Category: Elder
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When Protectors Become Predators: Exposing Professionals Who Exploit Their Senior Clients
A few months ago in Miami, a real estate agent misused the power of attorney against a client. The agent bequeathed himself $1.6 million in oceanfront real estate that belonged to this customer, according to investigators. Also this year, in Western Kentucky, an elder law specialist pleaded guilty to exploitation of an older adult, and…
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What Can a SRES® Agent Offer a Mature Home Buyer?
Have you heard about the Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES®), from the National Association of REALTORS®? The SRES credential is a sign that an agent can support the goals and needs of older clients. The SRES agent has been trained in the unique challenges of those who enter the market aged 50+.
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Legal Aid Resources: Finding Free and Low-Cost Services for Seniors
Deeds.com offers updated, compliant real estate documents and forms. Now and then, a reader has situation-specific legal questions which require legal advice. Law firms can get expensive, but there are services available at low or no cost for older adults who need them.
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Power of Attorney or Guardianship for Older Adults: Confront and Avert Misuse
When it’s apparent that a power of attorney is being improperly used, is there any recourse? Here, we explore this important question.
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Conservatorship? Guardianship? What Do They Mean for Senior Deed Transfers?
For a lifelong couple, the day comes when one partner starts to focus intently on the well-being of the other. Before then, it’s important for a couple to document their plans and wishes. But how will they transfer the jointly held deed to their home, when one of them loses the capacity to do so?…
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Seniors Lose Billions Each Year to Scammers: 5 Quick Tips to Protect Yourself
According to the FBI, scammers take advantage of seniors to the tune of billions annually. A lot of this happens because seniors own a massive amount of U.S. real estate, a hard and valuable asset. To avoid enriching the wrong people, keep our five tips in mind. Consider sharing this column with friends who need…
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What Is a 721 Exchange—And Is It Worth Doing?
Numerous companies offer 721 exchange investment opportunities. One of the newer firms is Denver-based Flock Homes. The company sends proposals out to deed holders. Perhaps you’ve received one. Seniors who own investment properties are especially likely targets of these pitches. Flock calls it “the retirement solution for landlords.” Let’s take a look.
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Snowbird Estate Planning for a Changing Environment
If you move with the seasons, your retirement and estate planning needs special attention — now more than ever. This article provides some considerations for snowbirds in changing times.
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Social Capital: What’s the Deal With Senior Co-ops?
Many people talk about living in a retirement community at some point in their post-retirement journey. But what’s out there for middle-income seniors who (a) aren’t positioned to pay a fortune for housing, and (b) don’t need constant nursing care? Some seniors, looking for a frugal and socially appealing alternative to life plan communities, opt…
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Quitclaim Deeds and Senior Homeowners: Convenience with Caution
When someone wants to know which kind of document makes it easy to pass real estate ownership, the quitclaim deed comes to mind. Convenient? You bet. And quite often, this convenient document is the senior’s deed of choice. This is because so many seniors decide, at some point in their lives, to transfer their homeownership…
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Seniors Make Moves to Beat the Rush for Retirement Housing
And here they come… The most senior boomers will celebrate their 80th birthdays within a year. Seniors typically move to retirement living in their mid-80s. Droves of seniors will soon approach that milestone. Can the current system of retirement living in the United States meet Boomer Capacity? The short answer: No. So here’s what seniors…
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Transfer on Death Deed: Second Thoughts?
Avoiding the probate courts is an important goal for some homeowners. That’s why the transfer on death deedhas achieved popularity. One by one, most states have now adopted the option. Sometimes called the TOD deed, or just TODD, it offers a relatively simple way for a deed holder to say who’ll get the deed next.…
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Meanwhile, in Ohio…Seniors Get Warnings of Deed Wholesaling Scams
In Ohio, seniors are being warned of unexpected offers from real estate marketers who want to buy homes. The state’s Real Estate and Professional Licensing body as well as the Department of Aging and Richland County are all working to warn deed holders about the growing problem of wholesaling schemes. Older homeowners are impacted the…
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What’s “Undue Influence” in the Transfer of a Deed? Massachusetts Appeals Court Speaks
A homeowner transfers a deed. But someone else in the deed transferor’s circle isn’t too happy about who got it. Was the deed transfer fair? Yes, it was, if that’s how the owner wanted to pass property along. Of course, that assumes that the person signing the deed away knows the property’s value, and the…
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Turning a Hotel Into Homes for Seniors, Vets in Palm Beach County
Palm Beach County, Florida is about to lose 1,000 affordable units over the coming five years. Why? Agreements with developers established restrictions that reserved affordable units for 15 to 30 years. Those restrictions are about to expire. This comes at a time when Palm Beach County will need nearly 81,000 new affordable housing units to…
