Columbia Business Times:
Across the nation, many baby boomers are entering that next stage in life-the kids are gone and the large family home is superfluous. Kim Stanley started noticing this trend at open houses she hosted as a real estate agent.
“Upscale condos attract a lot of baby boomers. Their families have left and they have huge homes, but they’re looking at making a transition in their lives. The condo lifestyle is appealing or they’re curious about it,” Stanley said.
She learned people were “frustrated because they wanted a simpler, easier lifestyle but they were overwhelmed by the amount of work they perceived it would take to make it happen,” she said.
Barbara and John are two such people who want to scale back. Barbara, 70, said she felt burdened by her possessions until meeting Stanley.
“Stanley is very thorough at covering all of the bases that I was worrying about,” Barbara said. “I would stay awake at night and worry, and when she came along it was like God tapped me on the shoulder.”
Downsizing also comes into play for the boomer caring for an aging parent, and they have decided to either remodel their current home or move to a home with easier access to accommodate the health needs of their older parent. These scenarios create a need for downsizing, where it’s getting rid of stuff to make room for their parents’ things or reducing the size of home.
She provides two levels of services. One level is diagnosis and planning. In both cases, she meets with the clients to discuss their goals and time frame.
Photo by orvaratli.