One of the most common things we hear from homeowners considering downsizing is, “I’m not ready to move yet. I’m just starting to think about it.” That is actually a very good place to start.
Downsizing doesn’t have to begin with putting a For Sale sign on the lawn. It usually starts much earlier, when you notice that the home you’ve loved for years doesn’t quite fit your life the way it once did.
Maybe there are rooms you rarely use.
Maybe the yard is becoming more work than enjoyment.
Maybe stairs are starting to factor into decisions that never required a second thought before.
Or maybe you simply want more freedom to travel, spend time with family, or enjoy retirement without constantly maintaining a house. There isn’t one specific age when you “should” downsize.
Downsizing doesn’t have to begin with putting a For Sale sign on the lawn. It usually starts much earlier, when you notice that the home you’ve loved for years doesn’t quite fit your life the way it once did.
Maybe there are rooms you rarely use.
Maybe the yard is becoming more work than enjoyment.
Maybe stairs are starting to factor into decisions that never required a second thought before.
Or maybe you simply want more freedom to travel, spend time with family, or enjoy retirement without constantly maintaining a house. There isn’t one specific age when you “should” downsize.
The better question is: Does your current home still support the way you want to live?
What Are the Signs That It Might Be Time to Downsize?
We often tell our clients to look at how their home feels on an ordinary Tuesday, not just how much they love it. Some signs it may be worth exploring your options include:
Does Downsizing Actually Save Money?
Sometimes. Not always. This is one of the biggest misconceptions about downsizing.
Selling a larger home and buying a smaller one can free up equity, but a smaller property isn’t automatically inexpensive. Depending on where and what you buy, there may be condo fees, homeowner association fees, property taxes, renovations, moving expenses, and transaction costs to consider.
Before making a decision, we recommend looking at the whole picture.
What would your current home realistically sell for?
Then subtract the costs associated with selling and moving.
Next, compare that number with the actual cost of the type of home you would want to move into.
That exercise can be surprisingly helpful.
Sometimes the financial benefit is substantial. Other times clients realize the primary benefit isn’t financial at all. It may be less maintenance, fewer stairs, a more convenient location, or simply having a home that better suits their lifestyle.
What Would You Move Into?
This is often the harder question. Calgary and the surrounding communities of Airdrie, Cochrane, and Okotoks offer many possibilities, including:
Should You Buy First or Sell First?
There isn’t one answer that works for every downsizer. It depends on your finances, the type of property you’re selling, what you’re hoping to buy, and current market conditions. Sometimes selling first creates financial certainty. Sometimes buying first makes more sense because the type of home you’re looking for is difficult to find. Sometimes the best decision is to do absolutely nothing yet. This is why we prefer to look at both sides of the move before recommending a strategy.
What About All the Stuff?
For many people, this is actually the part that feels most overwhelming. After living in a home for twenty or thirty years, you aren’t just dealing with furniture. You’re dealing with family photographs, children’s belongings, inherited items, hobbies, paperwork, and decades of memories. You don’t need to tackle everything at once. Start with areas that have very little emotional attachment: expired pantry items, old paperwork, duplicate kitchenware, damaged items, or things nobody in the family wants. Leave the sentimental decisions for later. We also recommend measuring furniture before deciding what comes with you. Knowing the dimensions of a future space can make those decisions much easier.
Your Family Can Help Without Making the Decision for You
Downsizing often becomes a family conversation, particularly when adult children are involved. Their help can be incredibly valuable. They can assist with sorting belongings, researching options, arranging movers, or simply being another set of eyes when touring properties. Still, this is your home and your decision. The goal isn’t to move because someone else thinks you should.It is to understand your options well enough to decide what works for you.
You Don’t Have to Be Ready to Move to Start Planning
This may be the most important part.Some of the easiest downsizing transitions we’ve seen began a year or more before the homeowners actually moved. There was time to explore communities, understand the value of the existing home, sort belongings gradually, and figure out exactly what the next chapter should look like. There was no emergency and no pressure. If you’re starting to wonder whether your Calgary-area home still fits your life, you don’t need to decide anything today.
Start by answering three questions:
What do I still love about my home?
What is becoming difficult or inconvenient?
If I could design the next ten years around how I actually want to live, what would home look like?
Those answers usually tell you far more than your age ever will.
--
Tania King & Tina Hansen are Calgary and area REALTORS® with CIR Realty, helping homeowners navigate downsizing and other major life transitions in Calgary, Airdrie, Cochrane, and Okotoks.
What Are the Signs That It Might Be Time to Downsize?
We often tell our clients to look at how their home feels on an ordinary Tuesday, not just how much they love it. Some signs it may be worth exploring your options include:
- You regularly use only a portion of your home.
- Yard work, snow removal, repairs, or cleaning feel increasingly burdensome.
- You find yourself avoiding certain floors or areas because of stairs.
- Significant repairs or renovations are coming and you’re questioning whether you want to invest in them.
- You would rather spend your time travelling, visiting family, or doing other things than maintaining the house.
- A large portion of your net worth is tied up in your home and you want to understand what selling could mean financially.
- You’re beginning to think about what kind of home will work for you five, ten, or fifteen years from now.
Does Downsizing Actually Save Money?
Sometimes. Not always. This is one of the biggest misconceptions about downsizing.
Selling a larger home and buying a smaller one can free up equity, but a smaller property isn’t automatically inexpensive. Depending on where and what you buy, there may be condo fees, homeowner association fees, property taxes, renovations, moving expenses, and transaction costs to consider.
Before making a decision, we recommend looking at the whole picture.
What would your current home realistically sell for?
Then subtract the costs associated with selling and moving.
Next, compare that number with the actual cost of the type of home you would want to move into.
That exercise can be surprisingly helpful.
Sometimes the financial benefit is substantial. Other times clients realize the primary benefit isn’t financial at all. It may be less maintenance, fewer stairs, a more convenient location, or simply having a home that better suits their lifestyle.
What Would You Move Into?
This is often the harder question. Calgary and the surrounding communities of Airdrie, Cochrane, and Okotoks offer many possibilities, including:
- smaller detached homes
- bungalows
- villas
- semi-detached homes
- townhomes
- apartment-style condos
- adult-living communities
- independent or supportive senior living
Should You Buy First or Sell First?
There isn’t one answer that works for every downsizer. It depends on your finances, the type of property you’re selling, what you’re hoping to buy, and current market conditions. Sometimes selling first creates financial certainty. Sometimes buying first makes more sense because the type of home you’re looking for is difficult to find. Sometimes the best decision is to do absolutely nothing yet. This is why we prefer to look at both sides of the move before recommending a strategy.
What About All the Stuff?
For many people, this is actually the part that feels most overwhelming. After living in a home for twenty or thirty years, you aren’t just dealing with furniture. You’re dealing with family photographs, children’s belongings, inherited items, hobbies, paperwork, and decades of memories. You don’t need to tackle everything at once. Start with areas that have very little emotional attachment: expired pantry items, old paperwork, duplicate kitchenware, damaged items, or things nobody in the family wants. Leave the sentimental decisions for later. We also recommend measuring furniture before deciding what comes with you. Knowing the dimensions of a future space can make those decisions much easier.
Your Family Can Help Without Making the Decision for You
Downsizing often becomes a family conversation, particularly when adult children are involved. Their help can be incredibly valuable. They can assist with sorting belongings, researching options, arranging movers, or simply being another set of eyes when touring properties. Still, this is your home and your decision. The goal isn’t to move because someone else thinks you should.It is to understand your options well enough to decide what works for you.
You Don’t Have to Be Ready to Move to Start Planning
This may be the most important part.Some of the easiest downsizing transitions we’ve seen began a year or more before the homeowners actually moved. There was time to explore communities, understand the value of the existing home, sort belongings gradually, and figure out exactly what the next chapter should look like. There was no emergency and no pressure. If you’re starting to wonder whether your Calgary-area home still fits your life, you don’t need to decide anything today.
Start by answering three questions:
What do I still love about my home?
What is becoming difficult or inconvenient?
If I could design the next ten years around how I actually want to live, what would home look like?
Those answers usually tell you far more than your age ever will.
--
Tania King & Tina Hansen are Calgary and area REALTORS® with CIR Realty, helping homeowners navigate downsizing and other major life transitions in Calgary, Airdrie, Cochrane, and Okotoks.