If you've found yourself saying, “My parents need to downsize and sell their Wichita home, but I don't even know where to start,” you are definitely not alone.

 

Maybe Mom and Dad have lived in their home for 30, 40, or even 50 years.

The closets are full. The basement is full. The garage is full.

There are family photos, furniture, holiday decorations, tools, dishes, keepsakes and boxes that haven't been opened in years.

And now you're trying to figure out:

What do we keep?

What do we sell or donate?

Who is going to pack everything?

Does the house need repairs before we sell it?

Should we update anything?

How do we get the house ready to list?

Who hires the movers?

And who has time to coordinate ALL of this?

This is exactly why I believe helping a senior sell a longtime home requires much more than simply putting a sign in the yard.

You Don't Need to Have Everything Figured Out Before Calling a Realtor

One of the biggest misconceptions I see is that families think they need to completely clean out and prepare their parents' home before contacting a Realtor.

Please don't do that!

In fact, I would much rather meet with you before you start spending money, throwing things away or making repairs.

There may be things that don't need to be done at all.

There may be simple improvements that could make a bigger difference when it comes time to sell.

And sometimes the best decision is to sell the home with minimal preparation rather than putting Mom or Dad through months of projects.

Every home — and every family — is different.

The first step isn't cleaning out the house.

The first step is making a plan.

Downsizing a Parent's Home Is About More Than Real Estate

Selling your own home can be stressful.

Selling the home where your parents raised their family can be an entirely different experience.

That dining room may be where every Thanksgiving dinner happened.

Those marks on the doorframe may show how tall the kids were every year.

The boxes in the basement aren't necessarily “clutter.” They're decades of memories.

That's why downsizing shouldn't begin with someone walking through the house saying:

Get rid of this. Get rid of that. You don't need this anymore.

Instead, we can break the process into manageable pieces.

What is going with Mom or Dad?

What should be offered to family?

What could be sold?

What can be donated?

What truly needs to be discarded?

And what deserves a little more time before making a decision?

There is a practical side to downsizing, but there is an emotional side too. Both matter.

What If My Parents Have 40 Years of Stuff?

First — don't panic.

You don't have to empty an entire house in one weekend.

I help families work through belongings room by room and create a plan based on where your parent is moving and how much space they will have.

That might include:

• Organizing and decluttering
• Deciding what will move to the new home
• Sorting items for family members
• Identifying items to sell or donate
• Packing
• Coordinating moving needs
• Preparing the current home for sale
• Unpacking and organizing the new home

Instead of looking at the entire house and thinking, “How are we ever going to get through all of this?”, we tackle one piece at a time.

Should We Fix Up My Parents' Wichita Home Before Selling It?

Maybe.

But maybe not.

This is another reason I recommend talking with me before hiring contractors or starting projects.

If your parents have lived in their Wichita home for decades, it may have older flooring, dated paint colors, wallpaper, worn carpet, an older kitchen or repairs that have been put off.

That doesn't automatically mean you need to remodel it.

We'll look at the home together and determine what makes sense.

Sometimes decluttering, cleaning, rearranging furniture and making a few inexpensive updates can dramatically change how a home shows.

Other times, selling the property in its current condition may make more sense for the family.

My goal isn't to tell you to spend money.

My goal is to help you determine where spending money could actually benefit the sale — and where it probably won't.

What If I Don't Live in Wichita?

This situation is especially difficult when Mom or Dad lives in Wichita and the adult children live somewhere else.

You may be trying to coordinate everything from another city or even another state.

That's exhausting.

Having someone local who understands both the home-sale side and the downsizing side can make a huge difference.

Rather than flying back and forth every time something needs to happen, we can create a plan for what needs to be accomplished locally and determine who is handling each step.

You shouldn't have to become a Realtor, organizer, stager, mover and project manager simply because your parents need to move.

One Person Helping Connect All the Pieces

This is where what I do is a little different.

I'm Jennifer Timmermeyer, a Wichita Realtor with Real Broker, LLC and the owner of Design with Jen.

I don't just help families sell the house.

Through my real estate business and Design with Jen, I can help seniors and their families navigate the transition surrounding the sale, including:

• Downsizing
• Organizing and decluttering
• Preparing the home for sale
• Staging
• Packing
• Coordinating the move
• Unpacking
• Organizing the new home
• Helping the new space actually feel like home

Instead of wondering “Who do I call for this?” every step of the way, you have someone helping you see the entire picture.

And if something requires a service I don't personally provide, I can help point you toward the appropriate professional.

What If Mom or Dad Isn't Ready?

Then we don't rush them.

Sometimes the adult children are ready before their parents are.

You may see that the stairs are becoming difficult, the yard is becoming too much work, or maintaining a large house is getting harder.

Your parent may simply see:

Home.

Those are two very different perspectives.

A first conversation doesn't mean we're putting the house on the market tomorrow.

Sometimes it simply means talking about options and creating a plan so that when the time comes, everyone knows what to expect.

And sometimes having a plan is exactly what makes the situation feel less overwhelming.

Where Do We Start?

Start before you're overwhelmed.

Start before you've rented a dumpster.

Start before you've spent thousands of dollars updating things that may not need to be updated.

And definitely start before you try to clean out 40 years of belongings by yourself!

If you're thinking:

“My parents need to downsize and sell their Wichita home, and we need someone who can help us with everything,”

that's exactly the kind of conversation I would love to have with you.

We'll look at the situation, talk about what your parent needs, determine what needs to happen with the home and create a realistic plan for moving forward.

You don't have to know all the answers before you call.

That's what I'm here to help you figure out.

Need Help Downsizing and Selling a Parent's Home in Wichita?

If you are helping a parent, grandparent or other loved one downsize, move into a smaller home, transition to senior living or prepare a longtime Wichita-area home for sale, let's talk.

Jennifer Timmermeyer
Realtor® | Real Broker, LLC
Owner | Design with Jen

Serving Wichita, Kansas and surrounding communities.

Real estate. Downsizing. Organizing. Moving. One transition — with someone helping you through the pieces.