When should seniors sell their home and move into a senior living community? Many seniors and loved ones of seniors struggle with this question for several reasons. They wonder if the time is right and which senior community they should move into. Many also struggle with the idea of leaving a home they’ve known and loved for so long.

So, if you feel this way currently, take comfort in knowing you’re not alone.

Take even more comfort in knowing that trustworthy experts are more than willing to help you with this momentous and difficult decision.

One of those experts is Kevin Horstman, Managing Broker and Owner of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Crosby Starck Real Estate in Rockford, IL. Kevin has been a licensed real estate agent since 2008 and a Rockford resident since 2003.

We recently sat down with Kevin to get his thoughts on this and several related questions. His answers were insightful and incredibly valuable.

Keep reading to learn his expert moving tips for seniors. We hope you find them helpful as you make important decisions about your future!

What are signs the time is right for seniors to sell their homes?

One of the hardest things about determining when to sell a home and move into a senior living community is the fear of making the wrong decision. After all, a move is a lot of work for anyone, but it becomes more taxing the older you get. The last thing any senior wants to do is go through all that work when they would have been better off staying put.

For this reason, it’s crucial to know the telltale signs that moving to a senior community is the right choice.

Kevin Horstman admits that these signs are never exactly the same for every senior. They will vary based on each individual’s capabilities and preferred lifestyle.

Still, Kevin did provide the following general guideline for seniors to follow:

“I would say, when the home is starting to be more of an impediment than a blessing to a senior, then that’s the starting sign that it’s probably time to start considering a different lifestyle or different home choice.”

When asked for examples of what this might look like, Kevin listed things like difficulties with home maintenance and using the stairs. If you no longer feel comfortable cleaning your gutters or you only live on the ground floor because the stairs are too much for you, then it’s likely time to move.



Why do seniors want to stay in their homes?

These days, many seniors are highly resistant to moving. As Kevin points out, the trend among the Baby Boomers is to stay in their homes much longer than seniors have in the past. We were curious about this trend and wanted to find out why Kevin thinks it’s happening.

He provided three main reasons for this trend:

• The increased availability of in-home services
• Seniors feeling comfortable where they are
• Fear of losing independence

Let’s take a closer look at each of these reasons:

Increased Availability of In-Home Services

Seniors are far more able now than ever before to get the help they need with home maintenance. They can hire lawn care services for their yard and home cleaning services to keep the interior in good shape.

While these services are not cheap, Kevin points out that the Baby Boomer generation has more disposable income than previous generations. He uses his father as an example of what many seniors are doing:

“My father’s a great example. He lives in a four bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom home. But that’s the house he and my mother bought, and he doesn’t want to move. He doesn’t need a house that big, but he has the luxury of being able to bring in home cleaning services, and, should he need it in the future, he could bring in in-home nursing.”

Comfort Where They Are

People are also creatures of habit. The routine and familiar are comfortable, especially when seniors have lived in the same home for multiple decades. Therefore, Kevin is quick to cite comfort as another major barrier between seniors and a potentially beneficial move.

Fear of Losing Independence

Kevin also acknowledges a stigma around senior living communities. He says many seniors fear they will lose their freedom when they move to a senior community. Moreover, he says seniors “are concerned that if they look at senior housing or they consider a nursing home… that’s something old people do.”

No one likes thinking of themselves as old or losing their independence. However, as Kevin points out, these concerns often turn out to be non-issues. He says, “a lot of times we hear when people make that move, they’re very happy with the decision, and they a lot of times wish they had done it sooner.” So, don’t let these types of fears keep you from considering your options.



What are good reasons for seniors not to sell their homes?

Kevin doesn’t want seniors to think they have to sell their homes when they get to a certain age. On the contrary, he has a very simple response to this question:

“If the home is still meeting their needs and located in an area that is convenient for the senior, keep it.” His advice really is that simple.

Still, Kevin doesn’t think seniors in good living situations should ignore senior living communities altogether. Rather, he thinks it’s never too early to start researching potential independent living or assisted living options.

“A lot of times, when seniors are making these decisions,” he says, “it’s because there’s been a life event. Someone fell and maybe broke a hip or something happened. You don’t want to be researching all this stuff at the last minute when you’re laid up with a broken hip! So, have a game plan ahead of time and start researching some of this stuff.”

It never hurts and can only help you to look into your options. Moreover, the best time to do so is when you don’t need to make your decision right away because there’s no pressure.

As Kevin puts it, “No one’s going to make you sell the house.” Instead, when you approach helpful experts like the teams at Berkshire Hathaway and Wesley Willows, you’ll get all the information you need to make an informed decision. As a result, when the time comes, you won’t have to wonder what to do because you’ll already have a plan.



When is it a mistake for seniors not to sell their homes?

The biggest mistake Kevin sees seniors and their loved ones make is overestimating how long they can stay in the home. Often, seniors need more accommodations for daily living but think they can make it work with significant and often expensive changes to their houses. Unfortunately, this plan frequently winds up costing them in the long run.

Kevin has seen several different examples of this mistake in his 15+ years as a realtor. He’s seen families install washer-dryers in first floor bedrooms for seniors who can no longer use the stairs. He has also witnessed seniors opt for step-in tubs and wheelchair ramps to make their homes work for them.

None of these strategies are necessarily bad for seniors who can stay in their homes for another decade or more. But often, a health issue will force the seniors to have to move out sooner than that. Furthermore, the unconventional modifications can make the homes harder to sell and do not add any resale value to the properties.  

Still, Kevin doesn’t rule out these types of modifications entirely. “If it allows someone to maybe live in their home another five to ten years, that’s probably a good decision,” he says. But he encourages people to realistically assess whether the seniors will be able to stay in their homes for that long. He says, at a certain point, “when you have to really do a bunch of modifications to the house, it may be a better alternative to start researching other options.”



When is the best time of year for seniors to move?

According to Kevin, the best time for seniors to move to get the most value out of their house is the summer months of May, June, and July. People with children frequently move during this time of year since the kids are out of school. Because of this, it’s a great time to find a buyer for your house. The physical process of moving is also a lot easier when you don’t have to deal with winter weather—especially with the harsh winters we have here in Rockford!

Still, Kevin doesn’t rule out other times of year. Instead, he says, “I always tell people, you don’t have to wait for the peak season. We help people buy and sell houses all year long. I’ll have closings in December. I’ll have closings in January.”

Kevin also mentions that now is a particularly good time to sell your home in Rockford because of the great market appreciation in the area. “People are pleasantly surprised when we tell them what their house is worth,” he says, “unlike back in the buyer’s market of 2012, when I told people what their house was worth, and I was afraid they were going to throw something at me!”



What items must be on the moving checklist for seniors?

Answering the question, “When should seniors sell their homes?” is only half the battle. What happens when you determine that the time is right to make a move? In this case, it’s helpful for seniors to have a good moving checklist. And who better to write that checklist than a man with over a decade of experience helping seniors move?

We asked Kevin what should be on every senior’s moving checklist, and he gave us the following list of excellent moving tips for seniors:

• Start preparing two or three years early if you can.
• Find homes for cherished items you can’t keep
• Acquire your new home before you sell your old one
• Work with trusted professional

Let’s take a closer look at each of these tips and why they’re essential.

Start Preparing Early

Kevin recommends starting the moving process at least two or three years early if you can. By doing this you will reduce stress and give yourself plenty of time to make the best decisions for your future.

Find Homes for Cherished Items

According to Kevin, selling the house is the easy part of the moving process. The harder part is finding homes for all of the extra items that seniors accumulate over the years. He warns that this process can lead to some hurt feelings if seniors aren’t prepared.

“A lot of times seniors are offended when their children don’t want their cherished antiques,” he says, “and I prepare seniors for that. Your kids probably don’t want your China. Probably don’t want your fill-in-the-blank. Antiques right now just aren’t as popular as they have been in other times.”

Because of this, he recommends exploring all options for getting rid of items you no longer want to keep when you move. The Rockford region has many charities like the Salvation Army that will accept donations. Sometimes the right option may be to throw items away that are in too poor of shape to donate.

One fun option Kevin recommends is a “reverse housewarming party.” This involves inviting friends and family over and telling them they can take anything in the house that you’ve marked as okay to take. Seniors often like this option because it ensures that their items are going to people who appreciate them and will take good care of them.

Acquire the New Home Before Selling the Old

Kevin recommends buying your new home before selling your old because it “makes the personal property decisions so much easier.” It’s much simpler to determine which items you should take with you and which you should get rid of when you know how much space you have in your new home.

Furthermore, you will have a much easier time dealing with the items you won’t be taking with you. Instead of having to move items to your new home that you’re going to get rid of anyway, you can leave all the items you don’t want in your old home. Then it will be much less stressful to get rid of your old items while enjoying your new space!

Work with Trusted Professionals

Finally, Kevin urges seniors to hire professional companies with good track records for every part of the moving process. This includes everything from home improvement companies (e.g., roofers, painters, HVAC contractors, etc.) to moving companies. He cites this as one of the essential ingredients for reducing stress during a move.

It may sound like a lot of work to research all these companies, but Kevin has a simple solution for that, too: hire a good realtor. A trustworthy and professional realtor will connect you with all the quality companies you need to simplify the move. Kevin knows this for a fact because it’s what he’s done for his clients for more than a decade.

“You know, one of the benefits that my clients get is I’ve been doing this for fifteen years, and I collect relationships,” Kevin says. “I know that sounds a little funny, but I appreciate being able to put someone in contact with just about any service they would need.”

Kevin’s promise is to always prioritize quality when choosing companies to recommend to his clients. He says, “I will give you someone that I have worked with that will do what they say they will do. They will be fair with their billing, show up on time, and they will do the job right.”

Because of this, you never have to worry about getting connected with the right people when you work with an experienced realtor like Kevin.

“Far more than just selling a house, we can get you connected to good people,” he says. “They’re going to take my phone call. They’re going to take my agents’ phone calls. They’re going to respond quickly because we throw a lot of business to them.” 



What are some important downsizing tips for seniors?

Many seniors have asked Kevin about downsizing over the years, and he always has the same response:

“I encourage seniors not to think about ‘downsizing.’ I encourage them to think about ‘right-sizing.’ What that can mean a lot of times is the home can have a lot more space or it can have a lot less space, but that really doesn’t matter. What matters is how the space can be used.”

Kevin urges seniors to be very intentional about how they organize their stuff in their new space. Find ways to strategically organize shelves so that essential items are easy to access. Make sure it’s easy to comfortably navigate the space. Above all, avoid trying to jam too much stuff into your new space so that a lot of it winds up collecting dust somewhere.

“I’m a big fan of having the mindset that we’re making a bit of a paradigm shift in our lives,” says Kevin. “And so, this is a good time to not throw stuff away necessarily but find something that I own today that can be a blessing to someone else.”

In this way, moving to a new space can be an opportunity for seniors to increase their joy by simplifying their lives.



What are the most important qualities to look for in senior living community?

Kevin encourages those considering senior living communities to focus on “quality of life items,” such as whether or not the facility is pet-friendly and the amenities it has. He says these are the types of factors that will determine how much enjoyment you will get out of living there.

Rather than thinking of the change as moving from one house to another, think of it as moving from a house to a community. If the community feels welcoming, friendly, and comfortable to you, then you’re probably going to like it there. 

Why would you recommend Wesley Willows or Peterson Meadows to seniors?

As we mentioned above, Kevin and his company Berkshire Hathaway have partnered with our team at Wesley Willows and Peterson Meadows for our Smart Move Program. We trust Kevin and his team to give our new residents the best possible service.

When asked why he likes our senior living communities and recommends them to his clients, Kevin gives the following answer:

“I think Wesley Willows and Peterson Meadows is really a gem of our community. I don’t think enough of our community understands the services that Peterson Meadows and Wesley Willows offer.”

He adds, “When you first see the numbers, you think that’s kind of expensive. But then when you understand, I don’t have a property tax. I don’t have property insurance. I have all of this maintenance that I’m not ever going to have to do. When you start adding in all of the things, it really is a good value.”

For this reason, he always encourages seniors to talk to our team and learn about the value we offer. It never hurts to ask, and our team isn’t going to pressure you into making any decisions. Instead, we will give you all the information you need to make the best decision for your future.   



Want to Learn More About Our Senior Living Options?

We hope the insights from this interview with Kevin Horstman have helped you as you consider when seniors should sell their homes. Whether you’re determining when to sell your home or helping your senior loved ones, we want to echo what Kevin says about the process: “There’s nothing wrong or scary with having these conversations.”

On the contrary, our team at Wesley Willows and Peterson Meadows is here to help you any way we can. One of our friendly sales coordinators would be happy to sit down with you and answer all your questions about our organization. We can also get you connected with Kevin and the team at Berkshire Hathaway and the rest of our Smart Move partners for a stress-free move.

Ready to get started? Please click below and fill out the form to receive more information about Wesley Willows and/or Peterson Meadows.