Downsizing your home: The advantages of moving to a smaller home
Moving house is always fraught with emotion. In my experience no move is as emotionally loaded as downsizing. I have been through the process many times with clients; but helping my parents and parents-in-law go through the same move in the past two years vividly brought home the difficulty of this decision.
The rationale for the move is typically supported by sound logical and financial factors – a more manageable sized house, better transport links, closer to family, releasing equity to pass down to family and so on – but wrapped up in the move are the sentiments of reducing furniture and home contents and of leaving a family home steeped in memories.
What options are available to sellers?
Once the decision has been made to downsize, one of the initial questions to consider is what to do with the existing home? After living in the same home for maybe decades, the idea of entering the housing market, having photos of your personal space all over the internet, and buyers traipsing around can be particularly off putting.
One option to consider is to sell ‘off-market’ where a select few targeted, fully proceedable buyers are introduced to your property on a discreet basis, and the resulting sale can be transacted in a low key and calm manner – and normally at a pace that suits your needs.
Why use a property finder to downsize
As property finders we help to marry the practicalities of the onward purchase whilst understanding the emotions involved. It is a fine line to tread and is one of the reasons that a good relationship with our clients is vital and why we work hard to understand all aspects of a move.
You need to have a thorough plan of what stays and what goes, but you should consider what you would miss and what you could not live without. But look on the positive side too, what are you looking forward to most in a smaller, simpler home? What changes in lifestyle are you hoping for? A smaller house to clean and look after is the most frequently quoted benefit!
We use our experience and property knowledge to turn your thoughts and vision for your next move into a coherent brief.
There is no right or wrong time to downsize, but more often than not when I speak to clients after their move they say “we wish we had done it sooner”. If you would like support when considering downsizing and would like to learn how Garrington can save you time and money finding the right home please contact us.
