The Adventures of Cyndi Nelson and Her Seniors

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By Barb Lally

sunset air“Was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I’m not the same, the next question is ‘Who in the world am I?’ Ah, that’s the great puzzle!”
Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Realtor Cyndi Nelson reads mystery novels, watches NCIS, and helps seniors with their housing needs. To her, they are all adventures that involve problem solving and putting together the pieces of a great puzzle.

With a calm demeanor, Cyndi tells tales of exciting experiences that led up to what she calls her passion, helping seniors make smart decisions for a new phase in life.

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Cyndi Nelson is a Realtor with MVP Realty Group, a member of the Senior Action Network and finds working for seniors her greatest adventure.

Despite an “Ozzie and Harriet” middle class upbringing, Cyndi has always had a thirst for adventure. Her first job was working at Bruce’s Poodle Parlor on the beach in California, followed by a lengthy list of new experiences and places that rival the storybook Alice.

There was a job as a court reporter in Alaska, selling billboards in California, opening a daycare center in South Lake Tahoe, a stint as a dispatcher and jail matron at the Eldorado County Sheriff’s office and then a return to Alaska to work for a state legislator. Gathering no moss, next stop was Boston where her husband, Carl, was earning his masters degree at Harvard and Cyndi worked for Ernst and Young. And that’s not the half of it.

Eventually, the Nelson’s settled in Olympia. Soon after, Cyndi did more than just get her real estate license, she found her greatest adventure.

She has not moved since.

Hooked on Helping Seniors and Their Families

Two years after getting her broker’s license in Washington, an estate attorney asked her for a market analysis on a home when its owner had passed away.

“It was an amazing, quaint place and the property had a huge barn,” Cyndi describes. “But it was packed with clutter and toxic debris.”

The wheels began to turn in Cyndi’s head. “I recommended that the family put a couple of thousand dollars into clearing and cleaning the place to increase its value. The property sold for $40,000 more than they expected. I was hooked. I had put the pieces of the puzzle together for them to get the most value for the home. That’s the thrill of it all and I have been working on estates and for seniors since.”

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Cyndi Nelson helps Rose put together the pieces of the puzzle on the sale of her home.

Today Cyndi will tell you with a flash of her winsome smile that she will only admit to being a senior for the discounts. She was born on the early cusp of the baby boomer generation, between 1946 and 1964, a demographic that makes up nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population and faces its own challenges.

“Boomers are now a ‘sandwich’ generation. At 65, not only are they caring for their elderly parents but they also have kids who are moving home because of the economy. They get caught between the two.”

“Fortunately, our son Adam was just accepted to grad school, but my brother, sister and I are supporting our parents, a financial pressure that affects our own future,” Cyndi says knowingly. “We all ought to pre-plan for those years and not make the same mistakes.”

Resources help solve the senior puzzle

As a member of the Senior Action Network (SAN) and with years of experience helping seniors, Cyndi has gathered a network of experts who help her clients with any phase of their moves and care.

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Cyndi and Rose walk the Chehalis Western Trail on one of their visits.

“It is not just about real estate,” says Cyndi, who has earned the Realtor designation of Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES). “When seniors make changes in their housing there are other lifestyle decisions. The possibilities are exciting and the options are many.”

“Some want to sell their home and use the equity to move into one of the many assisted living choices here,” she continues.  “Seniors who own their home ‘free and clear’ can choose to rent it out for monthly income. Some may need to de-clutter and move into a ‘right-size’ home. And, there are seniors who want to stay in their home or buy a second home, using a reverse mortgage. I know people in the area who are experts for all those options and more.”

She often visits one of her senior clients who lives at The Firs in Olympia to give her an update on the sale of her home. Rose finds it comforting and often tells Cyndi that she just couldn’t do it without her.

“She goes above and beyond,” Rose says without hesitation. “There aren’t many people who would do as much as she does.”

Cyndi tries to explain to people what her work as a Realtor means.

“When people ask me, how did you get into sales? My answer is that this is as far way from sales as you possibly could be,” Cyndi firmly states.

“We facilitate. You can’t sell anyone just anything and have peace of mind. It is all part of the big puzzle of a person’s needs and wants. When you put the pieces together it makes a great picture. I find it rewarding to help the senior community with a new picture of their next big adventure in life.”

To learn more about Cyndi Nelson, call MVP Realty Group at 360-915-9123.

 

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