A Senior’s Guide to Selling, Moving, and Managing the Process of Downsizing

Owning the perfect home is the classic American dream, but for seniors who no longer have family at home to take care of, continuing to live in your dream home may no longer make sense. The upkeep of owning a large home is tiresome and expensive. In addition, traditional home design isn’t always best for seniors with limited mobility. If this sounds familiar, the best solution may be to downsize. Alternatively, an option may be aging-in-place. Wherever you land, you will need some basic home medical equipment.

The Selling Process

Some people find a new home before selling, but it’s most common for seniors to sell their current home first. Work with a trusted real estate team. It’s also important for sellers to have an idea of what to expect from the process, how much work your home may need, and how market conditions will impact the sale of your home.

If your home is older, you may want to update some rooms before selling, especially the kitchen and bathrooms.
You also want to make a good first impression, and the best way to do that is through curb appeal.
Anytime you plan on selling your home, but especially during a pandemic, it helps to be aware of local market conditions.
With the unique circumstances of selling during a pandemic, it’s more important than ever to take extra safety precautions when showing your home.

Resources: Finding Help

It’s common for seniors to feel unsure about their options for downsizing. These resources can help you get a better picture of which type of housing arrangement will best fit your needs.

If you no longer feel safe living on your own, or you would like a simplified life in retirement, it’s worth weighing the pros and cons of living in a retirement village.
Those who have limited mobility or health problems may want to consider whether an assisted living center would be a better fit than an independent living community.
As an alternative to senior living facilities, there’s a growing trend for seniors to age in place.
If this is your goal, search for a more manageable single-level home, or you may even want to build the perfect home for aging in place.

Selling your home and finding a new one are obviously the two biggest decisions that go into downsizing. This is a major life change, which is why we’ve given you a few more resources and tips to help make moving easier.

One thing that may help is to realize you don’t have to do this alone! Many seniors rely on the help of good friends or family members. There are plenty of other resources out there too, from real estate experts to professional stagers to senior move managers. Make no mistake – downsizing is a big task! But when you lean on your support system and hire the right pros to help, there’s no reason to let the fear of this big change hold you back.

When it comes to aging in place, you want to be able to get around your home safely. From stairlifts to bathroom safety to mobility needs like wheelchairs and scooters, Charron Medical Equipment is your local home equipment partner since 1975. Call today 603-889-7220 for a free estimate or home assessment.

Thank you to guest blogger Andrea Needham from Eldersday.org

Photo credit: Pixabay