Moving out of your long-term family home can feel like a big step — and a huge loss. A house is more than just four walls and a roof — it’s a life-long store of memories and experiences.
If you are looking to downsize into a more affordable, manageable home, there are a few things that you can do to make this process as smooth as possible.
Here are our top tips for downsizers, from starting early to securing the sale.
1. Start Planning Early
Though the property market is both rich and diverse, there is a finite supply of homes that match the needs of your dream downsize. From size, bedrooms, and land to price, location, and availability, there are a range of factors that will limit the number of homes you are willing to move to.
The trick here is to scope out your potentials ahead of time, so that if anything does come on the market, you’re ready to up and go.
2. Get your Home Sale-Ready to Get Your Money’s Worth
There’s no point finding your dream downsize ahead of time if, when it comes on the market, your house is still months away from being sellable. To give yourself the best chance of achieving your dream downsize, get your home sale-ready ahead of time. This means decluttering, packing up what you can and preparing it to be picture-perfect for when it’s time to sell.
When it comes to selling your home, you want to secure all the funds you need to buy your dream downsized home. Explore all your options when you get to selling — beyond local estate agents, there are online private cash buyers who offer a fully managed property selling service and no fees or hidden charges. With these services, you can sell your house for free to secure the best sale for you, in your own timeframe.
3. Find your Dream Home
Downsizing doesn’t necessarily have to be downgrading — you can still find a dream home. What you lose in size can be made up for in luxury. Identify exactly what you’re looking for in your new home, and don’t settle for less!
Conduct a wide search using a variety of tools like search engines, local estate agents and even word of mouth. One common mistake that downsizers make is failing to appreciate how much less room they will have in their new home. They end up with a home half the size, with 90 per cent of their belongings. The maths won’t add up!
You need to cull your belongings proportionally to the storage room you’re losing in your move. Be ruthless when you’re going through your belongings, and remember that you don’t have to dispose of everything – there are people in the world who would be ecstatic with your throwaways, so be sure to check out local charity shop donation spots.
Downsizing doesn’t have to be a downgrade, and it doesn’t have to be a daunting process either. With the right preparation and the right selling strategy, you can make achieving your next home a seamless and enjoyable process.