• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Accessibility Statement

Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on InstagramFollow Us on YouTubeRSS Feed

Kimberly Howell Properties

San Antonio Real Estate

office@kimberlyhowell.com
(210) 493-6888
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • Agents
  • Buyers
    • Neighborhoods
    • Relocation Information
  • Sellers
  • Listings
    • Available Rentals
    • Homes for Sale
    • McNair Custom Homes
    • Open Houses
  • Contact
  • Rental SearchHomes for Rent
  • REALTORS®Find an Agent
  • McNair Custom HomesNew Construction
  • Property SearchHomes for Sale
You are here: Home / Archives for downsize

downsize

6 Signs That It’s Time To Downsize

January 4, 2022 by khproperties Leave a Comment

Downsize

It can be challenging to know the right time to downsize your home. It can be a very emotional experience. Your home is full of memories of raising a family and sending young adults out into the world. You spent good days and bad in there. You’ve laughed, cried, and celebrated. So, it’s understandable that when you’re moving towards retirement. you might be reluctant to leave behind the sanctuary that has played such an important role in your life. Knowing the right time to make your move is critical. Avoiding a decision can often result in health issues forcing your hand. Houses can become too big to maintain and take a physical toll when you mow lawns or climb ladders to fix a leaking roof or clear leaves from gutters. Based on real situations, we’ve been able to make a list of signs that tell you it’s time to downsize. We hope you find them useful.

Do you feel like you’re rattling around in your home?
Once everyone has moved out, it can often feel like the house has become too big. Rooms are never used and only cleaned because they collect dust. You may find you’re living in a particular part of the home, often to contain utility bills. If this is you, then it’s definitely time to explore your downsizing options.

Do you feel overwhelmed by your property?
This is another issue that crops up regularly. Feeling overwhelmed by the maintenance required in a larger home quickly creates stress and that’s not good. Everyday tasks such as cleaning or sweeping walkways and patios become burdens. The idea you have to climb a ladder for a simple maintenance task might fill you with dread.

If you feel you cannot look after your home as you once did, then downsizing is your wisest course of action. Once you decide to act, you’ll be amazed at the relief you’ll feel.

You can never find what you’re looking for?
This is a significant frustration for many. Their memory isn’t necessarily failing, but it’s common to struggle to find car keys or credit cards in a large home when there’s so much opportunity to put them down carelessly. Of course, you can overcome this challenge by being more organized. However, we all know that’s easier said than done!

Are the stairs becoming harder to climb?
Time catches up with all of us eventually, and you don’t need to be wielding a walking stick to start to find stairs are harder to climb or to descend first thing in the morning. Your home shouldn’t become an obstacle course. If you’re having trouble getting around the property, then it’s time to leave.

Will you travel more in retirement?
If you’re planning to enjoy long trips, especially in retirement, then carrying the cost of maintaining a large, empty property doesn’t make sense and becomes an added stress to come home to. It would be best if you considered a smaller home and even think about moving into an apartment or condo with security to reduce any concern on that score.

Parents can also set up a Junior ISA at thechildrensisa.com so they can enjoy retirement without having to worry about their children’s future. Those who have invested in real estate properties as part of their retirement portfolio must not forget to update their estate plans and plan ahead for the succession of these assets. Those who need help in estate planning for blended families may look for a lawyer who has sufficient knowledge and experience.

Do you have the “utility bill blues?”
Retirement is a wonderful time of life, but it usually cuts into your cash flow. Spending money on heating or cooling your entire home is wasteful when you use only a percentage of it. We have worked with many people who became more stressed by these quarterly bills than anything else. If this sounds familiar, it’s a smart move to act. If you buy wisely, a smaller home like a condo or apartment, especially one in a complex should reduce your outgoing cashflow. Your costs will be more consistent, too, and that will help with your household budget.

When you decide to downsize, you may need to rent a storage unit from a self storage facility for a short while until you determine what to do with your belongings that will not have space in your new home. You may ask your neighbors or your real estate agent for recommendations on self storage facilities.

Filed Under: Sell Your Home Tagged With: downsize, selling your home

Empty Nest? Consider Downsizing

June 8, 2012 by khproperties Leave a Comment

Empty Nest Downsizing

My husband and I recently reached a huge milestone in our life together. Our youngest child graduated from high school, so soon we’ll have an empty nest. Once he goes off to college, it’ll be just the two of us, alone in a home that’s more than three times the size of the first house we bought together some twenty three years ago. We moved numerous times over the years, always needing a bigger place to fit our growing family. But now for the first time in our lives we’re considering moving again, but not to grow, but to downsize.

The benefits of downsizing for empty nesters are obvious. A smaller home usually means a smaller or shorter mortgage, less taxes, and cheaper utilities. Smaller homes are also cheaper and easier to clean and maintain. Then with the money you save you can start working on that “bucket list.” If this is you, if you’re in the same wonderful boat we’re in, the time to act is now. Waiting too long to downsize is a common financial mistake empty nesters maker. Many of them could have downsized years earlier but waited because of sentimental reasons, nostalgia, or just not wanting to change.

From a financial standpoint, owning a big, expensive home is generally not the best investment. The average home grows in value by only 3-4% per year and you can typically earn a better rate of return through balanced investments in stocks, bonds, and securities, so it just makes sense to get out of that big home sooner rather than later.

Still, before you decide to downsize you should plan carefully and weigh costs and benefits. Decisions you make on where to move to save money could end up costing you more than you thought. For instance, you may save money in gas by moving closer to your work, but that area might have higher car insurance rates. You might also think moving to a small condo will be cheap, but be prepared to pay large dues and fees that come with condo living. These trade-offs can be complicated so it’s important to do your homework and talk to your REALTOR® about your concerns.

image courtesy of cursedthing

Filed Under: Buying a Home Tagged With: downsize, empty nest

Primary Sidebar

Open Floorplan

Is An Open Floorplan The Right Style For You?

Open floorplan living is often billed as the perfect floor plan, bringing family together in a single room where cooking, conversation and the screen share the same space. It has been a popular feature of a … [Read More...] about Is An Open Floorplan The Right Style For You?

New Kitchen

Nine Mistakes To Avoid With A New Kitchen

No room carries more influence with a buyer than the kitchen because it’s where the everyone gathers and many memories are made. The kitchen can represent up to 20% of the entire value of a property, so it’s … [Read More...] about Nine Mistakes To Avoid With A New Kitchen

House Fire Safety

9 Ways To Avoid Housefires

A fire in your home can happen at any time of the year, but with colder months upon us it’s easy to see how the danger increases with the setting of wood-burning heaters and the use of candles to create a cozy … [Read More...] about 9 Ways To Avoid Housefires

Call A Plumber

Is It Time To Call A Plumber?

As a homeowner, you’ll inevitably have to call in a Sydney plumber to deal with plumbing problems at some stage. It’s one of the ‘pleasures’ of owning property! Choosing the right contractor can feel a little … [Read More...] about Is It Time To Call A Plumber?

First Time Homebuyer

8 Tips For First Time Homebuyers

Being a first time homebuyer can feel quite intimidating – you’ve got to deal with agents, sellers, rival buyers, banks, and title companies. And it’s not always clear what role each of them plays in the … [Read More...] about 8 Tips For First Time Homebuyers

Search Our Site

Real Estate Topics

  • Buying a Home
  • Homeowner Tips
  • KHP News
  • Local Events
  • Local Laws
  • Miscellaneous
  • Mortgages and Financing
  • Open Houses
  • Real Estate
  • Real Estate Market
  • Renters and Landlords
  • San Antonio Places
  • Sell Your Home
  • Technology
Our real estate agents can help you with properties anywhere in Texas. If you need assistance finding agents in other parts of the country, please contact us.

Search Homes

Explore Cities

  • Alamo Heights 31 Listings
  • Bandera 395 Listings
  • Blanco 155 Listings
  • Boerne 625 Listings
  • Bulverde 315 Listings
  • Canyon Lake 363 Listings
  • Castle Hills 21 Listings
  • Castroville 81 Listings
  • Cibolo 349 Listings
  • Comfort 55 Listings
  • Converse 556 Listings
  • Fair Oaks Ranch 69 Listings
  • Floresville 271 Listings
  • Garden Ridge 24 Listings
  • Helotes 201 Listings
  • Hill Country Village 3 Listings
  • La Vernia 181 Listings
  • Lakehills 117 Listings
  • Leon Valley 25 Listings
  • Live Oak 61 Listings
  • Mico 116 Listings
  • New Braunfels 1322 Listings
  • Olmos Park 5 Listings
  • San Antonio 9540 Listings
  • Schertz 266 Listings
  • Seguin 624 Listings
  • Selma 56 Listings
  • Shavano Park 15 Listings
  • Spring Branch 364 Listings
  • Terrell Hills 24 Listings
  • Universal City 68 Listings
  • Windcrest 29 Listings
  • Hollywood Pk 4 Listings

Stay up to date with the latest from Kimberly Howell Properties.

San Antonio real estate and property information provided by Kimberly Howell Properties. Kimberly Howell Properties does not assume any liability or responsibility for the operation or content of any of the linked resources, nor for any of the interpretations, comments, graphics, or opinions contained therein. All information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.

KJH Properties, Inc. is a licensed real estate brokerage in the State of Texas, Equal Opportunity Employer, and supporter of the Fair Housing Act.

TREC Information About Brokerage Services | TREC Consumer Protection Notice | Privacy Policy

All content © 2009-2020 Kimberly Howell Properties, unless otherwise noted.