Less house, more comfort

Retirement is certainly not meant to be stressful, but owning a house that is larger than we need can too often lead to a challenging situation of having unused space, too much “stuff,” and the costs of dealing with deferred maintenance and repairs.

The Costs Of Repairs And Maintenance

One of the biggest benefits of moving to a smaller home, apartment, or apartment community is that it should come with fewer responsibilities in terms of upkeep.

Perhaps you no longer want to deal with a yard or garden. In this case, you might find an apartment or apartment community appealing.

Housing where there is less outdoor space, or where the outdoor space is maintained by a property management team, is ideal for people looking to move away from home owner responsibilities.

A larger than needed house also comes with more maintenance. Regular repairs and maintenance can become extremely time consuming and costly. If not taken care of, these seemingly small maintenance chores can create a whole host of new problems and expenses.

Living in a smaller home, apartment, or apartment community where a maintenance team or service takes care of these items can relieve some or all of the burdens these issues can cause.

Live A More Enjoyable Life

There are many reasons to downsize, but another of the most common I see is that homeowners want to relax, relieve the stress of a larger house, and enjoy their retirement without the hassle of keeping up a big house.

Without the stress and hassles of repairs and maintenance of a larger house, you can have more free time to enjoy family, friends, travel, and other items that bring more joy to your life.

IS YOUR HOUSE CAUSING YOU STRESS AND FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS?

I have seen numerous times how wanting to stay in a house too long can cause not only financial problems but health related problems also.

As I’ve mentioned before in this column, it’s understandable to want to stay in a person’s house as long as possible.

But there may come a time when it’s not good for the home owners physical or financial health.

I have witnessed owners that have spent all the money they had, and even borrowed money against their house to do updates and repairs they thought they needed to do to sell their house, only to realize they would not recoup those amounts from the sale. Or, that the repairs and updates they did have funds for was not enough to get the house into a “retail” sale ready condition.

There is no “one size fits all” solution when it comes to updating a house, especially when getting a house into a “retail” selling condition.

Just be aware of the issues and true costs involved when making these kinds of improvements.

Available Resources

Just know that whether you want to stay in your house or look into downsizing options, there are resources available.

Services that can take care of mowing lawns, snow removal, interior and exterior maintenance.

Services that can make living in your house more comfortable and accessible, including walk in bathtubs, stairlifts, and shelf reorganizing.

And, services that can assist with packing & moving, finding the right senior living community, and the best real estate solutions for your specific needs.

Ben Souchek is an author of the book Home Downsizing Secrets, and the owner and founder of Home Downsizing Solutions, a company that specializes in helping home owners transition from their current house to a new home, apartment, or other senior living community for more than 25 years.