when they move? nah, home is where the heart is.  When their house floods, burns, etc.... it breaks my heart to see people lose sentimental possessions that can't be replaced. 

Change is hard, but as Neitzsche said, what does not kill us makes us stronger.

   It's hard on senior citizens, when they downsize, or move in with family members.  

Sadly to survive in this business, you do have to separate yourself from many emotions. Of course you can care, but can not dwell. I like to focus n the positives such as the new dream home they will start to make new memories in

I can't imagine losing everything but I do fantasize about it!

I try to focus on the excitement of their new chapter.  A nice closing gift for those in this situation has been a book w/ all of their listing pictures as a keepsake of their "forever house". 

It is sad but life comes in chapters and its also very hard to turn that page on the next(last) chapter of life.

Having moved many, many times myself, I'm not all that "attached" to property. My memories go with me as do my personal things that mean a lot to me. I've learned that I can make a home anywhere.

No but I'm not sentimental.  I wonder, how could you have lived here so long? 

Yes, it is - it breaks my heart to see people who have lost everything in a natural disaster (especially items of sentimental value). I cannot even begin to fathom what they're going through right now.

For the elderly who have had to move to downsize or to a retirement facility, I would hope that they have taken care of giving those sentimental items to other family members and friends.

Fortunately, most of the clients we have worked with, have totally cleaned out (or had it done by an Estate Sale Company or family) their home, so no items of any kind are left for us to dispose of Paul S. Henderson, CRS, REALTOR®,.  If I have seen anything, it was just trash (and easy for us to toss), and nothing in the Memory Category . . .   I will read replies below.

We spent a few years in Rockport, Tx Yes, I feel so sad for friends and families that have lost everything.  Could you imagine? 

Things can be replaced. People can't. But there comes a time when everyone has to downsize. 

Paul,

I watched Ron's mother do it, and she was amazing at getting rid of stuff.  Like Nina Hollander she took a few things that meant a lot to her.  When she moved to Denver where the rest of the family had relocated to, my sister in law and her daughter decorated her 2 bedroom penthouse apartment to look like here home in Brentwood.  She was so delighted and comfortable as a result.  A

Sometimes. It depends on the situation of why they are selling. One of clients had a family owned cabin since the 70's. It was sad to see they had to sell. As a closing gift I gave them a mousepad with a pic of their cabin on it and had the family name printed at the bottom. They actually cried when they saw it.

NO..... it's sticks and bricks and they made the decision to move....and they are also receiving a chunk of change..... I feel badly when there is devastation....

No, that never bothered me.  Even when I moved and thought I would miss a home, it was never as I thought.  It was just moving on to another chapter in life.   I was deeply affected when a good friend lost her home to wildfire and all her sentimental family possessions were lost.  She was frantically reaching out to people who might have pictures of her children as they grew up.  

No, I get more attached to people in my business than houses; houses are just products in my business I build my career with. I'm empathetic to the sellers though, I understand their challenge leaving those memories, for I feel for their pain. In my personal life, I'm sentimental about the homes I've lived in so I can understand their emotions, but never sentimental about my rentals or other peoples' homes. 

I am not over sentimental but if you ask my wife...

It was at first.  These days I stand in a moment of silence and look around and ponder.  I allow myself to process the magnitude of it all and move forward with what needs to be done.

Yes but most of the time it's for the better. In older folks, they really should have done it years before. Get out before the property declines.

Paul - Are you talking about leaving when selling or under different circumstances(natural disaster, foreclosure)?   Under the first, each situation would likely be based on the individual.  In the second, I imagine the feelings could be even more overwhelming.   

Take 3D pictures of your home. Backup to the cloud.

It is hard when the place they are going to is by necessity and not choice.

My experience has been those leaving are seeing a new chapter, a new era in their life opening up and they are energized to write this chapter of their legacy in an inspiring manner. 

It is my job as their guide to keep them focused on their transformation and new reality and loosen their grip on what no longer exists. Most often all that is needed is to listen while they listen to themselves process in their words their new reality.

When I know the family & someone's passed, yes, it is sad walking through the empty house. 

So sad

It is difficult for many home sellers and we are in the position to offer good advice.

No, because I'm helping them build new memories.

Yes. Too many people don't think to take precautions and plan for disasters. Hopefully lots of people have put their old family photos in some type of cloud storage.

No sir, it does make me wonder sometimes

Actually I find that many are taking their memories with them. Yes, they had memories in the home but they move on. I think when they have lived there for a long time that it;s much more difficult.

Paul S. Henderson, CRS, REALTOR®, - well, it always happens and we have to see that - being in the REAL business.

Sometimes moving helps some move on after life altering events.

Not at all, unless it was a home lost to a foreclosure

It is difficult.

I have a little speech I give. It has to do with their many memories are not being left, they are going with them where new memories will be made. Nobody can take them away from them.

Nope.  Never enters my thought train.

Lucky I do not get that close to them.

Its actually a glimpse of reality i.e. eventually all gets left behind

Paul S. Henderson, CRS, REALTOR®, The nice thing about memories is you can take them with you.

I always remember a foreclosure I sold where the owner left a template for where the tuplips would come up.

Nope, done it many times myself!

Praful Thakkar nailed this one!

No, I've had to empty several parents homes