There are a lot of people that will tell you downsizing is more hassle than it’s worth. You’re forced to go through your belongings and get rid of the things that won’t fit in the new place. You have to shop for a new home and deal with the stress of moving. What if we told you it doesn’t have to be this way?

It’s true. With a brand-new home made for your new lifestyle, the idea of moving and having less things to bring over can be an exciting process. There are lots of options out there so finding your best fit is not as hard as it’s made out to be.

In fact, we think you’ll be surprised by how easy it is to downsize when you choose to buy a home from Sterling.

Determining Your Needs

First, think about what you really need in a home for your retirement years. Sure, you want something that’s a bit smaller and more manageable, but how small do you want it? Will you still want extra bedrooms for when your grandkids come to visit? Will you want a larger living area for entertaining? Would you prefer a single-storey bungalow style home so you don’t have to worry about stairs or do you still like the design of two-storey homes? There’s a floor plan out there for everyone.

It’s important to note that we see a lot of retirees looking for maintenance-free properties. We do have options that will allow you to have everything you love about a house without having to worry about the yard work. This is great for those who like to travel or those who just can’t physically keep up with the work.

Shopping for a New Home

Once you know what you want in a home, you can start shopping. Again, this doesn’t have to be a stressful process. You can take your time visiting new communities and the show homes within those communities. Make it a date as you explore all of your options.

While your needs were initially focused on basics like the floor plan, this is a good opportunity to start looking at the design features. Pay attention to the types of cabinetry, flooring, countertops, and paint colours you like. You’ve had a good life, and you deserve to splurge a bit on a beautiful home. Since it will be a bit smaller than your big family home, you will likely have room in the budget for some upgrades like quartz countertops or a large soaking tub.

Financing the Purchase

When you build a new home, you usually need to secure financing before you sell the family home. Most likely, you have a lot of equity built up in your home which is great news. You can then use this equity in the form of a HELOC to get a down payment on the new home. Once the new home is finished and you sell the family home, you can pay off the HELOC and any balance you may have had on your mortgage. Many people are then able to take the profit from the sale of their home and apply it to the new home. You may even be able to fully pay off your new home.

Of course, if you’re not terribly picky about being able to choose the exact design details, you may be able to get a great deal on a quick possession home. These are homes that are move-in ready, so financing the purchase works much the same way as it would if you were buying a resale home.

Packing Up

Yes, packing up to move is no small task You may feel like you’re sorting through your memories and trying to decide which ones are important and which ones aren’t, but we think you’ll find that it’s a lot easier once you get started.

For instance, do you really have a lot of attachment to your furniture? If you have some antique pieces that you really love or things that have been in the family for years, make sure to bring them to the new home or pass them on to your children. But the other things? Donate them to a charity if they won’t fit in the new home. A lot of people can benefit from your generosity.

Let your kids know that you’ll no longer be acting as a storage company. If they have things they want from their childhood, like old trophies or toys, they need to come pick them up. For other things like old art projects, you might consider making digital copies by scanning paper with a scanner or taking pictures of the projects. Then you can get rid of the physical items.

The process of sorting through your goods as you pack up to move away really isn’t as hard as it seems, you just need to make the most of your move. Give yourself plenty of time to make decisions as you go through the process and you won’t have trouble.

Downsizing has a lot of benefits. A smaller home comes with fewer costs and less work. Talk to one of our Area Managers today. You might be surprised by how easy it is to downsize.

Related article: Getting on the Same Page About Downsizing

Photo credits: couple packing, heloc