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While you are waiting, be ready for Capital Manor’s call

If you are on the waitlist for a Life Plan Community, it can sometimes feel like you are in a holding pattern. Life is full, your plans are taking shape, but moving may still feel like something in the distance. However, when the time comes, it often comes quickly.

Just as early planning is key when exploring your future living options, it is equally important to prepare for the moment a residence becomes available. Being ready ahead of time ensures you can move forward with confidence, without unnecessary stress or delays.

Be financially ready

When a residence becomes available at Capital Manor, residents will be asked to make a 15% deposit toward the entrance fee. The $5,000 waitlist payment that was previously made will be credited toward this deposit. This deposit secures the home for up to 90 days while the remaining balance is completed.

Because availability moves quickly, timing is critical:

  • You will need to make your deposit within 48 hours of being offered a residence
  • The remaining balance is due within the 90-day window
  • A reduced entrance fee incentive may apply if the balance is paid within 45 days

For future residents, this means planning ahead now and understanding the costs and value of community living. Speaking with a financial planner to ensure that funds are easily accessible can also help avoid penalties or missed opportunities.

Capital Manor also offers a cost calculator that allows you to compare your current home expenses to community living costs.

A helpful rule of thumb is to have 15% of the highest-priced residence you are considering readily available.

Keep your documents up to date

When your move approaches, we will request updated personal, medical, and legal information. Having these materials organized in advance makes the process that much smoother.

You will be asked to provide:

  • Emergency and personal contact information
  • Power of Attorney (POA) documents
  • Advance Directives
  • Oregon POLST (Portable Orders for Life-sustaining Treatment)
  • Trust and Will Documents
  • Funeral or Burial Arrangements

This is also a good time to confirm your representatives are still the right people and that your documents reflect your current wishes. Meeting with an attorney to review and update these items will help keep everything aligned when the time comes.

Think ahead about the small details, including your pets

Preparation is not only about finances and paperwork, but also about the practical details of your life. If you have pets, consider who will step in if an emergency arises and whether that person has clear instructions and access.

Having a simple plan in place provides reassurance that every member of your family is cared for.

For help developing a contingency plan for your pets ahead of your move, download the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) free pet planning packet.

Line up your moving and home sale resources

As you move closer to the top of the waitlist, it becomes increasingly important to have your team ready.

This may include:

  • A trusted realtor (Capital Manor can connect you with a Senior Real Estate Specialist if needed)
  • Movers and packing/unpacking services
  • Downsizing or estate sale professionals

If selling your home is part of your plan, preparation is key:

  • Meet with your realtor in advance
  • Complete repairs or updates early
  • Be ready to list your home quickly

When timing matters, having these relationships already in place can make all the difference.

Start rightsizing sooner than you think

While on the waitlist, one of the most valuable steps you can take is to begin downsizing, or what we like to call, rightsizing. Rightsizing is the act of making room for what matters most. It’s about aligning your space with your life so you can be fully present in your current chapter

Rather than saving it for later, consider starting now:

  • Sort through belongings gradually
  • Focus on what you truly use and enjoy
  • Revisit the process regularly

For more guidance, explore our guide to rightsizing, which offers helpful strategies for simplifying your space and aligning it with your next chapter. You can also download the Capital Manor Downsizing Checklist to take practical, step-by-step action.

The bottom line

Waiting does not have to mean standing still. By preparing your finances, organizing your documents, building your support team, and beginning the rightsizing process, you position yourself to act quickly and confidently when the opportunity arrives.

At Capital Manor, timing and readiness go hand in hand. When the call comes, being ready means you can step into your next chapter without hesitation.

If you’re considering Capital Manor as your future home, don’t delay. Talk to a residency counselor and get your name on the waitlist today.