Whether the kids are grown, the ex is out, you’ve retired, or you’re ready to lower your carbon footprint, downsizing is the right answer for that feeling you get when you wander around the house that doesn’t fit you anymore. You’re ready to redefine yourself with something new. New hairstyle, new clothes, new job – let me help you add a downsized new home to the list of things that’ll help you tell the world that it’s a brand new you!
Oh, and did I mention the money-saving benefits of going smaller? Unless you’ve got a bank account that lets you own your own spaceship, you’ll love this aspect of going small. You get:
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Fewer expenses
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Lower utility bills
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Smaller mortgage payment
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Less maintenance
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Lower property taxes (or the same, thanks to CA Prop 19)
Just like with any home sale, you’ll want to check out my blogs Overcoming Your Fear of Selling Your Home and Dear Clutter, It’s Over for the latest tips on moving ahead with your sale in the smoothest way possible. Follow this up with 15 Easy Steps to Moving Day and you’ll be all set!
There are four key elements to consider when searching for a smaller home.
First, consider who you are from this point forward and what you want out of your daily life. This leads to eyeballing the amenities you and your ideal lifestyle need, whether it’s a nearby pickleball court, a handy vegetable garden patch, a place where you can volunteer to feed rescue animals. Do you need to live within shouting distance of family and friends or would you rather be hundreds of miles from anyone who knows you? Are you looking for an artsie community? Party central? A quiet retreat? A nearby hospital? A nudist neighborhood? Now’s your chance to add it to your wish list.
Second, look at how much space you need. Will you have a revolving door on your single guest room or do you need to be able to house a crew when it’s Pride Week or Coachella? Do you need a home office and can it do double duty when needed to house a guest or two? Do you want to live extra small so visitors will stay at a hotel without a second thought? How much storage do you need for your stuff? Do you plan to do any activities that require storage for gear or supplies?
Third, how close do you want to be to your neighbors? Do you mind sharing walls in a condo or do you need something that stands alone and has great soundproofing so you can so your primal scream therapy without anyone calling the police?
And fourth, how many people or pets will be living with you full time? You might think this item would come first, but when it does many people lose sight of item number one and forget to consider their own wants and needs. Everyone in your household gets to give me their own wish list. It’s my specialty to look at the options and present you with potential homes that tick the boxes for everyone involved.
When you’re downsizing don’t be afraid to look at a fixer-upper. With the price you get for your larger home, you may have plenty of leftover funds to put towards taking on a project house and transforming it into a perfect representation of you and your tastes. You’ll wow everyone with the before and after pictures! Who knows maybe it’ll propel you into your own series on HGTV.
You can try on new clothes before you buy, but did you know you can try on a new location and home size as well? It’s a great idea to rent a smaller place in your new location for a week as a trial run so you’ll know down to your toes that this move is right for you, especially if you’re thinking of going from big to extra small. You want cozy, not claustrophobic. Sometimes an additional 100 square feet or two makes a world of difference,
When your personal world is shifting to something brand new, you want it to be a change you can get excited about. I’m getting excited just thinking about all the ways I can help you find your perfect fit here in Palm Springs and the greater Coachella Valley! Contact me.
I’m Stephen Burchard, The Desert Bowtie Realtor, taking the (k)nots out of real estate.
