What are your plans to downsize and move? How do you feel?

[Anonymous]

We are in our 50s and the last kid is heading to college this fall.
I am feeling very sad about my thoughts of leaving my kids' childhood neighborhood and moving to a much older home.
Part of the issue is paying high taxes in the current area due to job security. We like our newer built home, kids love being close to friends.

The feeling is like you worked so damn hard to get here, I didn't think I would feel disappointed like this. How do you talk yourself out of this funk and get motivated? Please share your thought process, or overcoming these feelings.


If you are already on the other side, please share your wisdom. Do I give it more time or better to get it over sooner?

[Anonymous]

Move to a smaller, flatter home near your current community. Then you can live in the same anrea and not have the upkeep of a large home and yard to maintain.

[Anonymous]

Why do you have to move to an older home? Why do you have to move at all right now?

[Anonymous]

Well, I’m 41 and while our income is 350k, we’ve never had that, so in my view, what’s to miss?

I see real estate as an investment. I have zero emotional attachment to where I live. I do own where I live now, but if it didn’t suit my financial plan, I’d sell in a heartbeat and not look back.

[Anonymous]

We have a duplex in NWDC, one side is currently rented. The idea is for our only to move into it if/when they get married and have kids. If she doesn't want it, we're going to offer it up to any of my neices and nephews.

The idea is to age in place and help take care of grandkids.

[Anonymous]

My youngest is in college and we put off till he graduates. It’s nice for them to come home and see high school friends on breaks. You could spend this time taking trips to potential new areas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a duplex in NWDC, one side is currently rented. The idea is for our only to move into it if/when they get married and have kids. If she doesn't want it, we're going to offer it up to any of my neices and nephews.

The idea is to age in place and help take care of grandkids.

Wow. Is your family really like that? If so, amazing. I would never in a million years want to share a duplex with my parents even though I have a good relationship with them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a duplex in NWDC, one side is currently rented. The idea is for our only to move into it if/when they get married and have kids. If she doesn't want it, we're going to offer it up to any of my neices and nephews.

The idea is to age in place and help take care of grandkids.

Wow. Is your family really like that? If so, amazing. I would never in a million years want to share a duplex with my parents even though I have a good relationship with them.

It's an old building so the walls are thick hahaha
We're all pretty close. I think she's mostly excited about the good school district and free childcare

[Anonymous]

Because you want a smaller home, and only old, small, homes exist in your desired area?
I can sympathize with that... it's the same where I live.

We are foreigners with dual citizen kids raised in the US. The question for us is WHERE to retire. The kids feel American, but legally they're allowed to live and work in the EU as well. Do we return to our home country? Healthcare is cheaper, but we might be far from our kids. And not to put too fine a point on it, but I've lived a very cosmopolitan life, and want the same for retirement, which means wherever I end up, the cost of living will probably still be high, because it will be in or close to a metropole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are in our 50s and the last kid is heading to college this fall.
I am feeling very sad about my thoughts of leaving my kids' childhood neighborhood and moving to a much older home.
Part of the issue is paying high taxes in the current area due to job security. We like our newer built home, kids love being close to friends.

The feeling is like you worked so damn hard to get here, I didn't think I would feel disappointed like this. How do you talk yourself out of this funk and get motivated? Please share your thought process, or overcoming these feelings.


If you are already on the other side, please share your wisdom. Do I give it more time or better to get it over sooner?

Are you saying that you are worried about being able to pay taxes on your home because your jobs aren’t secure? That’s sort of a specific situation. I don’t think most people are actually looking to downsize as soon as kids go to college. Are you sure you need to? Is there a separate entrance where you could rent a basement out or something? Can you look for a more secure job?

Is there a reason you have to move into something older as opposed to something just smaller but maybe smaller and cute and new?

[Anonymous]

We’re going to move to a condo in NYC. Can’t wait!

[Anonymous]

We are last started the downsize and loving it. We moved to a smaller home when we only had 1 left in high school. Kids can still fit if they have to after college but don't want them to get too comfortable. We have 15 yrs left on our retirement home which we bought and have been fixing up slowly over the years out of the DC area. We have started spending most summers and lots of weekends there. I can't wait to be done here. We will keep this house for 5 more years or so but then gone! Maybe a condo in the city if we really need it but hopefully not.

[Anonymous]

My youngest graduated from college 6 years ago and we are still in our house. We will probably stay another 5 years while we are both still working (and need the space for WFH). Then we will downsize. Honestly I can’t wait. We have 2 homes and the maintenance of two is expensive and time consuming. We will likely move to a condo or maybe even an apartment. We will only spend 5-6 months in this area. I look forward to a change of scenery and a new neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

We are late 40's/early 50's and our youngest is going to college this fall.
We are so ready to move and downsize, but not sure where because my husband still needs to go "into the office" several times a week.
Our neighborhood has changed; when we moved in it was all young families with kids our kids age, but as the kids have grown those families have moved out and younger families have moved in.

Ideally I'd love to wait a few more years and move into a 55+ community somewhere in the south west like AZ or NM. Maybe my husband can arrange more fully remote.

[Anonymous]

My youngest just graduated from college but we have no plans to move. Our house was never HUGE but I want the kids to feel like there is space for them to stay whenever they want. I assume we will want something flatter eventually. Maybe we will move closer to the kids if they seem settled. No idea.