SRES® Blog

When communicating in writing with your older clients, remember that fonts matter. One finding from a new study, “Towards Individuated Reading Experiences: Different Fonts Increase Reading Speed for Different Individuals” (https://www.nngroup.com/articles/best-font-for-online-reading/ and https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3502222#d1e6100), indicates that three fonts – Garamond, Montserrat, and Poynter Gothic – were better for older readers. So, consider how best to design your reading materials for your age 55+ buyers and sellers. Here are some tips (https://www.fonts.com/content/learning/fyti

Changing the Narrative Colorado (https://changingthenarrativeco.org/) combats ageism by trying to change how people think, talk, and act about aging. Its guidelines (https://changingthenarrativeco.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Guidelines-for-Age-Inclusive-Communications_ChangingtheNarrative-1.pdf) for journalists about avoiding ageist terms are relevant to your business. When communicating with and about older adults in conversations and marketing materials, choose words and images carefully. Here are six considerations. Avoid ageist words like elderly and the aged and the stereotypes

People navigating a hot market often make snap decisions that can quickly morph into buyers’ remorse. HomeLight’s “2022 Buyer and Seller Insights Report” outlined some of the compromises people made to get a house and the regrets they’re now living with. Here are three common regrets and ways to help your pressured clients avoid them. Overpaying – Have a candid discussion about what they can afford and speak about the ways a big mortgage can short-circuit other goals – retirement savings, travel, and hobbies. Underestimating the total cost of homeownership – Talk about home operation costs –

Once your clients have decided to sell and move, it’s best for them and you that the home sells quickly. Your clients may be interested in an analysis by Knock (https://www.knock.com/blog/home-improvements-buyers-love/) about what makes homes sell faster. For example, homes in which homeowners have done upgrades sell 30% faster than those that don’t. Plus, a full-on renovation isn’t needed to make properties move. Painting, new carpet, a bathroom vanity upgrade, and a power wash all contribute to reducing days on market. Knock found that homes with modern renovation sold in an average of eight

As the spring buying season gets into full swing, you want a grip on market drivers so you can make the best plan for your business. Plus, clients likely will pepper you with questions about who’s buying and those buyers’ motivations and wants. A recent Lending Tree survey https://www.lendingtree.com/home/mortgage/considering-move-survey/ gives you a big-picture market view and statistics you can use during chats and presentations with buyers and sellers. Lending Tree’s highlights include: How big is the market? About 40% of Americans are considering a move in 2022. How is the pandemic

You probably have an army of pros – locksmiths, cleaners, and painters – that you refer to clients. For your senior clientele, why not consider adding a tech guru? After all, the tech industry has made strides in developing smart technology that helps with aging in place, whether that’s detecting falls, monitoring health conditions, or letting seniors call for help. Yet, many seniors find installing, using, and maintaining smart home technology challenging and frustrating. According to research (https://www.ageinplacetech.com/files/aip/Future%20of%20Smart%20Homes%20and%20Older%20Adults%202021

To seniors, their homes are significant both financially and emotionally. "… home is more than just a place they live. It represents their journey, their accomplishments, their family, and the life they have created," says the American Advisors Group's (https://www.aag.com/homesurvey/p/1) "Importance of Home Survey." In addition, older Americans feel safe at home and value their independence. Those are good things to keep in mind when working with seniors who may be downsizing or moving to an assisted or independent living environment reluctantly. After all, 92% of seniors said they'd prefer

Universal design features in the bathroom should be on the radar of everyone over age 50, even if they don’t need them today. After all, it’s easier to install such aging-in-place features – like grab bars and a built-in seat – when you’re renovating than to install them later and when you’re possibly doing it during a health crisis. When homeowners ask for advice about bathroom upgrades, point them to the 2021 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study (https://st.hzcdn.com/static/econ/2021--US--Houzz--Bathroom--Trends--Study.pdf) to give them a sense of what’s trending. Homeowners are prioritizing the

The America at Home Study (https://americaathomestudy.com/) and the home that was built based on its findings give you a look at how the pandemic has changed people’s perceptions of home and what they want in their future homes. These include adaptable space, home offices, better technology, and energy efficiency. But beyond homeowners’ wish lists, the research also points to emerging opportunities for you as a REALTOR®. The data suggest that with so many deciding to speed up their pre-pandemic moving plans, there may be a new-home demand of 3.5 million. That’s potential business for you, and

When you’ve been dealing with a hot market and a steady stream of clients, it’s hard to keep your eye on the technologies that will help your business and clients in the future. The “2021 Technology Survey” by the National Association of REALTORS® gives you a glimpse at what technologies will have the most significant impact on REALTORS®’ business during the next two years. Among them are drones (37%), cybersecurity (34%), 5G (31%), and virtual reality (30%), according to the report that surveyed NAR members about their technology usage and views. During the last year, eSignature (78%), local