SPONSORED POST: Mary Beth and Jim Grimm are real estate agents at Pinnacle Residential Properties. Their area of expertise is working as a team to serve clients whose housing needs have changed over the years.

Significant changes such as moving are always tricky, regardless of age. If you are over the age of 50, your needs aren’t the same as a first-time homebuyer or seller. You might be looking to retire, downsize, or join an active adult community. There are a lot of challenges in making such a change.

The sale of a home can be very emotional and there is a lot to consider:

Life stage needs and wants—Factors such as favorite leisure activities, preferences for community, health, mobility, and amenities, are key considerations in what your next housing needs will be.

Housing choices—The 50+ age demographic want to stay close to their current home. Along with retirement, top reasons for selling are downsizing, and to be closer to family and friends. About 20% of this demographic are interested in active adult communities, which offer a range of services, social events, amenities, and life-style activities.

Keep it/toss it—One of the biggest challenges when making such a move is decluttering your home. This can become very emotional, but it can be made easier by creating a plan. Start with the easy stuff; schedule a regular time each day/week to work on the task; spend time to determine what is important to keep; don’t be a storage unit for others; and most importantly do not be afraid to ask for help.

The main focus of Mary Beth and Jim Grimm of Pinnacle Residential Properties is working with sellers and buyers in the 50+ age demographic. Mary Beth and Jim have the experience and expertise to meet the housing needs of their clients, which requires an expert understanding of their lifestyle and financial needs.

More on Mary Beth and Jim Grimm:

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Elaine Bannigan of Pinnacle Properties has for the past 18 years put out The Pinnacle Report, a yearly, data-driven look at residential property sales in Wellesley and Weston. Here is a link to Bannigan’s full examination of the 2020 market. Excerpts that emphasize the Wellesley market are below:

SPONSORED POST: 2020 presented challenges for buyers and difficult decisions for sellers. Taking a big-picture look at Massachusetts as we begin 2021, there are 53% fewer single-family homes on the market than there were just one year ago. Condominium sales are another story entirely. Overall volume dropped just 2%, but the number of luxury unit sales dropped 35%. Those units are primarily in urban locations, and with COVID stimulating an exodus from the city into the suburbs during much of 2020, the impact was significant. At this time, the entire condo supply statewide is nearly the same as one year ago.

The Wellesley Supply Side

The total number of homes offered for sale in Wellesley in the Multiple Listing Service was 417, nearly the same as in 2019. With 345 MLS sales, of course, not all of these listings sold for various reasons. Of all homes that did sell in Wellesley in 2019, ‘off-market’ —or non-MLS listed—represented 14% (51) of the total. This past year, the number was 12% (48). As we enter 2021, the MLS supply is half (20 homes) what was available this time last year.

Local Condos and Townhomes

Wellesley townhouse and condo sales volume increased 19%, and the median rose 5%. The game-changer was the availability of Fieldstone Way, a brand-new neighborhood of 44 Townhomes. Pinnacle introduced the first phase in late Spring, and it sold out within a matter of weeks. With the types of homes and lifestyle it offers, Fieldstone Way addresses voids for a broad range of buyers, from younger professionals to empty nesters who want first-floor primary bedroom suites and more convenient living.

Where is the supply?

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SPONSORED POST: Danielle Comella is a real estate agent at Pinnacle Residential Properties. She writes about her experiences moving into Wellesley from the big city, and how she has come to love the town. 

When I moved to Wellesley 14 years ago this Christmas Day, I had many mixed emotions. I was pregnant with my first child, moving from a city to a suburb, and many aspects of my life were about to change. Originally from New York, moving to the suburbs in another state where I knew no one seemed daunting and made me more than a little nervous. I thought I would miss the convenience of city living and not being able to walk a few blocks to a coffee shop, a bookstore or to a friend’s place. My husband grew up in Wellesley, and he kept assuring me I was going to love it here.

To my astonishment, that’s exactly what happened within just a matter of weeks. The two of us moved into a sweet home in the Hardy district. Our new neighbors came right over to say hello and welcome us to the neighborhood, and I found homemade brownies at my doorstep. The genuine warmth of these families immediately made me feel so comfortable and at home.

As we started having children, that warm community grew. Going to Book Babies at the Wellesley Free Library was one of the first outings with my newborn daughter, Olivia. We met and made lifelong friends.

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