No items found.
Looking to downsize soon or planning on downsizing for your retirement?
If you need to think about moving to a smaller home, you will want to have a clear idea of all the key things to consider before making this decision. As with any home sale, purchase or move, downsizing takes a lot of planning.
Besides covering all the things you need to think about, we’ll also offer a number of practical downsizing tips to make the experience as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Let’s start by understanding what downsizing involves.
Downsizing real estate simply means selling a large home and moving to a smaller, more manageable property. For this reason, it is also called ‘rightsizing’ because it involves choosing a property that suits your current or future lifestyle.
Downsizing is a term used to describe selling a large home and moving to a smaller, more manageable property.
So who is the most likely demographic to downsize?
Pensioners, or people approaching retirement are the most likely demographic to downsize, for practical reasons. ‘Empty nesters,’ a term that describes middle-age people whose children have left home, are another demographic who may be looking to downsize. For other age groups, downsizing could be driven by employment opportunities in a different location or the desire to make a lifestyle change.
In terms of timing the downsizing your home, it could be time to consider a move to a smaller property if the following applies to you:
There is actually no hard and fast rule when a senior should look to downsize and sell the family home. In fact, data from the US organisation, Aging With Freedom, indicates that seniors are downsizing much later in life, primarily because they are much healthier than previous generations.
The current generation of seniors is also working much later in life and putting off retirement or not retiring at all. This is confirmed by the average age of entry into senior housing in the US, which is now 80+, up from 70+ a decade ago. This is typically the age when health issues mean that care becomes a necessity.
Australians aged between 55 and 74 are the demographic most likely to consider downsizing.
A 2020 survey by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) into the downsizing preferences of Australians found that the demographic most likely to have considered downsizing are aged between 55 and 74. The paper also recorded the primary reasons for respondents downsizing as:
Ultimately, choosing the right age to downsize depends on a number of factors, including your health, financial circumstances, and personal situation. It makes sense to research all your options well before retirement, so you can make an informed decision. A personal financial adviser can also help set out what your options are, including all the factors you need to take into account.
There are a number of important questions to answer if you are downsizing for retirement , specifically:
You also need to take into account the psychological impact of leaving the family home and moving to a new suburb, town, or city. There will be a period of adjustment that you need to factor into your new life.
It can make financial sense to downsize and pay off your mortgage. Depending on how much equity you have in your home, you could buy a smaller property outright with the proceeds and live mortgage-free.
It may be a good idea to make use of the government’s ‘downsizer’ contribution.
It may be a good idea to make use of the government’s ‘downsizer’ contribution, which allows each individual to contribute up to $300,000 from the proceeds of the sale into your superannuation account.
Let’s now run through the pros and cons of downsizing.
First up are the obvious pros of downsizing the family home. Downsizing means you can:
Next, are the cons of downsizing you need to consider, including:
Let’s now give you some tips for downsizing, based on your circumstances or life stage.
If you are a senior, at or close to retirement, you should take a practical approach by carefully planning your downsizing journey. Budgeting the whole process is an obvious first step, with a careful eye on the property market and how much you can get for the family home.
Be sure to research the downsizing stamp duty exemption.
It is also essential you research the downsizing stamp duty exemption or any government grant for downsizing , as this is a major cost to budget for. The same goes for the tax implications of selling as this could impact the Age Pension and other government benefits you are eligible for. Finally, carefully research the type of property and location you are planning on purchasing in, or the financial implications of renting in a new location.
Looking for expert tips for downsizing to an apartment? One of the biggest tips is to familiarise yourself with strata living, because it can be a big lifestyle change. The first thing to do is identify all the costs associated with living in strata, as these are different from a freehold property.
These include strata levies, which vary. They could be anywhere from 0.3 per cent to 1.2 per cent of the property's value per annum. You should also research the culture and demographic of the complex or building you are moving into beforehand. Finally, identify if the new neighbourhood has all the amenities you need, including transport, shopping, and medical facilities.
Moving home is one of the most stressful experiences in life, especially later in life. You need to be aware that downsizing to a smaller home means you will have less space. This could mean you will have to declutter and downsize your possessions.
You may need to declutter to ensure you have enough space in your smaller home.
Working from the floorplan of your new home will help you plan how much you need to cull and if you need to buy new furniture. This can be a positive process as many of us tend to hoard possessions over time. You will also need to factor in the cost of moving, including packing, storage, and/or removalists fees.
As you can see, downsizing property is undoubtedly a major life decision, with many factors and options to consider.
Hopefully this article has given you food for thought, and tips for the best way to downsize your home. You can then decide if downsizing the family home is the right decision. We also recommend getting independent, financial advice from a professional. They can help clarify your options regarding budgeting and investing your sale proceeds. If you do decide to sell, you should also consult a legal professional to review sale contracts and oversee the settlement.
Are you open to an interstate move? Check out our list of the top areas to retire around Australia.
Disclaimer: Blogs are written expressly for education purposes and content is based on the opinions of the authors or as otherwise cited. All information is current as at publication release and we take no responsibility for any factors that may change thereafter. Doorsteps Finance Pty Ltd and Doorsteps Solutions Pty Ltd do not accept any liability or responsibility whatsoever to any error or omission or any loss or damage of any kind sustained by a person or entity arising from the use of this information. It does not constitute legal, tax or financial advice and you should always seek professional advice in relation to your individual circumstances.
Disclaimer: Doorsteps Finance Pty Ltd ACN 648 541 879 (credit representative no.531036) is authorised under Doorsteps Solutions Pty Ltd ACN 654 334 246, Australian Credit Licence 537369 (together, “Doorsteps”). Doorsteps are not making any suggestion or recommendation about any particular product or service. The information provided constitutes information which is general in nature and has not taken into account any of your personal objectives, financial situation, or needs. Any credit application made through Doorsteps Finance Pty Ltd is subject to approval, terms and conditions, fees and charges.
Disclaimer: Doorsteps Finance Pty Ltd ACN 648 541 879 and Doorsteps Solutions Pty Ltd ACN 654 334 246, Australian Credit Licence 537369 are wholly owned by OpenAgent Pty Ltd ABN 93 161 595 679 (together, “Doorsteps”). Doorsteps are not making any suggestion or recommendation about any particular product or service.
Disclaimer: Doorsteps Finance Pty Ltd ACN 648 541 879 (credit representative no.531036) is authorised under Doorsteps Solutions Pty Ltd ACN 654 334 246, Australian Credit Licence 537369. Doorsteps Solutions Pty Ltd ABN 60 654 334 246 and Doorsteps Finance Pty Ltd ABN 27 648 541 879 are not making any suggestion or recommendation about any particular product or service. The information provided constitutes information which is general in nature and has not taken into account any of your personal objectives, financial situation, or needs.
