Realtor earns Seniors Real Estate Specialist designation

John Ohler, broker/ owner of Re/Max Achiever Inc. of Collegeville and Pottstown, announces Rick Sheppard, of the Collegeville office, recently earned his Seniors Real Estate Specialist, or SRES, designation.

By earning the SRES designation, Sheppard has demonstrated the necessary knowledge and expertise to counsel clients age 50-plus through major financial and lifestyle transitions in relocation, refinancing or marketing and selling the family home.

The SRES designation program provides professional training and development and seeks to instill knowledge and understanding of and empathy for age 50-plus real estate clients and customers. Objectives include:

• Evaluate your market area attractiveness to the age 50-plus market.

• Master the vocabulary of the range of housing options for the age 50plus market.

• Adapt methods for counseling to age 50-pluis buyer and sellers.

• Develop sensitivities to the age 50-plus issues and priorities when counseling buyers and sellers, showing properties and managing transactions.

• Learn about the uses, benefits, procedures and issues involved in reverse mortgages.

• Learn about the uses of pensions, 401(k) accounts and IRAs in real estate transactions.

• Gain an understanding of how Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security impact age 50-plus real estate decision.

• Recognize mortgage finance and loan schemes and scams that victimize age 50-plus borrowers.

Sheppard earned his real estate license in 1988, his GRI designation in 1989 and his real estate broker’s license in 1996. Sheppard joined Re/Max Achievers in 2014 and received the 100% Club Award in both 2014 and 2015.

Sheppard’s experience with assisting consumers in home buying, home selling, landlording and leasing, combined with his professional designations, has provided him with the expertise to provide a high level of service to his clients.