So you’ve prepped your home cosmetically for sale in every imaginable way – fresh paint, a deep cleaning, new landscaping, decluttered closets and even organized the garage! Your house looks better then it ever has and you are ready to hit the market! Before you proceed with the “For Sale” sign in the ground, there are several key pieces of information that you should consider gathering that today’s savvy buyers are going to want to know.
Do you have a copy of a current survey on your home? Have this document available and provide to your listing agent so they can include in the information about your home. Buyers want to know about property lines, easements, conservation buffers, if there is room for a pool, if the property line extends to the water behind your home, etc. Having a survey to provide upfront will help to eliminate these types of concerns vs. waiting until a property is under contract.
If you’ve made any changes that would affect your property such as adding a pool or fence since you took ownership and are not shown on your current survey, it’s important to advise the buyer. A new survey will usually need to be ordered prior to closing in this scenario. If you don’t have one from when you purchased the home, try contacting the title company or attorney’s office that handled the closing of the property. Depending on how long ago that was, they may be able to retrieve from their archives.
Buyers often need to know room dimensions as it helps with determining furniture placement and to ensure how what they have will fit (or have to be reconfigured) in the new space. As any real estate agent can attest, many hours have been spent measuring spaces while looking at a home and comparing that against the existing buyer’s furniture dimensions. I’ve encountered entire home searches that revolved around a great room accommodating an entertainment center and the garage size so a motorcycle could fit in addition to the cars!
An appraisal is helpful as it can confirm the exact square footage of a home vs. relying on tax records which may not be accurate. We’ve all heard stories where the appraisal showed the actual square footage that was smaller than what was initially represented in a listing sheet. Having an appraisal will help to ensure that does not happen. You should have received a copy of the appraisal if you obtained a mortgage loan from your lender or if you refinanced. If you don’t have either, consider having a floorplan drawn up or home measured by an appraiser when prepping your home for sale. Your agent can assist with resources to this effect.
Buyers want to get an idea of what they can expect the heating and cooling bills to be in a home. Review your bills over the last one to two years to get an average in the various seasons, or call your local utility provider as they can often provide you with information on the high, average and low costs. This information can be very beneficial when a buyer sits down to number crunch their total costs of owning a home. If you had an unusually high or low bill, provide some explanation to accompany the numbers.
In many markets where termites are alive and well, it is common place for homes to have some sort of protection plan in place which is also known as a bond. In Florida, where I live and work, this is a primary concern and often one of the first questions buyers and their agents want to know. Prior to listing your home, obtain a copy of your termite bond policy from the provider, know exactly what type of bond you have – repair or treatment bond and up to what dollar amount of coverage is it good for. Also know how long the bond is in effect, when it is up for renewal and what the renewal fee is, if there is a transfer fee and what does it provide protection for – not all bonds provide protection against all different types of termites.
If you maintain any type of pest control on your property, compile information as to who the provider is, what you have done, how much you pay and how often does the company come out to treat the property. A copy of your service agreement is helpful in this instance.
Buyers especially want to know who a seller uses for their homeowners insurance and how much they pay. This is particularly the case in higher risk areas (where there are hurricanes, floods, fires, etc.) With homeowners insurance potentially more difficult to obtain in some areas, going through the existing seller’s insurance company can help streamline the process, particularly on an older home.
Now is the time to gather the various product manuals for all items that will be staying in the home such as appliances, water heater, heating and cooling system, ceiling fans, pool equipment, etc. If your home came with any warranties, be sure to include these for the new owner as well. Putting all of these in one large envelope makes it easy for everything to be readily accessible in one place for the new buyer.
Compile a list of all service providers/vendors and their contact information who you have used on your home – lawn service, pool service, A/C company, etc. While a new buyer may or may not choose to use these services, they will certainly appreciate having resources available to them and may elect to initially use them as they make the transition to living in your home.
This is key critical information for a new owner to have on hand. A contract may likely hinge on the buyer’s review of this information, so easiest to have it available ahead of time. If you don’t have these, contact your neighborhood’s association president or management company for assistance in obtaining a copy. Many of these documents are matters of public record and are available by going online to the appropriate municipality’s website.
Work with your agent to create an informational package or binder that you can provide to prospective purchasers that come through the home with the information mentioned above. Gathering this information before you put your home on the market will save time and make the process that more efficient once you find a buyer. It may even help your home to sell faster as all of this information is available upfront, eliminating the need for guesswork and waiting on answers while another property could possibly come on the market to grab the buyer’s attention. You want to help keep the buyer focused on your home, so make it easy for them to buy by giving them what they want. Happy selling! You can read more home seller tips here.
Whether to enroll in Part B or use FEHB as primary coverage is a personal decision, based on your individual circumstances. You should look at the costs and benefits of each insurance plan and make the choice thats best for you.Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB)Cover current and retired government employeesAdministered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)Can be:Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs): Have networks of providers that you usually must see. Out of network costs may be lower.Fee-for-service (FFS) plans: Allow you to see any medical provider, but you may have higher costs.When you become Medicare-eligible, you have a few options:Keep FEHB and turn down Medicare.Even if you have FEHB retiree coverage, it will continue to provide you with primary coverage if you dont enroll in Medicare. In this way, FEHB retiree coverage is different from most other retiree coverage.If you choose this option, consider turning down Medicare Part B but still enrolling in Part A. Part A is usually premium-free, meaning that you can have this additional coverage at no cost to you.Keep FEHB and enroll in Medicare.The two will work together to cover your health care costs, but you will owe premiums for both.Disenroll from FEHB and enroll in Medicare.You might not be able to enroll in FEHB again in the future if you change your mind.For a full list of questions to ask yourself when choosing the option that is best for you and more on identifying billing errors download this helpful handout by the Medicare Rights Center.Who to contact for more information: Contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) if you want to discuss your Medicare enrollment options with a Medicare counselor. Contact your Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) if you may have experienced Medicare fraud, errors, or abuse. In Southwest Florida it is 866-413-5337 or email shineinfo@aaaswfl.org. Contact the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) if youre a federal employee or retiree and want to learn more about FEHB. You can call 317-212-0454 or visit www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance. Contact United States Postal Service (USPS) if you are a USPS employee, retiree, or eligible family member and need more information on PSHB. Current employees can visit www.liteblue.usps.gov and retirees can visit www.keepingposted.org.The Medicare Rights Center is the author of portions of the content in these materials but is not responsible for any content not authored by the Medicare Rights Center. This document was supported, in part, by grant numbers 90SATC0002 and 90MPRC0002 from the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Administration for Community Living policy. [April 2024]
Established in 1963, Older Americans Month (OAM) is celebrated every May. Led by a federal agency, the Administration for Community Living (ACL), OAM is a time to recognize older Americans contributions, highlight aging trends, and reaffirm commitments to serving the older adults in our communities.This years theme, Powered by Connection, focuses on the profound impact that meaningful connections have on the well-being and health of older adults a relationship underscored by the U.S. Surgeon Generals Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community.Its not just about having someone to chat with, its about the transformative potential of community engagement in enhancing mental, physical, and emotional well-being. By recognizing and nurturing the role that connectedness plays, we can mitigate issues like loneliness, ultimately promoting healthy aging for more Americans.How can community groups, businesses, and organizations mark OAM?Spread the word about the mental, physical, and emotional health benefits of social connection through professional and personal networks.Encourage social media followers to share their thoughts and stories of connection using hashtag #PoweredByConnection to inspire and uplift.Promote opportunities to engage, like cultural activities, recreational programs, and interactive virtual events.Connect older adults with local services, such as counseling, that can help them overcome obstacles to meaningful relationships and access to support systems.Host connection-centric events or programs where older adults can serve as mentors to peers, younger adults, or youths.What can individuals do to connect?Invite more connection into your life by finding a new passion, joining a social club, taking a class, or trying new activities in your community.Stay engaged in your community by giving back through volunteering, working, teaching, or mentoring.Invest time with people to build new relationships and discover deeper connections with your family, friends, colleagues, or neighbors.For free local events and services, visit our event calendar. For more information, visit the official OAM website and follow ACL on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #OlderAmericansMonth.
Many people assume that their family members would automatically be able to make decisions about medical treatments if they were to become incapacitated. However, rules vary greatly from state to state:Your family may have to go through a costly and time-consuming court process to get the legal right to make medical decisions for you.Your family members may disagree on who should make medical decisions on your behalf, which could lead to legal disputes.Someone unfamiliar with your preferences may be placed in charge of your treatment choices.Its important to have a plan ahead of time to avoid disagreements around treatment issues and to ensure your wishes are honored if you are incapacitated. Advance directives, living wills, health care proxies, and powers of attorney can help ensure that decisions made on your behalf meet your needs and preferences.Important documents to have include:Health care proxy Names someone you trust as your proxy, or your agent, to express your wishes and make health care decisions for you if youre unable to speak for yourself.Living will A written record of the type of medical care you would want in specified situations.Advance directive Often refers to a combination including both a living will and health care proxy documents.Power of attorney Names someone you trust as your agent to make property, financial, and other legal decisions on your behalf.For detailed tips on preparing these documents download the Preparing for Future Health Care Needs handout by the Medicare Rights Center. To understand how Medicare covers hospice and for answers to other Medicare coverage questions, contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). You can visit www.shiphelp.org or call your local SHINE Medicare Counselors at 1-866-413-5337.
Amy Admire is a senior real estate specialist dedicated to helping seniors navigate the often-overwhelming process of selling their homes and transitioning to new living arrangements. Understanding the emotional and logistical challenges this transition can bring, Amy is known for offering patience, compassion, and clear guidance throughout the process. With a commitment to continuing education, Amy stays up to date on the latest market trends, ensuring a smooth transaction for clients with as little stress as possible. Her goal is always to provide a worry-free experience, giving seniors the confidence and support they need during such an important time.
Amy Admire is a senior real estate specialist dedicated to helping seniors navigate the often-overwhelming process of selling their homes and transitioning to new living arrangements. Understanding the emotional and logistical challenges this transition can bring, Amy is known for offering patience, compassion, and clear guidance throughout the process. With a commitment to continuing education, Amy stays up to date on the latest market trends, ensuring a smooth transaction for clients with as little stress as possible. Her goal is always to provide a worry-free experience, giving seniors the confidence and support they need during such an important time.
Amy Admire is a senior real estate specialist dedicated to helping seniors navigate the often-overwhelming process of selling their homes and transitioning to new living arrangements. Understanding the emotional and logistical challenges this transition can bring, Amy is known for offering patience, compassion, and clear guidance throughout the process. With a commitment to continuing education, Amy stays up to date on the latest market trends, ensuring a smooth transaction for clients with as little stress as possible. Her goal is always to provide a worry-free experience, giving seniors the confidence and support they need during such an important time.