For anyone thinking about downsizing or relocating closer to family, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Realtor Joan Alexander is preparing a Lunch & Learn program.

The program will also be helpful, she says, for those who have lost their spouse and are in a home that no longer serves their needs. Alexander works to protect buyers and sellers through every transaction.

Her Lunch & Learn event, “Are You Ready To Move?” is planned for Friday, April 25, from noon to 2 pm, at Newtown Senior Center, 8 Simpson Street.

She and three fellow real estate professionals will share information and answer questions about financial options, when inspections are needed, and the type of insurance needed.

“Insurance is a big thing now,” Alexander recently told The Newtown Bee. A former resident of Asheville, N.C., Alexander noted she used to live 5,000 feet above sea level. Then the historic floods of last summer decimated the area.

“Do you think we thought about flood insurance? No one did!” she said. “More and more, people in more areas are thinking about that before disaster happens.”

Alexander is a realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties. She will be joined on April 25 by three fellow BHHNEP agents: Realtor John Batchelor, Broker Ron Boufford, and Mortgage Specialist Dan Ianniello.

Alexander said moving is an ageless topic.

“It’s always a big process, for any age,” she said. Alexander and the others want readers of all ages to feel comfortable attending the program, she said.

For most people, moving is a major upheaval.

“Where do you want to go? What do you need to do first? There are so many questions, even for people who have moved a few times in their life,” Alexander said. “We’re going to help people with these questions and so much more.”

A light lunch and snack/dessert will be provided to attendees, she said. She is hoping to make the subject matter approachable and personal.

“We have a lot of information to share, but we’d also like to hear from those who attend,” Alexander said. “We’re hoping to hear some personal stories.”

The Lunch & Learn is the newest addition to the Timeless Newtown series being presented this year by Friends of Newtown Seniors (FONS), C.H. Booth Library, Newtown Commission on Aging, and Newtown Senior Center. Organizers hope the series of public events will break through destructive thinking toward aging and the elderly. Programs also encourage attendance by all ages.

The Presenters

In January 2023, Alexander and her son, Batchelor, stumbled upon an ambiguous property online for sale, where the primary image for the online listing was the photo of a pond. That was the star and the start of it all. The discovery happened two years into a steadfast search, after having lived at 13 previous locations and a desire to find the perfect property.

The Parmalee Hill Road property allowed the mother-son team an opportunity to renovate a main house, separate cottage and art studio.

Alexander’s expertise in interior design, marketing, and community engagement makes her a formidable force in real estate. Her career with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices allows her to continue transforming spaces, enhancing property appeal, while her marketing acumen — sharpened through leading high-profile design centers — ensures maximum exposure and compelling branding.

She has also become a FONS board member, a member of both The Garden Club of Newtown and The Town & Country Garden Club of Newtown, Newtown Lions Club, and St Rose of Lima Church.

Batchelor is an experienced sales and operations leader with expertise in business development, merchandising, and financial planning. He has a proven track record in streamlining processes, optimizing performance, and leading high-performing teams to exceed objectives while controlling costs.

Like his mother, Batchelor has also become very involved in his home community. He is a member of Newtown Hook & Ladder and St Rose of Lima Church. He is also a member of Audubon Society of Connecticut, Friends of the Highline, and Central Park Conservancy.

Boufford is a full-time real estate agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties, serving Fairfield and New Haven Counties. As a realtor and homeowner, he knows first-hand how overwhelming it can be to buy or sell a home.

He brings an extensive working knowledge of home building and landscape architecture to his client partnerships. His most important lesson in being a realtor came from his father, who for years operated a real estate agency in New Hampshire. Bouffard’s father strongly believed that his number one duty was to make buying and selling a home enjoyable, easy, and successful for his clients.

Ianniello has been in the mortgage banking business since 1989. His experience as a loan officer and a regional sales manager as well as his extensive knowledge of different lending products and strategies has enabled him to offer creative solutions to financing problems for thousands of customers.

He has built his business on realtor and customer referrals for over 20 years by providing constant communication and superior customer service. His goal is to create a stress free mortgage process.

He and his wife and family have lived in Southbury since 1992. He enjoys coaching his sons in baseball, soccer, and basketball and is always up for a round of golf.

Registration for Lunch & Learn: Are You Ready is required and available through My Active Center for Senior Center members. Nonmembers can register by contacting Alexander at 561-317-8200 or joanalexander@bhhsne.com.