Is downsizing a good move?

Housing Is downsizing a good move?

Mairead Robinson draws on her own experience to detail how ‘downsizing’ can work for you.

So you get to a stage in your life when you have an ‘empty nest’ and you find that not only have your children moved away, but they have suddenly become the parents and you the child! It amazed me when my daughter first suggested I sold our large house and bought somewhere nearer to public transport and made provisions for when I was less mobile and independent! Indeed I was quite taken aback at the notion that I might be an ‘old lady’ although she insisted that it was opportune to move while I was still active and mobile and able to forge a new life for myself. And so after mulling around the idea for a year, I decided to put the house on the market.

Now my house was very large, nearly 3,000 sq. ft. and included three bathrooms and six bedrooms, plus over an acre of a garden and was full of character and charm, however it was in a very rural location, situated just off the Ring of Kerry. So it was not going to be for everybody, but it was going to be perfect for a family who wanted to relocate from city living to a beautiful place and avail of a scenic quality of life together with most mod cons including super fast broadband.

So that is what happened – a young family from Dublin came to view it and appreciated all we had done with the renovation of the Old Schoolhouse thirty years ago, and saw the potential to bring it forward for the next thirty years. And that left me with the quandary of what to buy, where to move to, and how to secure my finances for the future.

Like most of us when we become grandparents, I liked the idea of being closer to the little ones, but while they can be scattered in various locations between different families, we also want to maintain our independence and quality of life. So I wanted a smaller house, close to public transport and services - having lived in a more rural location previously - and I also wanted to be closer to both my children and their families. For myself I wanted to have a warm cosy house together with a small garden that was both light-filled and modern.

House prices are an ever changing nightmare, and it seemed to me that during the year that my house was on the market, prices locally were going down (they blamed Brexit), while prices closer to the city were on the rise (housing and rental crisis). But the whole idea of downsizing is to release equity, so it was important to find the right house in the right area and at the right price.

Speed up your blood flow

Ginkgo biloba is a traditional herbal medicinal product used to alleviate the symptoms of poor blood flow in conditions such as cold hands and feet. To get the desired effects, it is essential that you choose a product with a documented content of active compounds. Your bloodstream carries oxygen and nutrients to every single part of your body – from head to toe – to ensure that all your body functions work properly. However, the flow of blood through the smallest capillaries can decrease for various reasons, and that may cause problems like cold fingers and toes.

Warm hands and feet again

A thermo-graphic camera can be used to test ginkgo biloba's ability to improve circulation in the hands. When the test subject takes ginkgo biloba, their hands become significantly warmer in the minutes right after they have been cooled down in very cold water.

Without Ginkgo-Biloba Pharma Nord:

After 10 minutes, the skin temperature increased from 12.6° to approx. 20.0° C.

With Ginkgo-Biloba Pharma Nord:

After 10 minutes, the skin temperature increased from 13.8° to approx. 30.9° C.

35°C

30°C

25°C

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15°C

10°C

5°C

35°C

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5°C

Cold hands and feet?

This problem may be a result of having poor blood circulation, and the solution could be tablets with ginkgo biloba.

Every inch of the body depends on a wellfunctioning blood supply that delivers oxygen and nutrients to the cells. As we humans age, our blood circulation becomes less efficient, leading to problems like cold hands and feet.

Supports your blood circulation

It stands to reason that ginkgo biloba is so popular among older people. The active compounds in the extract dilate your blood vessels, helping your blood to flow more easily through them.

What is ginkgo biloba?

Ginkgo biloba is a plant extract made from the leaves of ginkgo biloba, an ancient temple tree that is also known as maidenhair tree. The extract contains a variety of biologically active compounds. Two specific compounds – ginkgoflavone glycosides and terpene lactones – are particularly well-documented and have been shown to support good blood circulation and good cognitive function. Today, thanks to scientific research that has delved into the underlying mechanisms of these active ingredients, it is possible to manufacture high-quality extracts that deliver the exact same amount of active compound with each tablet. Ginkgo-Biloba Pharma Nord represents this new generation of pharmaceutical-standard ginkgo biloba products that have become increasingly popular, namely among the elderly.

Ginkgo-Biloba Pharma Nord has a high content of active compounds: The high content of active compounds makes it possible to obtain the desired effect with 1 tablet twice a day.

Traditional herbal medicinal product used to alleviate the symptoms of poor blood flow in conditions such as cold hands and feet, exclusively based upon long-standing use. Always read the leaflet.

This can prove easier said than done, as the old saying location, location location is key to how quickly and easily you will sell your house. If you are out in a rural area, as I was, it is certainly going to be a longer wait for the right person/people to come along. And then looking for a house in a more urban area will also mean that the price can be substantially higher. It is best to register for property alerts, for example on daft.ie, so that you will be the first to see properties as they come on the market. I also advise going to view as many as you can, make notes on what you like and don’t like, and also take note of how you feel. You need to get the “I can be at home here” feeling. Of course it is impossible to tick all the boxes, but try to make sure that the important ones are covered. These might be the garden, downstairs bedroom/bathroom, proximity to public transport and family etc. Also take note of the BER, and checkout the heating system, to ensure you are comfortable with that.

It can be helpful to use the same solicitor for both the selling and the purchase of your home, get him/her to keep you informed of the conveyance progress and of course agree a fee for both transactions. Remember that in addition to the legal fee, there will be other charges, the largest of these is the 1% stamp duty you will need to pay on the purchase of your new home. Also make sure you are aware of what is included in the sale and what is not, as you may end up spending a lot of money on renovation.

If releasing equity is not the most important factor in your move, you may be able to enjoy spending some money refurbishing and redecorating your new home, and even modernizing it to add a sun-room for example, as I did. Get a good engineer, architect and builder, and ensure that you agree prices before you start. I found the renovation the most exciting part of the process, as like many of us, I had been living in a house barely changed for decades. Seeking out contemporary style and comfort was a real joy!

Forging a new life for yourself in your 60s can be challenging, but also full of fun and adventure. You can keep your costs down by using an on-line estate agent such as www.auctioneera.ie - a fixed price estate agent, rather than a high-street agent, you can save thousands in agent’s fees. garage, it will only cost you the transporting to your new home. But here is the real warning – you may well find, as I did, that most of your ‘old stuff’ will neither suit nor fit in your new house. And you might like to go for a completely different style of décor, so try to be a little ruthless when it comes to de-cluttering and keep only what you absolutely cannot bear to be without.

A final piece of advice, the amount of paperwork now necessary for selling and buying a new home can be daunting. So, you may find that the whole process takes weeks or months longer than anticipated. Start getting the paperwork in order as soon as you decide to sell, so that when the deal is to be done, it can be done more swiftly.

Since the ‘lockdown’ and the impact that Covid-19 has had on every aspect of our lives, the housing market is more buoyant than ever. With virtual viewings the norm, it is vital that you get a good agent who will ensure that your house will be viewed by the maximum amount of people. Likewise with viewing your prospective new home, get good advice and use the experts. It is a major move, and you want to ensure that you get it right. So you may decide to move to an apartment (remember there will be annual service charges), or to move abroad where the climate might suit you better, but be sure you won’t miss family and friends too much.

Or like me you might want a smaller house in an urban location closer to family. So, six months into my new address, and am I pleased with the move? The answer is a resounding yes. I love my new house and the decorating and renovations are exciting and fun. While it is a major move to downsize, it can be the start of the next chapter of your life. Perhaps the best move you ever made!

Cold hands and feet are a thing of the past

Pharma Nord has introduced Ginkgo-Biloba, a preparation for preventing and treating cold hands and feet, which is a problem that bothers many people all year round.

If you are one of those people, who constantly has icy cold fingers and toes, you will be glad to know that you can do something about the problem. Ginkgo-Biloba Pharma Nord effectively helps prevent and treat cold hands and feet. The product is available without prescription from pharmacies nationwide.

The essential blood supply Cold hands and feet are linked to poor circulation. The hands and feet are also called extremities, and it can be difficult for blood to pass through the tiny blood vessels – or capillaries - that carry oxygen and nutrients to these tissues. Cold limbs, however, are not the only problem that is linked to poor circulation. Highly important for the brain The brain, for instance, accounts for nearly 20 percent of the body’s entire oxygen consumption, so it is not difficult to imagine how important it is to have a well-functioning supply of blood to the head and brain. All of our cognitive functions rely on an adequate of blood, oxygen and nutrients to the brain cells.

People with impaired cerebral blood supply typically experience problems like

• Failing memory • Poor concentration • Dizziness • Headaches • Tinnitus (humming or high-pitched noise in one or both ears)

You can read about Ginko-Biloba here: www.pharmanord.eu/products/ginkgo-biloba