Written by Sarah Ingles, REALTOR®, SRES®, CPCU® — Iowa License #S73007000. The only SRES® + CPCU® dual-credentialed REALTOR® in the Des Moines metro, with 10+ years as a property insurance home adjuster before real estate. Specialty: multi-generational Iowa housing transitions across Polk, Dallas, Warren, and Story counties.
This is a placeholder. The full pillar resource — including the Iowa-specific decision tree, the three-transaction sequencing playbook, CPCU®-grade insurance gap matrix, and an Iowa probate quick-reference. If you're working through one of these transitions now and don't want to wait, contact Sarah directly.
Why this page exists
Sarah Ingles is the only realtor in the Des Moines metro holding both the SRES® (Seniors Real Estate Specialist) and CPCU® (Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter) credentials. That pairing is built for the Sandwich Generation: one client, three concurrent housing problems, every one of them touching insurance, probate, or both.
Until May 27, start here
The two pages already published cover the bulk of what most Sandwich Generation families read first. Use them as the entry point, then book a working consultation when the sequencing gets real.
Frequently Asked Questions — Sandwich Generation Real Estate in Iowa
What is the Sandwich Generation in real estate?
The Sandwich Generation in real estate refers to adults — typically age 45 to 62 — managing three concurrent housing transactions: a parent's downsize or estate sale, their own next-chapter move, and an adult child's first purchase. In Central Iowa, this often means coordinating a Polk County probate, a 55+ community search, and a first-time-buyer FHA loan in the same calendar year.
How do I help my aging parents sell their home while raising my own kids?
Treat it as one project with three workstreams: the parent's transition, your own household stability, and the family operational load. Build a written sequencing plan — which transaction needs to happen first, what funding gates each step, and who owns each task. An SRES®-credentialed REALTOR® who has run multi-generational Iowa transactions can map the order so the highest-stakes decisions aren't made reactively.
Should aging parents sell their home or age in place?
There's no universal answer — the right decision depends on health trajectory, home accessibility, social network, and finances. Most Iowa families benefit from a 12-to-24-month planning horizon: cost out home modifications (stair lifts, walk-in showers, ramps) against the net proceeds of selling now versus later. Sarah works with aging-in-place evaluators and senior community placement specialists across the Des Moines metro to model both paths.
What's the difference between an SRES and a regular realtor?
An SRES® (Seniors Real Estate Specialist) is a REALTOR® who has completed National Association of REALTORS® coursework on the financial, legal, and emotional aspects of selling a home after age 50 — reverse mortgages, probate handoffs, age-restricted communities, and family dynamics. Sarah Ingles holds SRES® plus the CPCU® insurance credential, the only REALTOR® in the Des Moines metro with both.
How do I handle a real estate transaction when my parent has dementia or diminished capacity?
Iowa real estate contracts require legal capacity to sign — so if a parent has diagnosed dementia or diminished capacity, the family needs durable power of attorney (executed while capacity was present), a court-appointed guardian or conservator, or a successor trustee under a properly funded trust. Sarah coordinates with the family's Iowa elder-law attorney to confirm the right signing authority is in place before any listing agreement.