When Is the Right Time to Downsize Your Home?

Downsizing your home is a major decision, and the right moment to act is not always obvious. The best time to downsize is whenever your current home no longer aligns with your financial, lifestyle, or personal needs. It’s less about the market and more about your life stage. But deciding to downsize can be hard, and leaving a home filled with cherished memories can bring heartache. 

So, when is the right time to downsize? If owning your home in Seattle, WA, or renting a house in Portland, OR, has brought more stress and worry than joy in recent years, the time may be right to downsize into something smaller. In this Redfin real estate article, we’ll explore how, by considering financial, emotional, and maintenance factors, you can determine if now is the perfect time to trade your large property for a smaller, more manageable space.

Financial signs you should consider downsizing

Your finances often provide the clearest signal that it is time to downsize. Carrying a large mortgage or facing ever-increasing utility and maintenance bills can put unnecessary strain on your budget.

• High maintenance costs: Is your maintenance budget constantly being stretched by repairs on a large or older home? The costs of running and maintaining unused square footage add up significantly over time. Downsizing can drastically reduce these expenses, freeing up money for other goals.
• Nearing or entering retirement: Many people choose to downsize right before or as they enter retirement. This is an excellent opportunity to reduce housing payments, eliminate your mortgage, and unlock home equity. As Patricia Cavanaugh of The 3rd Act, a retirement planning service for seniors, says, “It’s time to downsize when your personal possessions and material goods are weighing you down and preventing you from making room for your new retirement lifestyle.”
• Desire to free up equity: Selling a larger, more expensive home and buying a smaller one means you will have a substantial amount of equity released. This money can be used to travel, invest, or simply create a more secure financial cushion for the future.

Lifestyle and emotional indicators

Beyond money, your day-to-day life is a powerful indicator of whether a smaller home makes sense. The way you use your space can reveal if your home is now too big for your needs. Living a simpler life may offer helpful benefits to your emotional and mental health. 

• Becoming an empty nester: When your children move out, you might find yourself with multiple unused bedrooms and living areas. This space not only costs money to maintain and heat, but it can also feel unnecessary. Downsizing to a cozier home allows you to repurpose that space and focus on a new, simpler chapter.
• Too much unused space: Walk through your home and identify rooms you rarely or never use. If you have rooms that feel like storage areas rather than functional living spaces, it is a sign that your home is simply too large for your current lifestyle. Downsizing allows you to live more efficiently.
• A simpler, less demanding life: Large properties require a lot of effort to clean, maintain, and landscape. If you are starting to feel burdened by the chores associated with your home, downsizing to a smaller house or a low-maintenance condo can dramatically improve your quality of life. This trade-off gives you more time for hobbies or relaxation.

What about the housing market?

While your personal situation is the most important factor, the market can influence your timing. The best financial time to downsize is generally when your current home’s value is high. This allows you to maximize the profit from the sale, which directly translates to more funds for your smaller purchase.

However, remember that when sale prices are high, so are purchase prices. A good real estate agent can help you analyze the market to find a sweet spot where you achieve the best outcome on both transactions.

Making the move

Once you decide it is the right time to downsize, the next big step is to declutter. This process can be the most time-consuming part of the move. Leaving an old home can be an emotional process, so the best approach is to start early and be ruthless about what you truly need. Focus on organizing, donating, and selling items well before you list your property.

Frequently asked questions:

What is the main benefit of downsizing?

The main benefit is financial: Reducing your monthly expenses, cutting utility and maintenance bills, and freeing up a significant amount of home equity.

Will downsizing definitely save me money?

In most cases, yes. While the cost of moving and closing on a new, smaller home is a factor, the long-term savings from lower property taxes, lower utility costs, and reduced or eliminated mortgage payments almost always result in substantial savings.

What should I do before I list my current home?

The most important step is decluttering and organizing every space. A home that is neat and free of excess belongings shows much better to potential buyers and makes your eventual move much easier.