Downsizing a home in retirement can seem like an ideal means to saving money after calling it a career, but individuals pondering such a move should consider a number of variables before putting their homes up for sale.

Aspiring to save money in retirement makes perfect sense. Once professionals call it a career and are no longer drawing a paycheck, cutting back on expenses can be a sound decision that ensures seniors won’t outlive their money. And housing remains a significant expense, even for retirees who own their homes and no longer have monthly mortgage payments to make.

Many retirees seeking ways to save money consider downsizing their homes. According to the National Association of Retailers, 12 percent of people between the ages of 60 and 69 who move indicated their home was too large, and that percentage grows among movers between the ages of 70 and 78 (16 percent) and those who move after turning 79 (18 percent). Downsizing a home in retirement can seem like an ideal means to saving money after calling it a career, but individuals pondering such a move should consider a number of variables before putting their homes up for sale.

Costs

Downsizing may help retirees lower their property tax obligations, reduce their utility bills and lower their monthly mortgage payments (for those who are still paying off a mortgage on their current homes), but that does not mean moving will not incur new expenses that render such savings moot. Expenditures like closing costs, real estate commissions, moving-related expenses, and capital gains taxes can quickly add up. In addition, retirees who currently do not pay homeowner’s association fees may be subjected to such fees when moving into a new home, and those fees can be substantial and hard to avoid. Indeed, recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicated that 71 percent of new constructions in the western and southern United States were built in communities with homeowner’s associations. Prior to downsizing, current homeowners should calculate all of the costs related to relocating, including anticipated HOA fees, to see if downsizing is to their financial benefit.

Social benefits

Another variable that merits consideration is the impact that moving can have on seniors’ social lives. The World Health Organization reports that more than one in 10 seniors experiences loneliness, which can adversely affect their physical and mental health and potentially reduce their life expectancy. Retirees currently living in communities in which they are socially active should weigh the effects of leaving that social network behind. Retirees also can weigh the benefits of moving to 55 and over communities where they will be surrounded by people at a similar stage in life, and how living in such developments may improve their social lives.

Adjusting and adapting

Downsizing will require an adjustment period and a willingness to adapt. Retirees may have an emotional attachment to their current homes, and leaving that behind can be a difficult adjustment. Adapting to life in a new community also can be challenging, particularly if retirees are moving from areas where there are no restrictions regarding their properties to communities where homeowners’ associations must approve of any changes to properties. Moving also may require finding new health care professionals, which can be a particularly difficult adjustment for retirees who have spent years building a strong rapport with their current health care team.

Downsizing a home might be a pathway to more financial freedom for many retirees. Seniors considering such a move can consider a number of variables to determine if moving is in their best interest.