Seniors Real Estate Specialists (SRES®)

Seniors Real Estate Specialists (SRES®) are REALTORS® who have completed training to work with older clients. SRES® agents are a central part of a senior specialists team, along with estate planners, financial planners, elder-care attorneys, aging in place specialists, CPAs, and others who offer guidance to seniors deciding how best to manage retirement years.

SRES® candidates must successfully complete coursework covering topics such as reverse mortgages, the federal Housing for Older Persons Act (HOPA), and how Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security impact real estate decisions. SRES® agents are also taught to create a customized approach to older homeowners depending on situation: 

• planning life after retirement,
• transitioning from retirement with a companion to life alone, or
• considering selling the family home.

Senior clients often have other generations of family members to consider. SRES® agents are trained to work though issues multi-generational issues, such as where seniors are caring for elderly parents, or adult children are still living with the seniors, or both.

If you are over age 50 and considering a new home purchase, selling your family residence, or transitioning into a care-based facility, there are many ways that an SRES® agent can help:

• For seniors opting to age in place, an SRES® agent can refer a specialist who can evaluate your home, find problem areas and suggest home modifications. A specialist may be able to provide suggestions to help you navigate appropriate repairs and modifications, and save you money in the process.
• An SRES® agent may be able to direct you to private, community, and government programs that provide financial assistance. Many seniors may qualify for money-saving programs, but fail to apply because they are unaware of the programs. SRES® agents are trained to point you in the right direction, saving you time and maybe money.
• An SRES® may be able to refer you to a local geriatric care manager, senior groups and agencies within the community that provide home care and home healthcare services.
• An SRES® can help guide you to a reverse mortgage counselor to explore this financial tool to see if it is right for you.
• An SRES® is trained to help senior clients clients in other ways. They can refer clients to de-clutter specialists to prepare the home prior to listing. They can also refer to tax specialists who can prepare the estate prior to selling.

An SRES® agent can help you get started and guide you along the way.