(NAPSA)—Recent surveys of home sellers and buyers 50 years of age and older revealed some surprising insights into this growing segment of the population. For instance, nearly half of surveyed seniors made the Internet part of their home-selling process, while more than two-thirds of them used the Internet in their home search. This represents a dramatic 50 percent increase over previous data, clearly demonstrating that people born before the Digital Age are far more computer savvy than they’re sometimes given credit for. Even more surprising may be results showing that the majority of surveyed seniors did not relocate to some distant destination but instead kept close to home, with a quarter moving less than 25 miles away from their old neighborhood and over half staying within 12 miles ofit. Such trends show that seniors are like younger consumers in many ways. But selling and buying behaviors within the demographic itself vary greatly, such as the differences between younger and older seniors. While younger seniors (aged 50 to 64) wanted a better neighborhood, twice as many older seniors (over the age of 65) moved for the quality of community services. Price was the No.1 feature for nearly every older senior (95 percent), but only 38 percent of younger seniors even mentioned the cost of their new homein their responses. This statistical mix combined with unique housing options open to seniors—such as age-restricted developments, age-in-place designs and assisted-living commu- ag nities—can make selling and buying a home a daunting task for seniors and their real estate agents. With the financial considerations of retirement further complicating the situation, one key for consumers may befinding a real estate agent who understands the common and distinct characteristics of individual senior buyers and sellers. With such insight, the agent can better help makeany sale or purchase transaction go smoothly for mature buyersand sellers. Seniors looking for an agent who will understand what makes their needs unique can find one by consulting the SRES Council. An affiliate of the National Association of Realtors, the council awards the SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist) designation to Realtors who have successfully completed an education program to help them counsel senior buyers and sellers through the major financial andlifestyle transitions involved in relocating, refinancing, selling and purchasing a home. For more information, visit www.sres.org or call (800) 500-4564.
