What's a Senior Real Estate Specialist? Patti Phillips talks about being a Senior Real Estate Specialist. You can listen to the show at http://rockyourretirement.libsyn.com/the-senior-real-estate-specialist

What does a Senior Real Estate Specialist do?

Patti Phillips never thought she would become a Senior Real Estate Specialist.   When Patti was younger, she always thought she would be a mom and a housewife.  That didn't work out the way she planned, and she decided to become a real estate agent in the year 2000. She was one of the first agents in San Diego to obtain the Senior Real Estate Specialist Designation. She prides herself in taking care of seniors in what can be an overwhelming and complicated process.

It's a different process to work mainly with seniors than Millennials because seniors typically want a face-to-face process.

Seniors don't necessarily go online and look at the house before they go to see it.  They want a more personalized approach.  That's where a Senior Real Estate Specialist can come in.

Its also different when helping a senior sell a home that they've been living in for 40 years.  Selling a home after living in it for so long can be a difficult and emotional decision. Many of her clients are widows who have never had to sign documents alone.

Patti Phillips is very involved in the senior community. Not only does she specialize in working with seniors in her business, but every month she brings people who work with seniors together in her networking group called Serving Seniors Networking Breakfast.

And if she wasn’t busy enough, she is also a standup comedian and president of the Encinitas Kiwanis Club.

SOCIAL AND FAMILY:

A Senior Real Estate Specialist, such as Patti helps many families by helping their parents sell their homes when they live out of state.   She lives in an upscale senior mobile home park and does a lot of business in her own park.  She says that she markets these mobile homes the same way she would a two million dollar home.   This helps bring in more money for the family when the senior can no longer live alone (or no longer wants to live alone), and move into an independent or assisted living facility.

She becomes friends with many of her clients, especially when they move into her community, especially since many senior communities also have lots of events that people can participate in, and being social is one of the things that can help keep you healthy.

ADVENTURE AND TRAVEL:

Patti is not only a Senior Real Estate Specialist, but she is also a comedienne.  That's adventurous in itself!

VOLUNTEER AND PHILANTHROPY:

Patti volunteers at the Encinitas Kiwanis Club.   She's very involved in her community.  When she retires, she'll be ready to Rock her own Retirement with all the outside activities she's doing.

SANDWICH GENERATION ISSUES:

Think about your parents.  Are they living in the home that they can stay in?   Are there stairs that they will need to climb?  Can they “age in place” in their current home?  Do they want to plan ahead or do they want to wait until their is a crisis that forces them to leave?

Patti's Advice to Pre-Retirees: Be passionate about something.  She sees 83- and 84-year-old people that are still dancing.