Here's what the real estate industry doesn't want to admit: most agents have no business working with seniors. They treat a 70-year-old's housing transition the same way they treat a 35-year-old's upgrade. Same process, same timeline, same pressure tactics. And it's causing real harm.

The statistics are staggering. According to AARP, 73% of adults over 50 want to age in place, yet housing transitions among seniors are increasing at the fastest rate in decades. Why? Because the homes that worked for raising families don't work for retirement. Because health changes force moves. Because being house-rich and cash-poor stops being sustainable.

But here's the problem: the average real estate agent has taken zero specialized training in senior housing transitions. They don't understand reverse mortgages, Medicaid look-back periods, or how to coordinate with adult children across three states. They've never dealt with 40 years of accumulated belongings or navigated the emotional weight of leaving a home where memories live in every room.

Why Senior Real Estate Is a Different Game Entirely

When a 40-year-old sells their house, they're typically moving up. When a 70-year-old sells their house, they're navigating one of life's most complex transitions. The difference isn't just emotional. It's financial, logistical, and legal.

What makes senior transitions uniquely complex:

• Decades of accumulated belongings: That four-bedroom house isn't just full of furniture. It's full of 40 years of life. Most agents push for a quick estate sale. Smart agents understand that downsizing is a process, not an event.
• Deferred maintenance realities: The roof is original to 1985. The furnace makes concerning sounds. The electrical panel has fuses, not breakers. These aren't selling points, but they're also not deal-breakers when handled correctly.
• Family dynamics: Adult children often live out of state. One sibling wants to help, another wants to control, and a third isn't responding to texts. A sale can't close until everyone's on the same page.
• Financial complexity: The home is paid off, but there's a HELOC. Social Security is the primary income. Medicare doesn't cover long-term care. The proceeds from this sale need to fund the next 20 years, not just the next house.
• Timeline uncertainty: A health event can change everything overnight. The move that was planned for next spring suddenly needs to happen next month. Or the move that felt urgent gets postponed because mom isn't ready.
• Emotional weight: This isn't just a house. It's where the kids grew up. It's where a spouse passed away. It's the last physical connection to decades of memories. Rushing this process isn't just insensitive. It's damaging.

"The biggest mistake families make? Hiring an agent who sees a property listing instead of a life transition."

What the SRES Designation Actually Means

The Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) designation isn't a weekend course. It's specialized training covering everything from the financial implications of selling a longtime home to the psychological stages of transition that older adults experience.

Here's what I learned that most agents never will:

• How to structure transactions when Medicare, Medicaid, or veterans benefits are involved
• The tax implications of selling a home owned for 30+ years and how to minimize capital gains exposure
• How to coordinate with elder law attorneys, financial planners, and healthcare advocates
• The warning signs of cognitive decline and how to protect vulnerable clients from financial exploitation
• How to help families navigate the difference between independent living, assisted living, and continuing care communities
• What modifications make a home genuinely accessible versus what's just marketing language

This isn't theoretical knowledge. This is what separates a smooth transition from a family crisis.

The Hidden Costs of Working With the Wrong Agent

When seniors work with generalist agents, the mistakes are predictable and expensive.

Every one of these scenarios is preventable with an agent who understands senior transitions. Every single one.

How Senior Housing Transitions Actually Work

When I work with senior clients and their families, we don't start with listing photos and market analysis. We start with questions that matter.

The questions that shape every senior transition:

• What's driving the move? Health changes, financial pressure, desire for community, or simply time for a change? The answer determines everything else.
• What's the ideal timeline? Not the fastest timeline. The ideal one that balances urgency with emotional readiness.
• Where are the adult children in this process? Are they involved? Supportive? Trying to control? Absent? This affects every decision.
• What happens to the proceeds? Buying another home? Moving to a community that requires an entrance fee? Preserving assets for long-term care? Each path has different implications.
• What are we really selling? A house is easy. A lifetime of belongings and memories? That requires a plan.

Once we understand the real situation, here's how the process unfolds:

Phase 1: Planning and Preparation

This isn't about staging. This is about creating a realistic plan that respects both the timeline and the emotional reality. We decide together what needs to happen, who needs to be involved, and what support systems need to be in place.

If downsizing is involved, I connect clients with professional organizers who specialize in senior transitions. Not the ones who show up with dumpsters and trash bags. The ones who understand that sorting through 40 years of belongings is sacred work.

Phase 2: Home Assessment and Market Positioning

We evaluate the home honestly. Some repairs add value. Most don't. I'm not interested in convincing an 80-year-old to spend $25,000 updating a kitchen that buyers will renovate anyway.

Instead, we focus on the fixes that matter: safety issues, deferred maintenance that will scare off buyers, and cosmetic updates that cost hundreds instead of thousands. If contractors are needed, I coordinate everything. The client doesn't manage six different vendors.

Phase 3: Marketing and Showing Management

Here's what most agents miss: seniors often still live in the home during showings. That means coordinating showing times around medical appointments, limiting disruption to daily routines, and ensuring the home is secure.

I don't just list the property and wait for offers. I actively manage the process so my clients can maintain their normal lives while the home is on the market.

Phase 4: Negotiation and Contract Management

This is where inexperience costs money. Buyers smell desperation. If they know a seller is moving to assisted living next month, they'll lowball the offer and play hardball on repairs.

I negotiate from a position of knowledge, not urgency. I know what the home is worth, what repairs are reasonable, and when to push back on unreasonable demands. The goal isn't just to close. It's to close at the right price with terms that work.

Phase 5: Coordination and Moving Support

The time between contract and closing is when things fall apart. Movers need to be scheduled. Utilities need to be transferred. The new residence needs a move-in date. The timing has to align perfectly.

I coordinate all of it. Not because it's required, but because it matters. The difference between a traumatic move and a supported transition often comes down to whether someone is managing the logistics.

"This isn't about selling houses faster. It's about helping people transition with dignity."

Why Location Matters More Than You Think

I focus on Springfield, Dayton, Columbus, and the surrounding counties for a reason. Senior real estate isn't just about understanding the client. It's about understanding the local resources that make transitions possible.

In central and southwest Ohio, that means knowing:

• Which senior living communities have openings and which have 18-month waitlists
• Which moving companies understand senior transitions versus which ones just want the job done fast
• Which estate sale companies are honest and which ones take advantage of families in crisis
• Which elder law attorneys can handle Medicaid planning and which ones just do basic wills
• Which contractors show up on time, work respectfully in occupied homes, and don't price-gouge
• Which home health agencies provide reliable support and which ones have high staff turnover

This network isn't built overnight. It's built through years of working in the same communities, building relationships with people who care about doing right by seniors and their families.

The Questions Families Should Ask Before Hiring an Agent

Not all SRES agents are created equal. The designation means training, but it doesn't guarantee experience or character. Here's what to ask:

• How many senior transitions have you personally handled? If the answer is vague or defensive, keep looking.
• What resources do you bring beyond listing the home? Organizers, movers, contractors, attorneys. If they can't name specific people, they're winging it.
• How do you handle situations where the senior isn't ready to move but family thinks they should? This is where ethics show up. The right agent prioritizes the client, not the commission.
• What's your typical timeline from decision to close? If they promise 30 days, they don't understand senior transitions. If they can't give a range, they're inexperienced.
• Can you provide references from adult children whose parents you helped? Seniors might not remember the process clearly. Their kids will remember everything.

What Happens Next

If you're a senior considering a move, or if you're an adult child trying to help a parent navigate housing decisions, you don't need a salesperson. You need someone who understands what you're actually going through.

My MBA taught me to analyze markets and negotiate deals. My SRES designation taught me the specialized knowledge that senior transitions require. But what matters most is simpler than that.

I show up. I listen. I coordinate the details so families don't have to. And I protect my clients during a vulnerable transition.

There's no cost for a conversation. No pressure to list immediately. Just an honest discussion about what you're facing and whether working together makes sense.

LET'S TALK

Amanda Mullins, MBA, SRES

Seniors Real Estate Specialist | Springfield, Ohio & Surrounding Markets

Phone: (317) 750-6316

Email: amullinsmba@gmail.com

Serving: Springfield | Dayton | Columbus | Surrounding Counties

If you or someone you care about is navigating a senior housing transition, let's have a conversation about how to make it work.