Downsizing house guide: What, why, how and when?

As our lives change and evolve, so do our needs for space. While your family home may have been the perfect place to raise your children and host guests, now might be the ideal time to consider downsizing your house. Alternatively, it may be that you have excessive home maintenance costs from the upkeep of your current property, or various other reasons.

At this point, you might be wondering what the benefits to downsizing are or just want help on figuring out when the best time to do it is, which is why we’ve put together this downsizing guide to help you make the right decision for you.

What is downsizing?

Downsizing can be simplified as moving from your current house to a smaller one. This can help by saving you the worry of what to do with all the extra space and even save money in the process.

If your children have flown the nest and left you with empty rooms, or you’re looking for a simpler lifestyle with less time spent on cleaning and more time enjoying the things you love, this could be the perfect time to downsize.

Why is downsizing a good idea?

The answer to this question will depend on who’s asking it. That’s because downsizing isn’t just about square footage, it’s about aligning your living situation to your current lifestyle. Here are some indicators that a move towards a cosier, more manageable space might be the perfect next step for you:

Home maintenance is becoming a challenge

If your current home is ageing or requires lots of time for cleaning and/or upkeep, downsizing can reduce the physical demands of a larger home, particularly as you get older.

Moving to a smaller home will also give you an opportunity to sort and de-clutter some of the things you might have accumulated over time in your current home.

Costs are beginning to stack up

Downsizing offers you an alternative with cheaper bills, as there will be fewer rooms to heat and a smaller space to keep warm. Reducing the number of bathrooms and having a smaller garden will also reduce the amount of water you use.

And as well as costly utility bills, there are also higher taxes and insurance costs. Furthermore, staying in your current home is likely to mean having higher mortgage repayments, which is why downsizing could even be the opportunity for you to finally be mortgage-free.

Your local area doesn’t fit your lifestyle

You may find that your community no longer aligns with your priorities. For example, all your children have re-located, or your career has taken an unexpected turn. Think about what’s important to you now, whether that’s easy access to public transport, a more suitable social scene or being closer to family. Downsizing offers the chance to move to a new area, while making sure it ticks all your lifestyle boxes.

When to downsize?

There’s no single perfect time to downsize, but several life events can signal it might be a good move. If you find yourself eager for a simpler, more manageable space then now might be the ideal time to explore your options.

When you are looking to downsize, there’s nothing better than a smooth selling and buying process. That’s exactly what you can experience if you buy a new build home with Avant. With less chance of being stuck in a chain and exclusive discounts on certain developments, we think it’s a no brainer to move into a new home when you are looking to downsize!

What is the best age to downsize in the UK?

This will entirely depend on an individual’s situation and there’s no set and defined age, but people do tend to make this decision later in life, especially once their kids have left and they are edging closer to retirement.

However, downsizing isn’t just for people who are looking to retire or are already retired. It can also be for people of any age because of the reasons already mentioned above, such as making financial sense for anyone who is looking to save on household bills and live comfortably, without having to pay as much on their mortgage repayments.

How to downsize your home

If you’ve decided that downsizing is the right move for you, you need to know where to start. See below for a few tips on the best practices before you downsize.

Declutter before you move.

One of the best tips is to start organising and decluttering your home before you move. Not only can this free up space in your current home to make it look attractive to potential buyers, but it will help to make sure your new home doesn’t become cluttered with items you don’t need.

Don’t dispose of all your unused items.

Many of your possessions that you own but rarely used could be worth a lot to someone else. Therefore, don’t just throw away all your old items. Instead, try to either sell them, create a donation pile or pass unwanted things to family/friends who could make use of them.

Measure up your new home.

Use the measurements of your new home to make decisions on the furniture you need, whether that’s keeping what you’ve got or buying new.

The unexpected benefits of downsizing your home

While a lot of people end up downsizing to save money, there are other benefits that come with reducing the size of the space you live in.

For example, you might find yourself enjoying a new sense of freedom, having managed to get rid of many things you never used, or feel yourself gaining more control over your life, with everything suddenly becoming more manageable.

Or if you choose to move into a bungalow, with all your rooms being on one floor, you can save yourself the worry of going up and down stairs later in life.

After all, not everything has to be about money, and you must remember that your wellbeing is also incredibly important.

How can Avant help with downsizing?

If you are looking to downsize, we offer lots of new build homes for you to choose from! We also have plenty of ways to help you downsize to your new home!

For example, our My Move Made Easy scheme means you can move into your new Avant home without having the hassle of selling your existing home. We find the right estate agent, buyer and get the best price for your home. We will deal with it all and even pay your fees!

Or you could simply make the most of Mortgage Porting, which could see you pay back a chunk of what you owe as part of the move.

If you’re convinced, then start the journey to finding your new home in one of our stunning new developments today!

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