Care giving and protecting your loved ones

Although I am not a financial planner or an elder care attorney I have been focusing much of my real estate practice on how to help protect our loved ones.  I became the primary caretaker for my Mom after she was my Dad's until he predeceased her a few years ago. As such I had a lot of "on the job training"  dealing with many end of life decisions for both my parents.  I was actively involved while they were at the end of their lives through the downsizing and selling of their home.  Since earning my SRES about a year ago I have been working hard to build a network of people to work with to allow me to share my knowledge and expertise to help others who, likewise,  may be confronting similar situations.

If you have a loved one who is aging it is good to have a conversation and figure out the best long term plan for their living situation while they are able to participate in the conversation.
In Saturday's Wall Street Journal there was a great article on how to reduce to costs of being a caregiver.  Often times this role is thrust upon you without any preplanning.  It may be difficult to alter the situation you are confronting when this happens as you need to deal with a full plate at the moment.

Additionally, when one is instantly thrown into the role of caregiver he/she may not know the daily routine of their new dependent.  One little tweak can throw someone off balance and create uncircumstancial havoc.  We had this issue when my father in law was on dialysis.  He was transported to a Dialysis Center 4 weekday mornings.  After several months of this routine the center decided to move him to the afternoon. This threw him off kilter and made it difficult for him to eat with his peers and engage with his familiar surroundings.  It ultimately led to his health decline and had tragic consequences.  Change is difficult for older people.

Another overlooked problem may be the medication situation of an elder.  Often there is a dependancy on medications that can be overlooked if rushed to a hospital.  We had this situation when my father was in the hospital and they changed his medications without informing us.  A certain medicine he needed was not given and he developed ICU psychosis.  Because he had family advocates this was eventually corrected.    It is important to have a complete list of all up to date medications particularly if someone is living on their own.  See here

I have started a networking group called Next Steps and work with a team that includes an elder care attorney,  a home health care aide, a family mediator, a move consultant, a financial planner, insurance provider and myself as a realtor.  Our team is continually growing to accommodate the needs of the clients we service.  Although my focus initially was seniors who are downsizing we also help clients are all stages of their life cycle.  Therefore the goal is to help people navigate the process and plan for the future before it becomes the present.

A few key features we are sharing to promote our groups' marketing efforts are below:

NEXT STEPS

a L.O.C.A.L. team of professionals

Life is a Journey.   Do you know your Next Steps? 

Whether you are seeking your first apartment, buying a starter home, financial or estate planning, confronting family challenges, thinking about retiring or in need of help with Senior Care for a loved one….

we have a team of dedicated specialists to help you and your family navigate each step along the way. 

We are a group of professionals specializing in various disciplines to serve and help with each phase of life related to the things you acquire and the things you divest along the way.  Our basic approach is simple, we are here to:

Listen

Observe and

Consult on

Acquisitions and

Liquidations related to personal property and related life transitions

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The purpose of my group and efforts to become an SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist) are to help share expertise in an area near and dear to my heart.  It was a great honor to be able to spend quality time with my parents during their last years.  I was able to help them feel whole and navigate their end of life with dignity and meaning.  Isn't this what we all want for our loved ones?

Wendy is a realtor with Coldwell Banker in Needham and recently jointly started marketing Coldwell Banker Needham-Your Cape Cod Connection.  If you need any advice on buying, selling or investing in the Metrowest or lower Cape please feel free to contact her at wendy@wendybcb.com.

Cybercrime, identity theft and consumer protection

We hear it in the news every day.  Facebook and email accounts are being hacked.  Tax scammers file and collect your tax refund.  Security data is breached from agencies we trust like Equifax. Cyber crimes are on the rise as we are becoming very aware in the recent news media.  Identity theft statistics are quite frightening and they appear here to be here to stay.  We can never be too careful.  There is a very strong underground economy that mirrors our world with illegal transactions originated by stealing identities and personal information in a place called the dark web.  Much of what we value in protecting our assets and personal lives can be stolen in seconds and cause financial ruin.

I just went to a workshop on this and one major thing we all need to do is have good password protection. Logging into your computer with a password is like having a key to the front door to your house.   Once you are inside it is easy to go from room to room.  You need to guard the entrance.  Make your password a phrase or something only you can recognize.  Hackers play around with algorithms to detect passwords so familiar street names, address numbers etc can become easy hacking targets.  You need to be on guard as cybercriminals are very smart and they are out to get all of us.   As we were told in the workshop spend an extra 15 minutes a day to be sure your cyber life is being protected. As part of my research for this blog I researched several articles on cybersecurity tips.  I then found a comprehensive link on the U.S. Government website.  If you have not read anything on protecting your identity I ask you to check this out this site as it shares much valuable information.

Signs that You're Already a Victim of ID Theft

Always keep aware of your banking and personal spending accounts.  Review your monthly statements for unusual activities.  Likewise if you start receiving statements or bills you don't recognize someone may have opened a new account without your permission.  Below is a list of warning signs to keep aware of:

A creditor informs you of an application for credit in your name and Social Security number that you never made, or that you’ve been approved or denied credit for which you never applied.
A collection agency contacts you to collect on delinquent accounts that you never opened and never authorized.
 Unfamiliar charges on account statements, including your bank accounts, credit cards, loans, mortgage, calling card, utilities, other established credit or billing account statements.
Your bank sends you an automatic insufficient funds notice or an overdraft funds transfer notice when you should have sufficient funds in your account for all debits, checks and payments you’ve made.
 An unusual or unexplained notice from a government agency, or state, county or federal tax notices may indicate your information was used to commit fraud involving a government agency, a federal or state assistance program or taxes.
A visit from a police officer involving a criminal investigation or a warrant for your arrest for something you didn’t do.
Service of summons to appear in court or lawsuits for actions you know nothing about.
 The amount of mail you typically receive is suddenly significantly reduced without explanation, or specific bills, documents or account statements are not received.
An automatic credit report alert or your regular annual check of your credit reports informs you of recent negative changes in your credit report, unfamiliar account or unexpected credit activity.

How to protect yourself and be smart 

Always be watchful when using your credit or debit card.  If you use plastic frequently you may want to have a separate debit payment account for small transactions.  I keep an account with a low balance for day to day transactions such as gas, groceries and postal purchases.  I transfer money from my primary account that I use to pay larger items such as the mortgage.  This way if someone gets into my debit account the exposure risk is limited.  Another important thing to do is to shred all documents and bills.  Identity thefts will go through the trash and recycle bins to phish for account and social security numbers.  You must destroy this evidence.  Use privacy and security settings on social media.  Always be thinking about what you are exposing each time you looks a post or respond to an email   Never click on an unfamiliar email.  

In today's Boston Globe there was a suggestion by Michelle Singleton, author of Color of Money to set up an online IRS account to periodically check to suspicious activity around your federal income tax filing.  You also want to be sure no one has tried to tamper with the title of your real estate property.  You should have Title Insurance and check to see if your local Registery of Deeds has a program to check for any fraudulent activity.  I provided a link to the one for my primary area as an example for consumer alert notification here.

Below are ways you can be smart to safeguard your business and security risks.  

Check your credit reports annually to identify problems, errors or possible identity theft.
Check all of your credit card and bank statements monthly or more often for any errors or unauthorized purchases. Even if you still have your card, your account number may have been stolen.  You may want to use a product such as Quicken to download and reconcile your account balances on a regular basis to review any unusual transactions.
You don’t have to wait for your monthly statements to come in the mail. You can check your financial account statements more often online or via automated phone customer services.
Check all of your bills and receipts including utility bills, were authorized by you.

Look for monthly billing or other account statements, credit card replacements or other expected communications from your creditors or bank. Make a note to yourself about when credit or debit card replacements should arrive.

Its a tough world out there and we always need to be on guard for our surrounding and think of ways to protect our vulnerabilities.  Sometimes pictures and videos speak louder than words thus I have included a fun Article from October 2017 cybersecurity month that includes some memorable media clips from around the country.  Enjoy.  I hope this blog gave you some insight into ways to be proactive.

P.S. Supplement to above:  In today's WSJ there was an article about privacy settings on our smart devices.   The article points out that data about where we are, how we shop and more are being sold based on the location tracking on our phones.  Always check your privacy settings.  

P.S.S. New supplement concerning online dating scams .  Bottom line is always bewarey and careful with any personal information.  

Wendy is a realtor with Coldwell Banker in Needham.  She enjoys sharing her insights into the local area and ways to protect the interests of her clients.  You can visit her on facebook @wendybcb or at her website www.wendybcb.com.

Renovating, upgrading or repairing your home......some points to consider

Are you thinking about remodeling your existing home?  Some good questions to consider are how long you plan to stay in the property or if you are doing the renovations as an upgrade before selling?

As a realtor and homeowner,  I generally recommend only doing a major renovation if you plan to stay place and enjoy the results of the project.  If you are thinking about selling you need to consider the fact that you may have different taste and needs of a potential buyer.  Not all upgrades (see Globe article here payoff) will be worth the time and cost and be recaptured when selling.

According to the NAR the impact of remodeling for buyers and sellers shows that 75% of owners want to stay in their home  after completing a renovation project.  The most valued interior renovations are in the kitchen and bathroom, while exterior ones include a new roof, windows and a a garage door.  There is a news release on this subject from September 2017 here.

Before making any decisions on a home improvement project do your homework.  The major components of this should include soliciting competitive bids before selecting a contractor,  be sure your contractor does all the required permitting (check local permit regulations), get an estimate in writing for the project and establish a plan for any variations as well as final approval at the end of the project.

We just did a work in progress repair to replace rotted wood on our deck.   Our original goal was to preserve the integrity of the deck so that when we do sell in a few years, preventatively there would be no rot issues if inspected.  Our painter last year recommended replacing a few rotted ballisters before returning to do another coat of stain.

What started out as a minor project using our regular contractor ended up costing 3 times what we planned.  We did not follow any of the above tips and learned the hard way.  The contractor started out replacing the identified rotted ballisters and it mushroomed into basically replacing all of them, the under-base and two sets of steps.    My husband told him to use the best materials and although we were in some communication we did not have a written proposal.  The contractor was working on a time and material basis and we went along with allowing him to proceed as needed.  A big mistake on our end was not to get an estimate in writing up front or to get interim progress reports of his spending.  Although he did an amazing job and the deck looks brand new it is not the place I would have spent money.  We do plan to downsize in a few years and this renovation money would have been more beneficial to upgrade a bathroom.

Below are some other articles and ideas:

Angie's List  Remodeling project

Whats worth renovating

Top renovation projects for resale

Home improvement budget

Wendy is a realtor with Coldwell Banker Needham and a home owner.  She enjoys sharing her life lessons in this blog to help others make the best decisions possible for their real estate interests.  For more information visit her website at www.wendybcb.com or her facebook page @wendybcb.  She is always interested in referrals.

Home Maintenance Checklist

Owning a home requires a lot of work.  As we take care of our health and our automobiles our homes also require maintenance to be kept healthy, safe and up to economic efficiency.  In November I did a blog post on Home Maintenance with links to key articles for each season.  Click here Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall.

I have just completed a comprehensive checklist of home maintenance items by season. that can be used to schedule and track your individual home maintenance projects.  I will update it periodically as I become aware of new items.  I have it available in a customizable spreadsheet as well if you would like a copy.   Feel free to send me an email and I can forward a copy to you at wendy@wendybcb.com.

p.s. Please note that even if you are selling your home there are maintenance items that need to be done up until the transfer of property ownership.  click here 

Perhaps politics should be run more like a Super Bowl Game

On Sunday the New England Patriots will take the field against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII.  While fans from both sides will cheer in opposition for their favorite team this is also a day of family and friends gathering to have fun.  Many people have parties before, during and after the game.  For some good recipe ideas Superbowl Recipes

Over the next few weeks Congress will be finalizing the 2018 budget and furthering discussion on immigration policy.  Most recently the top 2 parties have been pitted against each other hoping to have a winning team.  Most decisions have become so partisan that neither side talks or respects the other.  Instead of working together there is anger and bitterness.  The majority side is deceitful and only cares about the money and their base.  The minority team tries hard to protect the rights of the democracy.  The lack of conversation and deliberate obstacles created by the two makes it impossible for the teams to work together in a beneficial way to their constituents.  Most energy of the majority team is spent reversing the policies implemented during the last administration.

This is not progress. This does not move us forward as a country. In sports there are rules of engagement and referees to monitor the fairness of the game.  The referees are neutral parties and do not have a favorite team.   Similarly we are supposed to have a system of checks and balances with the  three separate but equal branches of our government.  Sadly this system has been violated by the leader of the majority team.  The norms of separation of these branches are being weakened with each day.

This is not how a fair game is played.  In a football game the team would have penalty's and players would be suspended for violating the rules.  In Washington,  the rules change as mandated to protect the leader.  The leader chooses the "judges" who will protect only his interest.  The political teams seem to grow further and further apart with each policy coming from this leader.

 At the end of a football game both sides come together and shake hands.  Although the team who loses may be disappointed they recognize the hard-work of their teammates and share a mutual respect for the process.  They will proudly go home to their home base and work even harder to continue to support their fans in the communities where they play and prepare for the next season.

Although my Superbowl party guests primarily represent the New England team,  a few Eagles fans may stop by.  We will enjoy each others company and be good sports.  May the best team win and I look forward to watching a well- balanced fair game.

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In follow-up the Patriots lost but were very good sports.  This was a full page in the Boston Globe today 2/5/18.

Wendy is a realtor with Coldwell Banker in Needham.  Although she usually writes about real estate related articles sometimes she enjoys focusing on local issues.  You can visit her facebook page at @wendybcb

Decluttering is a state of mind and helps simplify the day

On my real estate page and on this blog, I frequently share articles about decluttering and organizing one's home. The more I read and struggle to keep my own space decluttered the more I realize it all starts with your state of mind.  

Prevention Magazine has recently done a series of articles on how to better focus. One of the most valuable ones I found is here  Declutter your mind.  Our thought process and how we approach each day is the roadmap for our success.  It is important to have a focus on what you need to do and minimize potential distractions. Like an athlete who needs to focus on his sport,  we need to clear our heads to focus on how to maximize our time and energy.  One way for me to stay focused and "decluttered in my brain" is yoga .  To escape the business in my life I will often do a 15-30 minute routine.  This helps me to stay grounded.  

In parallel to decluttering my mind, I am also trying to organize my financial life particularly with tax season approaching.   There was a great article Financial Fast featuring Michelle Singletary on how to have better focus on your finances and shopping habits.  By not being aware of these behaviors we tend to buy excessively rather than only purchasing what we really need. This can create impulse buying and feed your clutter. Michelle published a book last year called The 21 Day Financial Fast that teaches how to break bad spending habits.

Like your brain, if you don't have a handle on your needs vs wants  (a sense of what you already own vs a specific items you may need for a purpose),  you may fall into the trap of buying things just for the sake of owning them .  I did the financial fast last year and now limit my purchases to items I will really use.  I no longer buy an item to wear just once (unless its for a specific reason) and instead buy practical items that I will get much use out of.

Last week I spent a full day cleaning and organizing my kitchen.  I was inspired by an article I came across Kitchen clutter. I went through each cabinet and threw out expired foods, recycled a box of unused plastic containers and "bags and bags" of bags.  I purged outdated gadgets that I haven't used since my bridal shower (over 30 years ago).  I actually found a waffle maker that I thought I had thrown out when I looked for it recently.  As of this weekend all my counters and cabinets are clean and well organized.  I can see the food items I have and what items I need to buy.

I have to admit it feels great to have the room where I spend most of my awake time under control.  Not only do I eat in the kitchen but it is also my preferred home workspace.  I am now able to focus on the work in front of me when I gaze up at the empty counter tops.  I have a place to file my mail and a recycle bin on-hand.  My goal now is to spend 15 minutes every night to keep it this way.  I am now ready to tackle the rest of my house.

Wendy is a realtor at Coldwell Banker in Needham.  If you would like more tips on decluttering you can read check her previous blogs.  She also frequently posts new articles on her facebook page @wendybcb.