Every senior transition starts with questions, and most families share the same ones. Here are honest answers to the questions seniors and their adult children ask most often, from how to start the conversation to what selling the family home means for taxes and for the future.
Wiz's tip
Bring your specific questions to the free 15-minute strategy call. Every family's situation is different, and the honest answers come from your numbers, not general advice.
How do we start the conversation about moving?
Start with care, not with a plan. Ask what the next chapter should look like, what is not working in the current home, and who the senior would like to be closer to. Make it several conversations over weeks, and let the parent's answers shape the options. A parent who feels heard will consider a move; a parent who feels managed will resist it.
When is the right time to consider a move?
The honest signal is practical: a fall, missed medications, unpaid bills, or a home that has become unsafe to maintain. The right time is before a crisis makes the decision, while the senior still has a real voice in it. That is why planning early, touring communities early, and having the low-pressure conversations early matter so much.
Who pays for the move and the new living arrangement?
For most families, the sale of the family home funds the next chapter, and the proceeds can cover the move, community fees, and ongoing care. Pensions, Social Security, long-term care insurance, and some state programs can contribute as well. Michael works with the family's financial picture so the numbers are clear before anything is signed.
What is the family home worth, and how do we find out?
An honest value comes from comparable sales and the home's real condition, not from online estimates or memories. Michael prepares a market-based assessment of the home's value as part of the planning conversation, so the family knows the number before they weigh any option.
What happens to the home if one parent has passed away?
It depends on how the home is titled and what the documents say. A home in a trust can pass to heirs outside probate; a home in a name alone typically goes through probate. Heirs generally inherit at the stepped-up basis, which often means less capital gains tax than expected. A trust and estate attorney, working with Michael, maps the exact path.
Can we sell the home and move at the same time?
Yes, and it happens all the time. The key is one coordinated calendar: the home lists, the offers come in, the next home is secured, and the closings line up so there is no gap and no double move. Michael orchestrates both sides so the family moves once, not twice.
Do we need to sell the home to move into senior living?
Not always. Some families rent the home for income, some hold it for appreciation, and some pass it to family. Selling is simply the most common path because it funds the move and simplifies the family's finances. The right answer depends on the numbers and the family's long-term goals.
How long does the whole process take?
Downsizing a large home often takes two to three months of steady work, and a home sale typically closes 30 to 45 days after the offer is accepted. Starting with the 12-week timeline helps families sequence the downsizing, the sale, and the move so each piece lands in order rather than all at once.
What does Michael do as a Certified Real Estate Planning Advisor?
Michael educates seniors and their families on their options, coordinates the real estate with tax advisors, trust and estate attorneys, and financial advisors, and helps execute the plan so the transition is smooth. The goal is simple: build, protect, and transfer generational wealth through the family's real estate, with trust, integrity, and compassion at every step.