Last summer I got a call from a client who I helped move up to a big house in Eden Prairie in 2002. Their family happily grew up there, and now one daughter was getting married and the other was heading out of state to college… leaving them as Empty Nesters!!
Their thoughts turned to finding a condo where they wouldn’t have to mow the lawn or clear snow anymore and they would have freedom from home maintenance… a place where they could walk to restaurants and shopping… a place where they could swim and play tennis but still have enough room to entertain.
First step was figuring out if they would be able to find a place that would make them want to move from the place they had loved for 18 years. We did a ‘reality check’ tour of condo possibilities and they decided that yes, it would be possible and they wanted to move forward.
They talked with their financial advisor, and we met to discuss options of how to make this transition happen. They determined that with the shortage of properties available for sale it made the most sense for them to find a condo to buy first, then sell their house after moving into their new home.
We met with Rooms with Style to put together a plan for getting their home ready to sell. Armed with a list of updates they planned to do, they started getting rid of their stuff, painting, and making updates with the plan of buying their new place, moving and emptying their house… then having their house professionally staged to be ready to sell.
A month ago we did a tour of units in 5 different condo communities… and they knew immediately when they walked into the one they wanted to make their next home!
It was a prime example of how things work out when things are right. The condo was already sold subject to inspection, but my buyers loved it enough to make a backup offer… and the sellers accepted their offer after things didn’t work out with the previous buyer following the inspection.
They closed on their new condo exactly a month after first seeing it… and this photo of the buyer is their jubilation personified!
Now, on to Empty Nesters Downsizing… phase two!
Sharlene Hensrud, RE/MAX Results – shensrud@homesmsp.com
