Panel members included:
- Christina DiMinno, licensed real estate salesperson, SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist), and ABR with Bronxville-Ley Real Estate.
- Michael Shapshot, esquire, licensed real estate broker with Keller Williams Realty in New York City, and creator of EmptyNestNYC.com. He specializes in out-of-towners moving to New York City and empty-nesters in the suburbs.
- Deborah Gemborowski, a certified public accountant and president of Deborah Gemborowski, CPA, P.C. has more than 30 years of professional experience as a CPA and offers guidance on tax implications when considering a move.
- Carol Lightbody, a partner in Changing Places LLC, a senior move management company whose services are designed to help share the burden of managing all the steps required in a move.
- Mark Aakjar, owner of Mark’s Inspections Inc., a home inspection company that provides full and detailed reports that identify issues that may impact the value of a home to buyers and sellers.
Here are a few tips offered by the panel:
- Share the burden of managing a move with a strong team of professionals.
- Enlist the services of a real estate professional who understands your unique needs, and get an opinion on your home’s value and options for making a move.
- Keep accurate records of all capital improvements made on your home since the purchase.
- Visualize where you want to go and take field trips to explore new home options.
- Investigate services of a reputable “move manager” who can reduce stress by helping to develop an overall move plan, organize possessions (keep, store, sell or donate), manage movers and other vendors, change services, and set up of the new residence.
- Enlist the services of a certified home inspector to uncover home repairs that are needed on a home you are buying or even ahead of a home sale to avoid surprises.
For more information and resources for empty-nesters, contact me or any of our panel members.
Leah Caro is a principal broker with Bronxville-Ley Real Estate in Bronxville, N.Y.