If you’re unsure if you should downsize, consider these six things.
A very good friend of mine called the other day to discuss their large, beautiful house. It has more than six bedrooms and bathrooms, but their kids are grown and have moved out of the house. He said they wanted to travel more, visit the kids who moved away, and they didn’t want to be concerned about all the maintenance their excellent property needs. So he asked me what to consider when deciding if it’s time to downsize.
Today I’m answering that question for all of you, so here are six things to think about if you’re unsure whether it’s the right time to downsize:
1. Maintenance. Consider both the inside and outside of your property. We commonly find that the outside of a home is the most challenging to maintain, but sometimes it’s the inside too.
2. Travel. Like my friend, you may want to travel more and not be concerned about all the maintenance a big home needs to be kept up. You might be in a position now where you can take extended trips, and if keeping up your home is worrying you, it may be time to consider downsizing.
3. Fear of aging in place. Are the doors in your home wide enough for a walker or wheelchair access if you need it? Is your home wheelchair accessible? Are there stairs in your home that would restrict you from using parts of this larger house? If these things are concerning to you, you may want to think about downsizing
“If keeping up your home is worrying you, it may be time to consider downsizing.”
4. Emotional agony. This means that something has happened in the property, and every time you walk in, you’re reminded of it. Perhaps you went through a divorce there, or you’re an empty-nester with a huge home you no longer need, and every time you come home you remember that your children are gone.
5. Simplify your life. Perhaps you want to move into a townhome or condo where there’s no exterior maintenance at all, which gives you all that time back to go do the things you enjoy instead.
6. Major life change. A life change that often makes people want to downsize is retirement. If you’re retired, you likely want to spend time doing things you love instead of thinking that you need to mow the lawn today or take care of this or that. When you have a major life change, that’s a great time to consider downsizing.
If any of these considerations caused you to think it’s possibly time to downsize, reach out to me via phone or my website. I would love to sit down with you and have these conversations and explore the answers that make sense for you. We’ll discuss whether now is the right time for you to downsize. Let me know if I can help you.
