Rightsizing Pinellas
Rightsizing Pinellas
A practical, patient approach to one of the biggest parts of a senior living transition.
Start a ConversationWhen a move into senior living is planned, the family home is often the largest asset involved, and the most emotional. It may hold decades of memories, and it may also be an important source of funds for care.
Whether the move is planned well in advance or follows an unexpected change, the goal is the same: handle the home with care, keep the family informed, and avoid adding pressure to an already significant transition.
There is no single right timeline. The best plan fits the individual's needs, the family's situation, and the financial picture.
Families usually choose one of three approaches. Each has trade-offs worth discussing before deciding.
Funds are available for move-in costs and the home isn't left vacant. It can require a quicker cleanout and a temporary living arrangement if the timing doesn't line up.
The move happens on the individual's schedule, and the home can be prepared without disrupting daily life. Carrying costs and vacant-home insurance continue until closing.
Gives the family time to decide, or keeps the home in the family. It brings ongoing maintenance, management, and financial considerations.
✓ Understand the home's current value and market conditions
✓ Choose a timeline that works for the individual and the family
✓ Organize belongings: what moves, what goes to family, what is sold or donated
✓ Coordinate cleanout, estate sale, and donation services
✓ Prepare the home for market with repairs, cleaning, and presentation
✓ Protect a vacant home: insurance, utilities, security, and lawn care
✓ Confirm who has authority to sign, such as the owner, a power of attorney, or a trustee
✓ Keep everyone informed from listing through closing
Many families coordinating a parent's move don't live nearby. I can serve as the local point of contact: arranging access for vendors, overseeing preparation, and sending regular updates and photos so decisions can be made from a distance.
If your parent can make their own decisions, they sign as the owner. If not, an agent under a durable power of attorney that covers real estate, a trustee if the home is held in a trust, or a court-appointed guardian may be able to sign. The title company will review those documents, so confirm authority early.
Often, yes. Florida property appraisers generally allow an owner who moves into assisted living or a nursing home to keep the exemption as long as the home isn't rented. Confirm the requirements with the county property appraiser, especially before renting the home.
Many sellers can exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 for married couples filing jointly, if they lived in the home at least two of the last five years. The IRS makes an exception for owners who move into a licensed care setting because they can no longer care for themselves: time there can count toward the two years if they lived in the home at least one year. A tax professional can confirm the details.
Many homeowners policies limit coverage once a home has been vacant for a set period, often 30 to 60 days. Notify the insurance company when the home becomes unoccupied, and ask whether a vacancy endorsement or a vacant-home policy is needed.
A power of attorney ends at death. The sale then moves forward through probate, or through the trust if the home is held in one, which can change who signs and how long it takes. I hold a probate real estate certification and can coordinate the sale with the personal representative and the estate's attorney.
Not always. Many homes sell with some furniture in place, and a decluttered home often shows better than an empty one. A plan for what moves, what goes to family, and what's sold or donated helps keep the listing on schedule.
Save Our Homes savings can only transfer to a new homestead you own. A move into a senior living community generally doesn't qualify. Here's how it works.
Read the guide → Making the MoveWhich repairs and refreshes are worth it, and which aren't, plus a free printable tips sheet.
Read the guide →Questions about powers of attorney, trusts, probate, taxes, homestead status, or how a sale may affect benefits such as Medicaid should be reviewed with an elder law attorney, tax professional, or financial advisor before listing the home.
My primary professional role is to help families navigate the real estate and home-sale side of a potential move: understanding the home's value, timing the sale, preparing the property, and coordinating the details along the way.
I don't assess medical needs or determine the appropriate level of care. Those decisions belong to the individual and their family, together with their physician and care professionals. I'm glad to work alongside the people your family already trusts.
Whether the move is months away or already underway, I can help you understand your options and plan the next steps at a comfortable pace.