Lee Morof's Real Estate Blog

If you’re moving from a large home into a smaller house or condo, you’re probably looking forward to enjoying a lower utility bill and not having to do as much cleaning. But before you move, you’ll want to take certain precautions to ensure that you’re not overwhelmed.

A smaller home won’t have as much room for your belongings, which means you may need to get creative. Here’s how you can downsize without losing your mind.

Decide What You’re Going To Keep

Before you do anything else, choose which of your belongings are coming with you. Unless you’ve habitually been getting rid of things you no longer need over the years, chances are you have a large stash of things you’ll never use again. That’s the kind of clutter you’ll need to eliminate before moving into a smaller home.

The obvious exceptions would be anything of significant sentimental or monetary value, but you’ll want to get rid of lots of your everyday objects – for instance, there’s no reason why you need three soup ladles. Having trouble deciding what to throw out? Here’s a simple rule of thumb: If you can’t remember the last time you used it, you probably don’t need it.

Have Anything In Storage? Find A Storage Solution Now

Most homeowners nowadays have the luxury of large storage spaces like basements or attics – but if you’re moving into a condo or a small starter home, storage will be at a premium. And that means anything stored in your basement, garage, or attic will probably need to find a new home. You’ll want to look for a storage solution earlier rather than later.

Perhaps you could rent a storage locker in your neighborhood, or let children or relatives hold onto your belongings until you decide what to do with them.

On Your Moving Day: Move Large Items First, And Put Away Stored Items Before Anything Else

When the day comes for you to move into your new home, you’ll want to try to find the best configuration for the space right away – before your new home is filled with boxes stacked six feet high. Before you do anything else, move your furniture and other large items into the space first, and get them set up so they’re out of the way.

Once all of your boxes are in your new home, put storage items away before anything else – it’ll help you avoid unnecessary stress and sorting later.

Downsizing can be stressful, but with a solid plan and a great real estate agent, you can find a smaller home and move in without issues.

After the children are all grown and moved out, the family home often feels excessively large and empty. If you’re in this stage of life, you may be wondering if you should downsize like so many others, or stay put. Downsizing may be the best option, depending on your lifestyle.

Here are five benefits of downsizing for you to consider.

1. Less Clutter

When you move into a smaller home, you’ll have the opportunity to get rid of many possessions that you no longer need. Whether it’s sporting goods or knick knacks, you’ll be able to either sell the items, give them away to kids and grandkids or donate them to a charitable organization. Your new home won’t have as much space, so this decluttering process is almost mandatory.

2. Lower Utility Bills

A smaller home means lower energy usage and lower utility bills. It’s likely that you’ll have fewer lights on the rooms, less square footage to heat and cool. You may also incur less water usage, since you may have fewer bathrooms and less lawn to irrigate. So, not only will you likely have a lower mortgage payment when you downsize, it will probably also take less money to run the home.

3. More Free Time

A smaller home means that it will likely take less time to maintain, too. There’s less to clean inside and a smaller house to maintain on the exterior of the home. This equates to much more time for you to do the things that you want to do instead of the things that you have to do.

4. Easier To Get Around

Downsizing usually makes it easier to get around the home. Many people who downsize opt for a single-floor home rather than a two-story home, so they can avoid having stairs in the home. Living on one floor is often easier as people age and climbing stairs becomes more cumbersome. 

5. More Sustainable Living

A smaller home means a smaller carbon footprint. For people who are earth-conscious, a smaller home affords the chance to play their part in helping by living a more environmentally sustainable life. 

Remember, downsizing doesn’t mean living with less. For many people who have already downsized, the process has infused their life with more opportunities to live a fuller existence by getting rid of space and possessions they didn’t really need anymore. 

If you are in the market for a smaller home, be sure to contact your trusted real estate professional.

With Baby Boomers already rolling into retirement and Gen X looking forward to shrugging off the stress of the 40-hour work week, downsizing could be a strategic move.

For many Americans, homeownership remains their single largest investment and the monthly mortgage payment their highest bill. Lowering or nixing that cost altogether can free up a considerable amount of cash that could be used for retirement security or leisure activities. Keep in mind, your “golden years” should be just that, so enjoy them.

That being said, there are pros and cons to consider when deciding whether to downsize to a less expensive home.

Size Matters

If you have raised a family and find yourself as an empty-nester, so to speak, you probably have more home than you needed during the days of romping youngsters. Downsizing to a smaller home reduces the amount of maintenance, upkeep and cleaning responsibilities. Relieving yourself of those chores can free up time to relax.

On the con side, a smaller home means less space to for family visits. Although children and grandchildren may not spend months at a time, having the space for holiday stayovers can be important. A smart downsizing plan should consider balancing reduced labor with family time.

Costs Considerations

The surface numbers of downsizing often point to freeing up personal income. A lower or no mortgage payment equals more cash on hand. But selling and buying come with industry and relocation costs.

In all likelihood, your home sale and purchase will come with real estate agent fees, closing and moving costs among others. It’s important to factor all of these expenses into your future projections.

Although home transaction costs are generally static in the real estate industry, relocation can be a bit of a wild card. In-state moves may require only a set fee from a local moving outfit. But if you are headed to warmer or cooler climates, a big move can run upwards of 10 percent of your selling price. Get solid moving prices before tallying up your gains.

Ranked among the top pros to downsizing is the reduction in expenses. Retirement-age folks who have built up significant home equity may find themselves in a position to finally have no more mortgage. In this low-inventory seller’s market, the ability to cash out on high equity gives Baby Boomers and Gen Xers a chance at a zero-mortgage lifestyle.   

Many of our valued elders and 50-somethings are in the downsizing driver’s seat. With the help of an experienced real estate professional, your golden years could get even better.