Malvern, Paoli and West Chester Pennsylvania real estate listings, home buying, selling and relocation information

Seniors are the fastest growing segment of property owners in the country. Anyone who has kept an eye on new development knows that many of the communities are being built with the 55-plus group in mind.

Some issues facing seniors are now being recognized not only by builders but also by real estate agents. The Senior Advantage Real Estate Council has pioneered an educational program that enlightens real estate agents on how to better serve their senior customers. Now seniors who need advice about their homes and rental properties can turn to Bill McGarrigle, an Associate Broker with RE/MAX Main Line in Paoli. I have been in the real estate business since 1985 and in July 2002 earned the Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) professional designation by The Senior Advantage Real Estate Council. By earning the SRES designation, I have demonstrated the requisite knowledge, experience and expertise to be a seniors real estate specialist and counselor.

As a Seniors Real Estate Specialist, I help seniors make wise decisions about selling the family home, buying rental property, managing the capital gains and estate tax implications of owning real estate, obtaining a reverse mortgage, moving to a senior community, and other issues. Whether you are thinking about selling, investing, relocating, or plan to stay where you are forever, you will want to discover your options plus learn how to obtain and develop the maximum return on your hard-earned equity.

Links for Seniors

Pennsylvania Senior Citizen Transit Cards - FREE

In order to ride public transit at no cost, senior citizens aged 65 and older need to obtain a Pennsylvania Senior Citizen Transit Card from the Transportation Management Association of Chester County (TMACC) office:
Great Valley Corporate Center
7 Great Valley Parkway, Suite 144
Malvern, PA 19355

Click here for more information.

Rent & Tax Assistance

Taxes

Property Tax/Rent Rebate

Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is available to seniors 65 years of age or older, widows or widowers 50 years of age or older and the permanently disabled 18 years of age or older.

The program works with the taxes paid (on time) in the prior tax year. The taxes that are included are local, county and school district taxes.

The deadline to apply for a rebate on property taxes or rent paid in 2008 has been extended to December 31, 2009.

Property Tax/Rent Rebate Guidelines:

The household eligibility income limit is $35,000 and the maximum rebate is $650.

Income guidelines:

Income Range*	Homeowners Rebate	Renters Rebate
$0 - $8,000	$650	$650
$8,001- $15,000	$500	$500
$15,001 - $18,000	$300	----
$18,001 - $35,000	$250	----

*Remember to exclude one-half of Social Security, Supplemental Security Income and Railroad Retirement Tier 1 benefits when calculating eligibility income.

Applications for the rebate can be found below:

Instruction Booklet (.pdf format)

On-line Fill-in Application

Download/Print Blank Form (.pdf format)

The Chester County Department of Aging

The Chester County Department of Aging maintains many directories and lists that are available for everyone. Click on any of the links below to see a copy of the directories that you can print or save.

Adult Day Care Centers

Apartment Complexes for Senior Citizens and Younger People with Disabilities

Area Support Groups

Continuing Care Retirement Communities

Directory of Services for Older Adults

Geriatric Evaluation Programs

Homeless Shelters

In-Home Service Providers

Licensed Personal Care Boarding Homes (Assisted Livings)

Nursing Homes

Private Geriatric Care Management

Respite Care Providers

Senior Center Directory

Senior Citizen Groups

I can be reached at 610-640-9300 or my direct number 610-640-9329 and by email to answer any questions or concerns you may have.

Also, you might want to check out the following web sites of interest to seniors:

Seniors Real Estate.com - The SRES Agent provides services specifically designed for persons who are 55 and older. They will begin with a customized approach to your situation and offer a variety of choices to reduce out of pocket expenses, gain cash, or create or defer income streams to either stay independent or finance assistance.
Eldercare - This government website offers a great deal of info for seniors and their family members. You will find anything from legal and financial information to health and well being.

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Investment Real Estate >Selling Rental Properties

Marketing a rental property presents some special challenges. Owners will probably want to offer the house for sale while tenants are still living there so that the property continues to bring in income. However, most real estate agents prefer that their listings either be occupied by the owner or empty. Tenant-occupied homes are often the most difficult to sell since the tenants may not share the same pride of ownership. They may not be eager for the property to sell, and as a result, the house is not shown to its best advantage.

When you put a tenant-occupied house on the market, it is important that you enlist the tenants in the effort to get your house sold. Talk to the tenants first to see if they have a desire and ability to buy the house. If they are not interested in buying, work out with them the ground rules for access to the house. In most cases, the new owners will want the tenants to move, and it will be important to work out alternate living arrangements with them. In each situation, work hard to create a spirit of cooperation with the tenants.

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Q	To what process do the terms closing, escrow, settlement and passing papers refer?
A	These terms, which vary in different parts of the country, describe the conclusion of a real estate sale.
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