Naples, FL · 22 years of ownership
Walter K.
A widowed 78-year-old uses the Shift-Score process to decide NOT to move, and establishes a deliberate aging-in-place plan with a HECM line-of-credit as a deferred-access reserve.
“I’d been told I should sell. The Shift-Score process let me actually ask whether I wanted to — instead of just accepting that I should.”
— Walter K., homeowner
Starting position
Walter K. (78), widowed two years, Naples homeowner 22 years. Strong equity, manageable single-level home, deep neighborhood ties. Adult daughter in Tampa pressing for relocation.
The friction
Family pressure to ‘simplify’ vs. Walter’s actual preference. Shift-Score process offered as a structured way to ask honestly.
The process
Score: 48 (Exploring Options). Blueprint flagged mismatch between stated timeline (2–3 years, soft) and goal clarity (low, pressured). Doreen recommended: no move. Classic aging-in-place fit.
The aging-in-place plan
HECM line-of-credit opened in June 2026, $620K limit. Universal-design modifications: grab bars, lighting, task lighting. Family conversation facilitated using the ‘Relocating near family’ framework.
Outcome at 6 months
Walter is still in the home, reporting high satisfaction. Family pressure de-escalated. HECM line untouched. Published with permission as an example of when NOT moving is the right answer.
Sold for: Did not sell · Advisor: Doreen Fitzgerald
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