The Platinum Group, REALTORS®Weldon HobbsColorado Springs | REALTOR®
Veteran | USAFA
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Who should be on my team when downsizing or selling a parent's home in Colorado Springs?

ByWeldon HobbsTeam Hobbs RealtyPublished Last reviewed

Short answer: Most downsizing moves need a small team, but not the same team every time. Usually that means a real estate agent, a title company, and movers, plus some mix of a senior move manager, estate sale or donation help, cleanout and repair crews, and, when questions come up, an estate or elder law attorney, a CPA, a financial planner, or a HUD-approved reverse mortgage counselor. The homeowner chooses who to hire. One shared schedule keeps everyone moving toward the same move date.

The team depends on the person

A team is almost always needed, but it isn't the same team for everyone, because every person's needs are different. A couple moving from a large family home to a smaller one nearby may need an agent, movers, and a cleanout crew. A parent moving into assisted living while the children live in other states may need nearly everyone on the list below.

The homeowner is the one hiring, unless someone holds legal authority to act for them. That matters for the whole team. In my practice, I provide referrals, but I encourage whoever is hiring me to interview each provider, because ultimately they're the one who has to be satisfied. We do our best to vet the people we refer, and we've seen their work. Team Hobbs Realty receives no referral fees from the movers, estate sale companies, or other providers we recommend.

Who's usually involved, and when

This table covers the roles that come up most often. You may need only a few of them.

Role What they do When they usually come in
Real estate agent Prices, prepares, markets, and sells the home; often helps coordinate the rest of the team Early, before decisions about repairs, cleanout, and timing
Senior move manager Plans the move, sorts belongings, packs, and sets up the new home Once you know where the owner is going
Estate sale, donation, or cleanout help Sells, donates, or removes what isn't going to the new home After the family has taken what they want, before listing
Movers Move what's going to the new home Booked once the move date is set
Contractors, cleaners, and stagers Handle repairs, deep cleaning, and presentation After belongings are cleared, before photos
Title company Handles the closing, the payoff of any loan, and recording Once the home is under contract
Estate or elder law attorney Powers of attorney, trusts, wills, probate, guardianship or conservatorship Before listing, whenever legal authority or an estate is involved
CPA Capital gains and the tax effects of the sale Before listing, ideally before the move is final
Financial planner How the sale fits the owner's income, savings, and future care costs Early, while options are still open
HUD-approved reverse mortgage counselor Required counseling before a reverse mortgage (HECM) Only if a reverse mortgage is being considered
Community sales office or senior living staff Availability, move-in dates, and deposits at the destination As soon as the destination is being chosen

For more on specific roles, see what a senior move manager does, whether to hold an estate sale, and where to donate, sell, or recycle belongings. If the owner is moving into senior living, the differences between 55+ communities, independent living, assisted living, and memory care will shape who else you need.

How one schedule keeps the team together

The hardest part of a downsizing team isn't finding the people. It's getting them to work in the right order. Many of these steps depend on each other. Movers can't be booked until the destination is set, the cleanout can't finish until the family has chosen what to keep, and photos can't happen until the home is cleared and cleaned.

What I do is put everyone on one project schedule. We put dates down, then adjust as we need to, because there's the ideal timeline and then there's reality. The schedule lets us see the impact of each change on when the home can actually go on the market. That's what lets the owner close one chapter and move on to the next.

The order of the work is covered step by step in the steps to downsizing, from first decision to moving day.

Bringing in the legal and financial professionals

Attorneys, CPAs, and financial planners don't always need to be involved. Whether they do depends on what's already in place.

My approach is to ask about each area. If the owner says it's taken care of, we don't bring anyone in. If they're not confident, don't know, or haven't addressed it at all, I ask whether they'd like help. If they say no, I respect their wishes. But I want them to make fully informed decisions.

That's also why this is often a family conversation. If a parent says they don't need an attorney or a CPA, and an adult child is involved, the adult child can look into what's actually needed. Then we all work together, professionally, toward the outcome the owner wants.

Questions that usually point to a licensed professional:

  • Who has legal authority? If a parent may not be able to sign, or someone plans to sign for them, talk with an elder law or estate attorney. See selling a parent's house with a power of attorney and how to choose a probate, estate planning, or elder law attorney.
  • Will the sale be taxed? A longtime home may have gained a lot of value. A CPA can tell you what applies. See capital gains when selling a longtime home.
  • Does the money need to last? If the sale proceeds will pay for care or retirement income, a financial planner can help you plan before the home is listed.
  • Is a reverse mortgage on the table? HUD requires counseling from an approved counselor before a reverse mortgage (HECM) application moves forward.

A real estate agent can help you see when these questions matter. An agent can't answer them for you.

How to check your team in Colorado Springs and Colorado

A few official tools let you check most of the team yourself:

  • Movers: Every household goods mover working within Colorado must hold a permit from the Colorado Public Utilities Commission and show the permit number in its ads and on its trucks. Permitted movers must give you a written estimate and a contract. You can check a permit or file a complaint on the PUC's household goods movers page or at 303-894-2070. For a move to another state, check the mover with the U.S. Department of Transportation.
  • Attorneys: The Colorado Supreme Court's attorney search shows whether a lawyer is active and in good standing, along with any public discipline.
  • Real estate agents: The Colorado Division of Real Estate's license lookup shows whether an agent's license is active. For what a senior-focused designation does and doesn't mean, see the SRES® designation.
  • Senior move managers: "Senior Move Manager®" is a service mark of the National Association of Senior & Specialty Move Managers (NASMM), and only NASMM members can use it. NASMM says its members complete safety and ethics courses and are screened for insurance. Still confirm a company's insurance yourself.
  • Reverse mortgage counselors: HUD keeps a searchable roster of approved HECM counselors, or you can call HUD at 800-569-4287.
  • Free, neutral help: The Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging connects older adults in El Paso, Park, and Teller counties and their caregivers with local resources, including its Family Caregiver Support Center. See what help is available for seniors who are moving or downsizing.

For any provider, ask for a written estimate, ask who does the work, and ask what happens if the schedule changes.

If you're the adult child

You can do a lot of the legwork: researching providers, joining interviews, and keeping track of the schedule. With the owner's permission, being involved from the start also means you know who everyone is and how the move is being handled. Keep in mind that your parent makes the final choices unless someone has legal authority to act for them. How to help aging parents decide whether to stay or move covers that balance.

What could change the answer

  • A death or an estate. If the owner has died, the personal representative and often the court are part of the team, and an attorney usually needs to be involved before the home can be sold.
  • Someone can't sign. If a parent can no longer make decisions and there's no valid power of attorney, a court process may be needed before a sale.
  • Money is tight before closing. Some providers will do their work and be paid from the sale proceeds at closing. When that isn't possible, selling as-is and pricing in the work is another option.
  • The owner needs to stay after closing. Colorado has a standard agreement that lets a seller stay for a limited time after closing. See staying in your home for a while after selling.
  • The destination is out of state. You'll need movers who handle interstate moves, and possibly an agent in the new area.

When to talk with a professional

Talk with an elder law or estate attorney about powers of attorney, trusts, wills, probate, guardianship, or conservatorship. Talk with a CPA about taxes on the sale, a financial planner about how the proceeds fit a long-term plan, and a HUD-approved counselor before any reverse mortgage. A real estate agent coordinates the sale and the schedule, but doesn't give legal, tax, or financial advice.

If you're putting together a team for your own move or a parent's and aren't sure who you need yet, I can help you map out the team and the timeline. If the move is to another state, I can also help you find and vet a real estate professional in that market.

About the author

Weldon Hobbs is a Colorado Springs REALTOR® and co-founder of Team Hobbs Realty. He is a member of The Platinum Group, REALTORS®, Colorado Springs' #1 independent brokerage, which pairs deep local expertise with premium marketing exposure. A U.S. Air Force Academy graduate and retired Air Force veteran, he and his family made more than 10 military moves. Since 2006, he and his wife, Kristen, have bought and sold their own homes, managed a portfolio of rental properties, and guided others through their own real estate decisions. He has also helped both family members and clients downsize, where the decisions are often complex and the process can feel overwhelming. Drawing on his background as a PMP® (Project Management Professional), he helps people break those decisions into clear, manageable steps.

Since beginning his real estate career, he has ranked in the top 7% by sales volume among the more than 4,000 members of the Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS®. He works with military families, seniors and downsizing clients, luxury and premium home sellers, and people relocating to Colorado Springs. He developed the Life → Wealth → Real Estate™ method, hosts the national YouTube channel Life & Real Estate Without Regret, and holds an MBA along with the SRES® (Seniors Real Estate Specialist®), MRP (Military Relocation Professional), and Certified Financial Coach credentials. More about Weldon

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