Recently, I had the opportunity to enroll in a course focused on the specific real estate needs of the 55-and-older client. Upon completion, I received my SRES® (Senior Real Estate Specialist) Designation. My desire to specialize in the real estate needs of 55+ communities stems from personal experience.

My desire to specialize in the real estate needs of 55+ communities stems from personal experience. 

Over the past several years, I have worked with dozens and dozens of clients in these stages of life. I have helped clients transition from a family home that they have owned for decades into something that aligns with their current needs better, perhaps with a smaller yard or less interior square footage.  I have helped clients move from 2-level homes to single-level homes to accommodate changing physical needs. I have helped many clients, adult children often over 55 themselves, sell their parents’ homes in estate. And over the last year, I helped my own parents transition out of the home that they owned for 45 years to a one-level residence closer to family and top-notch medical care.

Each of these experiences presented me with the chance to better understand the needs of my 55+ clients and to meet each unique experience with compassion, greater knowledge and a stronger support system for my clients.

I strive to meet each unique 55+ client experience with compassion, greater knowledge and a stronger support system for my clients.

Meeting the Diverse Needs of the 55+ Community as a Senior Real Estate Specialist

The 55+ community encompasses a HUGE spectrum of people, spanning 3 or more generations, with a great variety of housing needs & wants, and a host of different experiences and expectations of what “Home” means. Yet even within this diverse population, there is a common thread: Over 75% of all people aged 55 and older own their own home.

Over 75% of all people aged 55 and older own their own home.

As an SRES® Designee, my goal is to connect with you to discuss the myriad housing issues that face us as we age. As a newly minted 55-year-old myself, I consider this new blog series, Conversations With Our Parents: What Does “Home” Look Like Age 55 and Older to be hands-on learning for me, too.

A Conversation About Aging Well in Our Homes

As I post new blogs in our Conversations, I hope to tackle subjects that resonate with you. I welcome your thoughts and feedback. I plan on bringing other professionals into the Conversations who are versed in tangential issues that may be of interest. I have personally called upon financial planners, elder law and estate attorneys, tax professionals, contractors, downsizing specialists and many others to assist my clients with their needs as they age in their homes. I hope you find these Conversations interesting and helpful!

Katy Donovan is the Broker/Owner of Homes By Connect and The Donovan Group in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.