By Meghan Streit
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

The announcement last month that Sedgebrook is expected to sell out in early 2008 has led to a flurry of activity in the sales office, according to Paul  Spence, director of sales and marketing.

“We’re seeing more and more people interested [in living at Sedgebrook],” Spence says.

“We had to bring on a second retirement counselor.”

Spence reports that Retirement Counselors Tracy Dellaria and Michelle Moran scheduled more than 80 appointments and tours with prospective residents over the last month.

Sedgebrook to sell out in early 2008
Spence says new residents are reserving apartment homes at an average rate of 15 per month. At that level, and with no new construction planned for the foreseeable future, Spence says there will soon be no room left at Sedgebrook.

“Year after year, we have to deal with the people who procrastinate and then regret doing so,” says Jim Kelly, vice president of sales. “This is something we deal with all the time.”

Kelly and Spence both urge people who think the Erickson lifestyle might be  the right option for their retirement to act now—before homes are completely sold out.

“You can’t be comfortable putting this off a year—a year from now you won’t have options,” Kelly says. “What if you’re making a big mistake here, and what if  you find yourself a year from now wishing you had secured something?”

A second retirement expert on board
To handle the increased demand for appointments and tours, Sedgebrook promoted former sales associate Michelle Moran to work as the second retirement counselor.

A Chicago native and Elmhurst College graduate, Moran has worked for Sedgebrook in various capacities for the last five years. Prior to joining Sedgebrook, she worked in the sales and financing industry.

Moran says she is enjoying her new role as a Sedgebrook retirement counselor.