Deciding which senior communities types would be right for you or your loved one can be confusing.

Some of the choices are: independent communities, senior apartments, continuing care retirement communities, and even active adult 55 communities have different characteristics. Then there are assisted living facilities for those needing exta care.

The type of senior community or facility one requires depends on your level of independence and many other considerations such as age and financial resources.

Find Senior Communities: Location Alabama Alaska Arizona Phoenix Tucson Arkansas California Los Angeles Sacramento San Diego San Francisco San Jose Colorado Denver Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Jacksonville Miami Orlando Tampa Georgia Atlanta Lake Oconee Hawaii Idaho Illinois Chicago Indiana Indianapolis Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Baltimore Massachusetts Boston Michigan Detroit Minnesota Minneapolis Mississippi Missouri Kansas City St. Louis Montana Nebraska Nevada Las Vegas New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico Albuquerque New York New York City Rochester North Carolina Charlotte North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Portland Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pittsburgh Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Nashville Texas Austin Dallas Houston Richardson San Antonio Utah Salt Lake City Vermont Virginia Reston Norfolk Washington Seattle West Virginia Wisconsin Milwaukee Wyoming

This is where it would be a wise choice to consult with a Senior Real Estate Specialist, a SRES Designee. A SRES Realtor is trained to assist seniors in decisions related to selling the family home, moving to a new home, and assisting in the selection of the right choice of a senior community that fits you. Everyone is different and has unique needs so an expert can really help out.

A Senior Real Estate Specialist can take more time explaining the process of buying and selling in order to relieve the anxiety caused by lifestyle changes. For this senior market segment there is no stereotypical "senior buyer". Senior specialists know about many reasons their buyers enter into a real estate transactions at this age - From death of a spouse, being closer to grand kids, or just downsizing to a smaller home with no maintenance so an SRES is trained to help clients make wise real estate investments.

To obtain the senior specialist credentials, agents must be qualified and must attend a course and pass an exam which covers areas of tax laws, probate and estate planning, and housing options for those clients 55 and older. This course covers marketing to generational segments of the population such as the baby boomers and seniors, a market many general Realtors may not know that much about.

Also in most cases, the fees for working with an SRES do not cost anymore than the standard commission charged by a general real estate agent. So, why not work with a specialist?

Seniors Real Estate Specialist Directory

To find an SRES Realtor in your area, call (800)500-4564 or log onto www.seniorsrealestate.com.