Bruce Nemovitz

Some of the most important decisions we will ever make in our lives come at a time when we are least prepared to make them…or do they? Think about it. For many of you in your 20’s and early 30’s you may have decided on a life long partner, a career, bought your first home, decided to have your first child, buy your first car, or went into the military. All of those huge life altering decisions made when you had little data to go on. Many of life’s lessons hadn’t happened, and your savings (if any) were minimal. Some of you sought help from your parents, but for the most part, you just “winged” it! You had no guarantees of any of the above actions ever working out. You went with logic, but mostly your “gut”!

Can you imagine having to make this many crucial decisions today? As we age, our thinking process can become more intense and extensive. We want assurances that all will work out. We want our investments to be backed by guaranties. We buy all types of insurance so that we are not caught by surprise. So it is no surprise that when confronted with a decision to stay or move from our long time homes, we just freeze. We procrastinate and avoid the tough decisions we need to make if we are to have true quality of life. We wait for a sign from above to let us know when we are going to move. Unfortunately, that sign can be a catastrophic health change, or the loss of a spouse. The sign can be in the form of a financial challenge. When these “signs” arrive, crisis management can be the result. That means your children may be making your decisions as to your next move. Imagine having to make a decision in a few weeks as to where you will move, how to afford that move, downsizing, and taking care of all of your financial duties. Now that’s pressure!

Maybe it is time to go back to those “gut” instincts that for the most part proved so successful for you when you first started out. Have a heart to heart conversation with your trusted advisors and of course your partner if you are still together. Acknowledge your true feelings about your current situation. Many folks I deal with are finding it hard to maintain their homes. This can cause isolation as “the home is in no condition to invite my friends and family”. Dig deep into your psyche to find out what you are truly feeling about your current situation. Look ahead 5-10 years and ask yourself where you think you will be physically and mentally. Would it be in your best interest to remain in your home, or would a move improve the quality of your life and allow for a new freedom to travel and visit friends without the worry of your property. You’ll find that your “gut” will always know the right way to go even if fear and procrastination stand in your way. Trust your inner judgment and remember back to the many decisions you made when you truly were going on faith and a sense that all would work out. In most cases, you’ll see how incredible those “gut” instincts worked to help create a family and a life when there were no guarantees of success!

Bruce Nemovitz is a Senior Real Estate Specialist, as well as Certified Senior Advisor. Bruce has sold residential homes in the four county Milwaukee-Metro area for over 29 years. He has just published a book called “Moving in the Right Direction, a Senior’s Guide to Moving and Downsizing”. He works with his wife Jeanne and assistant Boni at Realty Executives Integrity.