate to reduces their anxiety. If they selected a new residence beforehand, we offer space planning and restyling ideas for their new abode with any remaining treasures such as furnishings, décor, accessories, photos, and tchotchkes – all with an IS+S twist. This brings hope and possibilities for the next chapter in their lives.

Find out more information about Proposition 19 at the California Association of Realtors.  

–Mar

photo: @fromitaly