Being up front with you, for the first 10 years (of the now more than 25) of being "in business" as a home buyer, I really didn't know why a home seller would sell to my company.  Although I looked at houses, made offers, and bought houses, I also had the question in the back of my mind... "why doesn't this person just list their house with an agent?"Then the real estate market, along with the rest of the economy "corrected" in 2008.  In the several years after that, I had more seniors and their families calling me that wanted to sell a house.  Because they typically had no or very little debt, they actually could sell their house if they wanted to.The way the market was back then, I would talk to numerous sellers who had listed their house with an agent (some more than once), and when the house didn't sell, would call me.  We are in a much different market now, but the reasons that a seller would sell to a home buyer haven't changed all that much.Sellers would typically tell me that they had spoken to one or more real estate agents, were told they needed to do this, fix that, etc, to list their house, but they didn't want to do those things.  They just wanted to sell their house.For years, one of the first things I ask a seller is, "why wouldn't you just list your house with an agent?"  And, they typically always have or had a reason or reasons why they didn't.A common item that I heard and continue to hear from sellers is, "I'm sure I could get more for my house if I listed it, but I like and value the benefits your company offers, so I would prefer to just sell the house to you."These were the hundreds of sellers that "taught me" why they would choose to sell their house to me.Not needing to get "top dollar" or finding value in home buyer company non-financial benefits are something that seems impossible to grasp for most real estate agents.Are Home Buying Companies A Scam?In my view, some certainly are.  As I've discussed in other articles and videos, beware of "wholesalers."  Wholesalers are individuals or companies that state that they buy houses, advertise that they buy houses, but actually have no intent or financial ability to do so.  Once they get a contract to purchase a house, they look for a "real" buyer to sell the contract to and close on the transaction.Because they have no financial risk, they can often overpromise what they can pay for the house.  And, if they cannot find an end buyer, it leaves the seller in a very precarious position, or the wholesaler tries to reduce the purchase price.Another problem is when a home buyer doesn't actually look at your house before making an offer.  When they make an offer without looking at a house, and the seller signs an agreement with them, and they do finally inspect the property, the price will likely be reduced based on some unknown item the buyer states that they weren't aware of.A real home buyer should be able to "close" and purchase a property as soon as a title company can check title and prepare closing paperwork.  With Home Downsizing Solutions, in less than 7 days, or when the seller wants.  We've even purchased a house within 24 hours of having an agreement signed!Characteristics Of A Good Home Buying CompanyI will provide several characteristics of what I think you should look for in a good home buying company, as these are items that I have done to ensure we are "one of the good guys."Have a Real Estate License.  I think its beneficial for a member of a home buying company to have a real estate license.  In an effort to serve sellers I work with as well as possible, I have a real estate license as well as an SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist) designation.This allows me to provide information on the positives and negatives of listing a house as well as selling to a home buying company.  Have The Financial Ability To Actually Buy Houses.  As mentioned above, there are companies that state that they buy houses, but actually don't or can't.  In my company's case, we actually buy houses.  I encourage sellers to call the title/closing company that the home buyer says will close the transaction to confirm that they can actually buy the house, and not just act as a middleman to sell the contract to the end buyer.I also encourage sellers that I work with to call the title/closing company to ensure the purchase agreement contains the specific information that the seller is agreeing to or understands about the agreement, so that there are no misunderstandings before closing.No Pressure Sales Tactics.  I would warn sellers to beware of companies that pressure a seller to sign immediately, or before they were comfortable with signing a purchase agreement.For a similar reason, I would also beware of agents that just want to disparage home buying companies and not acknowledge at least some of the benefits sellers find of value and choose to work with them.Transparency.  I think a legitimate home buying company should share market information with a seller so they can be as educated as possible.  In my case, we typically always show sellers comparable information for their area.  I want them to see the gross selling price that houses have sold for and the condition of those houses.  I also want to provide a realistic explanation of all the transaction costs to sell a house.Realize that when an agent says they can sell a house for $200,000, for example, that is a "gross" number and not the "net" amount that a seller will put in their pocket.  The total amount of transaction costs and what a seller will "net" from the sale of a house will vary and is dependent upon a number of factors.  In average markets, transaction costs will typically amount to 10% to 15% of the gross selling price.Credible and Trustworthy.  Home Downsizing Solutions and their predecessor entity have had an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau for more than 25 years.  They also have numerous testimonials and 5 start Google reviews from those 25+ years.As mentioned above, I have a real estate license with an SRES designation.I've written books, articles, and provide other information to educate homeowners about selling a house and downsizing or moving to senior living.Home Downsizing Solutions is also an Industry Partner with the NASMM (National Association of Senior Move Managers).Why Would Someone Want To Sell A House To A Home Buying Company?What I tell every homeowner I meet with is, that if the benefits that Home Downsizing Solutions offers are of enough value, we can be a great solution.  Otherwise, one of the Total Solutions Agents we work with could be a better option to list and sell their house in a traditional manner.What Are Home Buying Company Benefits?No Need To Do Repairs or Updates to A House.  If your house is in great condition, this item is most likely not very important.  But to a person who has owned a house for 20, 30, or more years and has deferred maintenance or updates to be competitive with potential buyers, this may be a very valuable benefit.Contacting multiple contractors, getting bids, ensuring the work is done well, and living in a construction zone is not something that every homeowner wants to deal with.  I've also had numerous sellers say, "If I do all that work and put a bunch of money into my house, I just as well stay."No Need To Get Rid Of The Stuff.  With Home Downsizing Solutions, I always tell sellers to take what you want, sell what you want, and leave the rest...  we'll take care of it.  Unlike a traditional sale, where you want the house to show as well as possible, we don't care what the house looks like or the amount of stuff.  We purchase hoarder houses, so whatever stuff a seller has is not an issue.  This eliminates the need of getting a dumpster and the time and effort to go through stuff that a seller just doesn't care about.No Showings.  A lot of sellers we've worked with just don't want to get and keep their house in a show ready condition.  They don't want strangers in their house.  They don't want to have to leave their house every time an agent wants to show the house.  Maybe someone in the household has health issues that does not allow them to leave the house, or at least not without a great deal of effort and planning.No Whole House Inspections or Appraisal Surprises.  Most traditional buyers will, understandably, always want a whole house inspection.  And since most buyers need to get a loan from a traditional lender, they will need an appraisal.  In almost all but the very "hot" markets, these items notoriously will turn up "deficiencies" that give the buyer opportunities to renegotiate the purchase price.  In my company's case, we buy the house completely "as is."  Unless a structural issue has been discussed with a seller during the initial walkthrough or signing a purchase agreement, the price doesn't change.Move When You Want.  With Home Downsizing Solutions, we can close and buy a house, but let the seller remain in the house for up to 90 days or more.We have worked with many situations where the seller had a "catch 22" where they could either move into a new living arrangement right away but didn't want to leave a vacant house, or they wanted to sell but their new home or apartment wasn't ready for them to move into.  By buying their house and letting them transition to their new home or apartment on their schedule, we eliminated those issues.By being able to buy a house before having to move, sellers are also able to eliminate the need of a bridge loan, if they needed funds from the sale of their house to move into a new living arrangement.We have also worked with situations where we purchased a house, and let the seller keep possession until they were able to have a local resource have an estate sale so they could monetize whatever "stuff" they could.  Then we took care of any of the stuff that didn't sell, so the seller or estate sale company didn't have the time or expense to dispose of the items.Sell Your House And Stay As Long As You Want.  If you love your home but don't want to worry about maintenance or repairs, we now provide an option for that.  We can buy a house and allow the seller to rent the property as long as they want.  We can even come in, make updates or repairs to "age in place," and create the home environment you want.Provide Concierge Services.  A good home buying company, like Home Downsizing Solutions, will learn and understand the logistical needs of the seller.  We have provided or introduced sellers to services such as senior placement agents, senior move managers, moving companies, or other resources that made the transition to a new home less stressful.What Do Home Buying Companies Actually Pay For HousesOne of the first questions I typically am asked is, "what do you pay for houses," or "what percentage of market value do you pay for houses?"  It is common for real estate investing "gurus" to teach their new students to make offers of 70% to 75% of market value, minus repairs.  However, for a good home buying company, this is not all that accurate, and is a very simplistic way to look at this.  It would be comparable to say, "all real estate agents charge 7% to sell a house."With Home Downsizing Solutions, it depends... it depends on what time of year (holding costs are higher in the winter).  It depends on the comparables we can find to determine values or potential values of an area or subdivision.  It depends if there are just cosmetic and "stuff" issues to deal with or if there are structural or potential structural issues.  Another way to state the above is, it depends on risk.  If we perceive more risk to buying a house, our offer is going to be lower than if we perceive less risk.When a real estate agent lists a house, they have no financial risk.  When a wholesaler makes an offer on a house, they have no financial risk.  When my company buys a house, we have a lot of financial risk.  If our calculations are wrong, or there are issues with a house that we were not able to determine before purchasing a house, we can't go back to a seller and renegotiate.  We have all the risk.I know that when we speak to a seller, we have to be competitive with our offers, because they have multiple other options to choose from.  If we were not competitive or provide value to potential sellers, we would not be in business after 25+ years.Home Downsizing Solutions home buyers provides multiple types of offers for sellers.  One example of an offer, other than an all-cash offer, is if a seller doesn't need all of the funds from the sale of a house immediately, we can pay a much higher than retail price by making payments to the seller and turning the equity in the house into an income stream.  Another way to look at this type of option is, the easier it is to buy a house, the more we can pay.Is A Cash Home Buying Company A Good Option To Sell A House?Everyone's situation is unique, and one size does not fit all.  If you're considering selling your house, we can provide a free consultation to discuss the positives and negatives of the multiple options you have to get your house sold.  We want to provide the information you need to make an informed decision of the best path forward for your real estate needs.For additional information, just go to www.HomeDownsiziing.com or call us at (855)-433-5854.

VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY IN THE WINTER & OLDER PEOPLE  One of the most critical aspects of remaining healthy for older people is ensuring that they get the vitamins and nutrients that their bodies need. Vitamins have many health benefits for seniors, leading to a happier and healthier lifestyle.An extremely important vitamin to take during the winter is vitamin D. People get less Vitamin D during the colder months, as the result of not being outside as often with the drop in temperature and challenging weather conditions.Lets take a closer look at vitamin D, its benefits, signs of not getting enough of it, and ways seniors can avoid a deficiency.WHAT IS VITAMIN D?According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin D, also referred to as Calciferol is a fat-soluble vitamin naturally present in a few foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement. It is also produced when the Suns ultraviolet (UV) rays strike the skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis. Good food sources for vitamin D include shrimp, salmon, egg yolk, yogurt, and fortified cereal.THE BENEFITS OF VITAMIN D FOR SENIORS  There are a number of great benefits for seniors who regularly ingest vitamin D, including: Helps to reducing inflammation. Regulates mood and improves symptoms of depression.Promotes cell growth, neuromuscular and immune function, and glucose metabolism. Decreases the chance of heart disease.Supports immune health.

Many adult children in the US live far away from their parents. Managing aging parents or in-law medical events can be a serious challenge without proper preparation and understanding of what your parents' wishes may or may not be, no matter where you live. Do you know what legal documentation your parents have in place regarding their medical care? Do they have advance directives that can help guide your medical decision-making process? Do you and your spouse openly discuss the situations of each other's parents?Medical advancements increase the longevity for aging Americans, even those with comorbidities such as high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, atrial fibrillation, and other health issues. Hospitals can typically fix non-life-threatening conditions easily enough, but what happens when a parent is released to return home? Are you prepared? Is there a plan? Many adult children tend to practice avoidance, denial, and wishful thinking regarding their aging parents potential medical crisis. It is advisable to organize and prepare for the health changes that inevitably come as your parents age.More than ever, seniors are choosing to live independently and with autonomy regarding their life decisions. Even if your parents are in a well-run continuing care retirement community, there will come a day when their health will force a change in their lifestyle and living arrangements. Many parents will resist "help," which they may view to be interference. Whether they believe they are being a burden to you or they decline a geriatric care manager's services due to cost concerns, most older people do not want others interfering in their private affairs.The goal is to find a way to help while still affording your parents the dignity and respect they want and deserve. To achieve a comprehensive plan on your parents' behalf, travel to them for an honest discussion. If this is not possible due to COVID-19 restrictions, then virtual meetings are best, followed by phone calls.Review what legal paperwork your parents have and make sure it is in order. Many documents have a signature from many years ago, and things may have changed. The main health care related documents that should be kept current are the health care power of attorney, HIPAA and an advance directive/living will. If these documents have not been reviewed in at least 10 years, it is recommended that you call our office to set up a free consultation.Create an up-to-date list of all your parents' doctors. The list should include medical contact information and all medicines (prescription or otherwise) that they take. Post-hospital fog and newly prescribed medications from an adverse health event can create confusion in an older parent. Ask about the parameters for health care intervention, such as dialysis and post-hospital during the time of COVID-19.Explain to your parents that being released from a hospital for a non-life-threatening, yet serious health episode is usually followed by the need for a care manager, at-home nursing care, or companion care. This additional care should not fall to a spouse if the parents live together. A spouse has their own unique role to fill as well as personal health challenges with which to contend. Heaping an increased responsibility for spousal health care upon them may be damaging to their own well-being.Before an unforeseen medical crisis can occur, identify several qualified agencies in your parents' hometown. Review each agency and candidate carefully. It is easier to integrate a suitable candidate at the outset than having the chaos of retaining and releasing multiple workers. Remember that a candidate who works for one parent may not be another parent's preference in the future. Maintain a strong relationship with the agency provider. They are an essential resource, and you will probably need them in the future.Take the time to learn the specifics of your parents' healthcare and living arrangements. Coordinating your plan of response is contingent upon whether your parents live independently, in assisted living, or in a retirement community. Wherever it is your parents live, their first desire will likely be to go home after an unexpected hospitalization. The desire to return home is a universal truth. Knowing the agencies that can quickly provide the type of care your parent needs in their home setting will go a long way towards a successful transition. The road to recovery may require a few weeks of nurse visits, physical or occupational therapists, or simply companionship. The faster you can meet the need, the easier it will be on your parent.If a full recovery is not possible, what will be your plan to address the new status of their normal? How much more medical oversight and assistance will they require? Know that in these instances, a parent can quickly spend through Medicare allotments afforded for temporary care. If they do not have long-term care, and many aging Americans do not, you will have to find ways to help them receive the care that they require.If there are multiple adult children, is there an expectation that all siblings share information and work on the problems at hand, or is one in charge? Is this designation formally documented? Managing sibling relationships is key to avoiding family conflict. Also, understand your parents' financial arrangements. It is likely that your parents will ask about the cost of any new healthcare service being arranged and decline using it. It is hard for a parent to spend down the money they worked their entire life to amass.Knowing your parents' aging strategies will not address every issue you might encounter because they may not have all the necessary decisions and documents in order. You can only work within the authority they choose to provide. As attorneys, we can help identify gaps in their planning and recommend ways to fill those gaps so everyone can have peace of mind. If youd like to discuss ways we can help, please dont hesitate to reach out.

National Parents Day is July 26th, a time to celebrate your mother and father and let them know how much they are loved and appreciated. As parents get older, many will turn to their adult children to help them in the next steps of senior living. Many of these adult children live an average of 450 miles from their parents and are having to assume the role of a long-distance caregiver. According to the National Center on Caregiving, approximately 5 to 7 million adult children in the U.S. are long-distance caregivers.Assisted Living Locators, a leading nationwide senior placement and referral service, is encouraging long-distance caregivers to use this commemorative day as an opportunity to start the dialogue about how they can best assist their aging parents during this transition. The company provides free, personalized help finding housing and care solutions for seniors and their families.To honor National Parents Day in July, Assisted Living Locators nationwide network of senior care advisors will post photos of their parents and share caregiver strategies for helping aging parents across social media channels and on the company website.This month is an opportunity for long-distance caregivers to assess the current lifestyle of aging parents and evaluate what can be improved to strengthen their loved ones health and happiness, said Angela Olea, Assisted Living Locators CEO RN. No matter what stage of life your parents are in, talking about long term care and creating a plan now for the future can help them live their life on their own terms.She stated the next step for long distance caregivers in the transition toward senior living is to have a needs assessment conducted by a knowledgeable professional to help understand your loved ones physical and cognitive condition.Olea added that Assisted Living Locators senior care advisors provide an in-depth assessment of all the clients needs, along with thoughtful analysis and recommendations for best-fit care options. Long-distance caregivers can begin their assessment process with an easy-to-use online tool on the Assisted Living Locators website, which then directs you to a local senior care advisor for a phone or video call in-take interview to learn about the best options to meet your needs.During COVID-19, senior care advisors provide virtual tours with qualified vetted home health, hospice, assisted living, memory care and adult family homes. They can also give families status updates on visitation and acceptance of move-ins for assisted living communities and skilled nursing facilities in your area.