How Do You Know It’s Time to Downsize?

Is it time to move to a smaller home or downsize? Do you live in a large home with stairs to climb, too many rooms to heat and cool and too much on-going maintenance? Maybe you could use some of the equity you’ve built up in your current home. As our lives change so do our housing needs. That too big home may have been perfect when raising kids, it offered plenty of room and was close to good schools, and was in a great neighborhood. Now the kids have moved on, the neighborhood has changed, and so have your housing needs. So, how do you know it’s time to downsize?

• Do You Need the Equity From Your Current Home?
  In 2010 the median home equity for those between the ages of 55 and 64 was $100,000, according to Reuters. Americans aged 65 and over did even better; they typically claimed $135,000 in home equity. This built up equity may be your main retirement savings. Sometimes selling a home and converting that equity to cash will help you move to a retirement community or smaller maintenance free home.
• Do You Have Too Much House?
  Are you paying taxes, utilities, insurance and maintenance for a home that is too large for your current lifestyle? Would moving to a smaller, lower priced home, condo or apartment be easier to manage and save you resources?
• Does Your Home Work With Your Current Physical Ability?
  Do you have stairs that are now too much or unsafe for you to climb? Is there too much upkeep and maintenance for you to manage in your current home? Do you need more access ability for a walker or wheelchair?
• Do You Want To Be Closer to Family, Friends or Doctors?
  Would you like to move closer to family so that you can spend more time with your kids and grandchildren? Maybe your doctors or stores where you like to shop are not convenient. Are there good friend or relatives that you would like to live closer to?
• Would A Move Improve Your Lifestyle?
  Maybe you’ve always wanted to travel and would like to live in a small home that you could lock and leave so that you can visit those destinations on your wish list. Have you always wanted to live by a golf course, a beach or the mountains? Maybe you would like to live in a senior community that offers low maintenance living, social activities, bridge clubs, great meals, or health and wellness programs. Here are some of AARPs Best Places to Live lists.

As you can see there are a number of considerations when deciding to downsize. Downsizing can be for financial, health, family or lifestyle reasons. Consider the reasons, talk it over with your family and seek advice from financial, legal and real estate professionals. Careful planning and sound advice are crucial to a successful move.
We would love to assist you with planning for your downsize. 
The Sullivan & Sullivan real estate team specializes in helping older adults with the sometimes daunting downsize journey.   One of the resources we offer our clients is a complimentary “Downsizing Made Easy Guide.”  Click here to contact us for more information.

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The Wimbledon Neighborhood in Arlington, TX

The Wimbledon neighborhood in Arlington, TX  is a 2-square-mile area just south of I-20. Some of the residents still live in the first houses built, since they were built in the late 1970s and early ’80s. There are residents who grew up in Wimbledon, left then came back with their own children. Newcomers are attracted to the upscale houses with large yards and mature trees and landscaping.  The tennis-theme neighborhood name and street names pay homage to a popular racket club that anchored the neighborhood which burned in 1991 and was not replaced.

The homeowners association covers 177 lots in the original neighborhood, bounded by Bowen Road on the west, Bardin Road on the north, Old Mansfield Road on the east and Wimbledon Drive on the south. Home prices range from $220,000 to $600,000. The Wimbledon neighborhood is serviced by both the Arlington and Mansfield school districts.

Newer developments within Wimbledon have grown around the original neighborhood include: Wimbledon on the Creek, The Estates Above Wimbledon, Deerwood Park, Ouro Verde, and Buckingham Estates.

The Wimbledon Garden Club was formed in 1980 and is the principal organization of the neighborhoods. The Garden club has been beautifying the neighborhood since its inception doing chores like planting flowers and trees, pulling weeds, and spreading mulch. Click here for more information on the Wimbledon Garden Club found on the City of Arlington website.

The Garden Club was instrumental in getting the neighborhood’s main feature, the 
1,592-acre Wimbledon Park, built in 1985 at 2300 Wimbledon Drive. A major highlight of Wimbledon Park, on Wimbledon Drive is a fitness course that includes three fitness areas. There is a 1.1 mile trail with numerous curves and hills, great for runners and walkers.

Wimbledon is conveniently located close to shopping at the Parks Mall, Arlington Highlands and The Village at Sports Center shopping plaza which is located right at the corner of South Cooper and Wimbledon Drive. The neighborhood offers easy access to I-20 for commuting around the metro area.

Click here to see homes for sale in the Wimbledon neighborhood.

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Sullivan & Sullivan Real Estate Team Aims to Empower Seniors to be Proactive about Late-in-Life Choices

Ingrid and John Sullivan are passionate about helping Seniors make the transition from a larger home to a more manageable living situation.  By focusing on helping Seniors, the Sullivan & Sullivan Real Estate Team aims to empower Seniors to be proactive about Late-in-Life choices. 

As real estate professionals who have managed late-in-life moves for a number of clients, including their own parents  – the Sullivan's are  thoroughly aware of how emotional, complicated and stressful the process can be for seniors and their families. Their message to seniors and their families: "You’re Not Alone."

That’s why the Sullivan's have stepped up to the role of Arlington’s top advocates for a proactive, positive approach to where and how to spend one’s later years. During their hour-and -a-half presentation entitled, "Downsize Your Home to Upsize Your Lifestyle," Ingrid & John present seniors with a framework for getting started on a plan, and urges attendees to look at all of the options available for a new chapter of life that calls for less maintenance and allows for more freedom and fun.

For more information about their downsizing seminars and upcoming dates for the next seminars, see this press release.

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Town Village is the Premier Independent Living Community in Arlington, TX

 If you are looking for an Independent Living Community in Arlington, you’ll like what you see at Town Village. Brookdale’s Town Village is the Premier Independent Living Community in Arlington, TX. Town Village Arlington is an exceptional Independent Living Community option for seniors.

As you enter the community you are greeted by gorgeous landscaping and a cozy wrap-around covered porch with seating areas. Once you enter the front doors you will enjoy the tastefully decorated living and meeting areas.

Town Village offers 215 apartments with full kitchens. There are studio, one bedroom, and two bedrooms apartments with several different floor plans to accommodate resident’s needs.

Residents dine in the beautiful dining room and can choose from a number of delicious meal choices at each meal. The healthy meals are prepared by trained chefs and served by an attentive wait staff. Lunch and dinner are served Monday through Saturday, on Sundays and Holidays there is a wonderful brunch and various breakfast choices are served daily.

Some of the areas enjoyed by residents are the library, billiard room, fitness facilities, and an arts and craft room. There are a number of public living areas where residents enjoy other activities like dominos, card games, puzzles, and visiting. Services that set Town Village apart from other Senior Communities are the very accommodating transportation services with 4 vehicles and 5 drivers, Call Pendants with GPS tracking, Exercise and Wellness programs, and Housekeeping, all of which are included in the monthly rent. Additional services offered by Town Village Arlington include: On-site therapy, Beauty Salon, Pet Walking, Laundry, and Medication Reminders.

Residents at Town Village range in age from 62 to 100 years old. There are a few residents who have lived at Town Village since it was built about 13 years ago. The friendliness of the residents and staff is what residents say they love about living at Town Village. Favorite activities of the residents include: Bingo, Visits to local museums, Outings to the Symphony and Plays, and monthly trips to the Casino. Click here to see the monthly calendar of activities at Town Village Arlington. Watch this video to see what residents and families have to say about Town Village.

Stop by Town Village at 1250 W. Pioneer Parkway, Arlington, TX or contact them at 817-226-0500

 

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Ready to Downsize so You Can Upsize Your Lifestyle?

Are you ready to downsize so you can upsize your lifestyle? Many seniors are aging in place, however there comes a time that you may have too much home in size and maintenance duties and want to downsize to a more manageable living situation. Moving to a Senior Living Community may offer you more freedom to enjoy life by releasing some of your everyday chores and housing concerns.

Independent Living communities are senior housing communities designed for independent seniors that desire the conveniences of community living. These communities offer a senior lifestyle filled with recreational, educational and social opportunities. Independent Living Communities may also called "Retirement Communities", "Congregate Living" or "Senior Apartments".

Some communities offer an enriched lifestyle with recreational and educational opportunities (Congregate Living or Retirement Communities), while others provide housing with only a minimal amount of amenities or services (Senior Apartments). Both types of independent living allow seniors more time to themselves and less time performing home maintenance and yard work.

Independent senior living communities are not licensed and offer a variety of services from place to place. They usually have a minimum age requirement and rent on a month-to-month or lease contract. The key is, they are “independent” senior living communities, meaning they DO NOT provide medical care. Most will arrange for home health services if needed on a temporary basis, however, when a resident requires extensive on-going medical care, they may become ineligible to live in the independent living community.

Independent Senior Living Communities typically offer full kitchens, some meals in a common dining room, housekeeping, paid utilities (except for telephone and cable), laundry facilities, 24 hour staffing, and private area for resident use. Some communities offer other ancillary services such as medication reminders, pet walking, laundry services, etc. There are some are affiliated with churches, schools or other community programs.

In future articles we will talk about Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Rehab, and Continuing Care Retirement Communities.

If you have any questions about downsizing or receive a copy of our “Downsizing Made Easy” guide, Please Contact the Sullivan & Sullivan Team.

 

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6 Tips to Help You Sell Your Home Fast

Good News, it’s a home seller’s market in the Dallas-Fort Worth area! The average days on market for the area in 2013 was 57 days which was down by 23% when compared to 2012. The Sullivan and Sullivan real estate team’s average days on market for 2013 was 27 days! So, how did we help our clients sell their homes quickly? Here are 6  Tips to help you Sell Your Home Fast.

1. Price It Right – Over pricing a home is a major reason a home doesn’t sell quickly. Sometimes underpriced homes sell for higher prices because of a bidding effect. Especially in the Dallas-Fort Worth area home market now with inventories being low. Because they were priced right, we had a number of homes that we listed to sell in 2013 have multiple offers in the first few days on the market . Work with an experienced real estate agent who knows the local market and provide you with an accurate competitive market evaluation. Remember the price should not be determined by: What you paid, What you need, What you want or What your neighbor says. There are real estate agents who will suggest overpricing a property to get a listing. Make sure you carefully review the market analysis. We monitor our listings very closely for correct pricing. Our rule of thumb when listing a property;  If you do not have more than 10 showings or an offer in the first 2 weeks on the market, the property may be overpriced.

2. The First Impression May be the Only Impression – The first impression starts with curb appeal. Make sure your lawn is well manicured, bushes and trees trimmed. If in season, plant some colorful flowers. Sometimes, even silk flowers in a flower pot will work. If it’s fall or winter, rake and sweep leaves. Make sure the front door has a fresh coat of paint or finish. Is there any flaking paint or rotted wood on the home’s exterior? These are signs of homeowner neglect. Moving to the home’s interior, fresh paint is always good. Fix leaky faucets, running toilets, watch the little details. If the carpet is worn and dirty, clean it or replace it. Let lots of light in by turning on lights and opening blinds and curtains before a showing. Kitchens and Bathrooms are some of the most important rooms. Consult with your real estate agent to determine if it’s worth doing some updates. Sometimes there are inexpensive updates you can do which will increase your home’s value and salability.

3. De-clutter and De-personalize – Since you are selling your home, you are also planning to move. Start packing. The more you can remove from your home the better it will show and the more spacious it will look. Start with closets and counter tops. Take all the things that make your home “your personal sanctuary” like family photos, religious decor and other memorabilia, and pack them up. Buyers want to visualize your house being their home– and it’s difficult for them to do that with all your personal items marking the territory as yours.

4. Stage the home – Home staging is one of the services we provide our clients. Staged homes typically sell for more and quickly. Why do you think new home builders stage models. Watch some of HGTV home selling shows.  Our stager like to say, “we are going to make your home look like Pottery Barn.” A good stager can move furniture to make a home look more spacious, help with home de-clutter and take what you have and add a decorator’s touch. We even do light staging on vacant homes because they show and photograph better because we are different.

5. Have a Sales Plan to Promote Your Home – One of the reasons the Sullivan and Sullivan team have been selling homes so quickly  is because of our Our Ultimate 55 point Home Selling Plan. Some agents use the 3 P home sales plan, Put a home in the MLS, Put a sign in the Yard and Pray that it sells. We Are Different. After we have a home staged, we have it professionally photographed. Many times first impressions are made when a home buyer sees the property on the internet. We try to use a minimum of 25 professional photos, have a virtual tour and video for all of our listings. Since most home buyers are represented by agents, you need a plan that promotes the property to local agents as well. Use social media to promote your home for sale to all of your connections. Your agent should be able to provide you with links you can post to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.

6. Listen to your agent - When you find an experienced real estate agent to list your home, who has a successful track record of selling homes in your area, listen to their recommendations! Find an agent you trust and follow their advice as often as you can. The Sullivan and Sullivan team would love to be that trusted agent. Find out about how we are different. Contact us here.

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10 Fire Safety Tips for the Holidays

 

Avoid accidents and keep your family safe during the holidays by reviewing these 10 Fire Safety tips for the Holidays.

1. Install smoke detectors; change the batteries every year. Install carbon monoxide detectors and make sure those batteries are fresh too.

2. If you use your fireplace, make sure to use a fireplace screen.

3. Never burn wrapping paper, boxes or other trash in your fireplace.

4. Don't leave a fire unattended; put the fire out before you go to bed.

5. Make sure candles are in stable and secure holders and keep them away from combustible materials and small children. Never leave candles unattended.

6. If you have a real Christmas tree, put it in a stable stand, and keep it fresh by checking the water level daily. A dried tree is more susceptible to fire. Keep the tree away from heat sources that could dry it out. Most tress dry out in two weeks, so don't leave your tree up long past the holidays.

7. Check holiday lights for cracked or broken bulbs, frayed wires and loose plugs. Don't use lights that aren't safe.

8. Use lights that have been approved by testing labs like Underwriters Laboratory (UL) or Factory Mutual (FM).

9. Use lights only in their designated areas; never use "indoor only" lights outdoors.

10. If your smoke, fire, or carbon monoxide detectors go off, get everyone outside and call 911. Don't try to solve the problem yourself.

 

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