To STILL not want to downsize?

[toconclude]

Live in Victorian smallish semi - technically 4 bed but three bedrooms are singles and DH uses one as a study and always has. Downstairs bathroom which we've managed with so far.
Ongoing options are: convert one bed to bathroom so one on each floor - then as we get older would improve safety (currently average age late 60s)
Or downsize to smaller bungalow. In our town that means almost inevitably spending more money as land is pricey, and getting rid of DHs bulky Edwardian heirloom furniture
Also would lose my lovely neighbours of many years and my lovely garden.
Have already given both kids significant lump sum towards buying their own house.
A reaction to a comment in another thread about selfish boomers "hoarding" family houses.
Don't feel like a hoarder but maybe we are😳🤷

@caringcarer

DH and I don't know what to do next year when my youngest son leaves home. We have 4 bedroom with loft extension to 2 further bedrooms and shower room. There will be DH, and me who neither have good health and 1 foster son we ho will be 16. Not sure if we should downsize to 3 bedroom whilst still just about able to manage to do a move. We would still have spare room for guests or DH WFH for a couple more years. We do love the garden though and dogs love garden too.

That looks like an argument for at least reducing the number of stories.

@BanjoKnickers

House prices are controlled by controlling lending. It truly is that simple

It truly is not! There are countless factors that contribute to supply and demand. And supply and demand determine house prices.

yup....if so many youngsters have acces to BOMAD how will controlling lending help?

To future proof your house, could you live entirely downstairs or fit a stairlift if required? How expensive is it to heat? Are the doorways wide enough for a walking frame/wheelchair, are there steps into the house or out to the garden? Could you cope with looking after the house alone? Can you afford household help? (not care)

These are the points I've discussed with my parents, they are slightly older. Dp's mum became suddenly disabled following a stroke in her early 70's making more aware, you have to consider plan a, b, c etc.

My parents live in same large Victorian house since I was born. They have no intentions of moving as bungalows are twice the price

Do whats right for you and is best value for money. You paid for your house, who cares what other people think.

If your planning on staying in the house for a very long time then make the house how you need it to be.

When I got my house a yr later I ripped out the bath tub and replaced it with a walk in shower. I know in a 3bed family house thst won't go down well if I sell it, but fuck it I've been in the house for 8yrs and love the fact I have a walk in shower as I never have baths. If I do ever sell in the future I know it'll put plenty of people off but honestly at least I've enjoyed living in my house the way I've wanted to. Besides there will always be some who don't mind what I've done.

I don't think people should be forced to downsize. Some will choose to. In any case, properties usually come onto the market when the residents die/go into residential care so it's not as if they are being tied up indefinitely - usually just for 10-15 years more than they perhaps otherwise would be.

@Dreamstate - we lived in Australia for a number of years and bathtubs are definitely not the norm even in family homes purely because of the expense and environmental impact of frequent showers. I think with resources being at a premium showers are the way to go. Babies get bathed in a bucket

yup....if so many youngsters have acces to BOMAD how will controlling lending help?

Well it will help by dampening demand, but I understood @Nothappyatwork to be saying that controlling lending multiples is the only tool available.

Ultimately the problem is a supply-sided one. There aren't enough houses being built. Increase supply and we would have better homes for less money.

The only thing I would say is if you have children that will help out if you are ill , please declutter a bit

You will need room around furniture if you have carers
Make sure your bathroom is suitable
Put a power of attorney in early doors
Make sure your finances are in order so family can find things easily

I have been through a lot with family recently and clearing houses and trying to untangle finances so I could get them the right help has nearly broken me tbh .

So do that , get prepared and then enjoy your house .

It is your house, with your family memories and you like living there. What about space for future grandkids and extended family visits? Don't pay attention to guilt-trippers. You don't need to feel guilty about living in your own house!

@gogohm

To future proof your house, could you live entirely downstairs or fit a stairlift if required? How expensive is it to heat? Are the doorways wide enough for a walking frame/wheelchair, are there steps into the house or out to the garden? Could you cope with looking after the house alone? Can you afford household help? (not care)

These are the points I've discussed with my parents, they are slightly older. Dp's mum became suddenly disabled following a stroke in her early 70's making more aware, you have to consider plan a, b, c etc.

I agree that "future proofing" now is the way to go. We also live in an older terrace, three storey with two staircases (with curves in them!) so we know that it would only work for us as we get older if we install stairlifts. Other neighbors have lived in these houses for decades, but it does require careful planning.

I think we'll probably move to something smaller in a few years, tbh, but who knows. We're in a good location and have many lovely neighbours so we may decide that we want to stay put,

My DGPs had a huge house. Fortunately they had a bathroom downstairs that we were able to put an open shower in. But despite its size it was tricky to negotiate. Her neighbors then died. By the time my DGM was considering a small bungalow she was too frail.

I worry about my DA. They have a big house but there is so much stuff in it and downstairs could not convert into a bedroom there is no room to fall safely.

I'm not old but my next home will be a bungalow. I want to move whilst it is easy.

You do not owe housing to anyone and as long as it is future proofed you should be ok.

I’m presumably a ‘boomer’ but we didn’t buy our house until 23 years ago and I’m buggered if I’m being harassed to move from our 3 bed semi and I’m actually now able to do to it whatever I like to ensure it suits us for foreseeable future.
We were going to move but circumstances have changed so we’re staying put and doing whatever we like!

No one is asking anyone to leave their lovely houses !! Carry on enjoying them, just wish to god I was in the same position.

You aren't hoarding.

My 92 year old neighbour, living mostly in one room of a big 4 bed house - no longer capable of hosting visitors and all her family live nearby anyway - that's a bit more hoarding but she's perfectly entitled to it.

Who cares what other people think - hoard to your hearts content and enjoy.

The fact you have nice neighbours who are friends is more than a very good reason for staying where you are. You may never find that again.

A three bed house with two people in it does not seem hoarding to me.

It doesn't sound like you are downsizing if your current house isn't huge (and you can't manage it or can see a time when you wouldn't be able to manage it) and it would cost more to buy a bungalow where you are. If you can make your current house meet your needs (definitely 1st floor bathroom in the short term) and you are happy there with good neighbours etc. then why would you move? The cost in moving with stamp duty etc. and the stress of it all are just not worth it.

Stay where you are, make it lovely for older age, put in a bathroom, save your money and enjoy the garden!

@Blimeyherewegoagain

Studies have shown that older people living in houses keep better health that those in bungalows. The going up and down stairs helps keep your muscles and heart healthy. X

That's interesting.

My DParents always talked about finding a bungalow to move into for their old age, but after seeing friends of theirs (similar ages to them and in good health) move to a bungalow and suddenly find stairs getting harder and their fitness dropping it has really put them off. It's really easy to lose your fitness.

In lots of parts of Italy they have multigenerational homes and the oldest generation tend to go on the top as they say they get closer to heaven. No worrying about stairs for them.

When we returned from living abroad we downsized dramatically and bought a bungalow as we were mid 50s and thought we would probably be able to stay here for good.
We have always liked single floor living as we find it more versatile and easy to maintain. We immediately did quite a lot of work to the place and would say it's pretty future proofed. We knocked out a couple of small ramps when we moved in and these might require reinstating if we required a wheelchair in the future, other than that I think we're good.

I didn't realise this was a thing, boomers being responsible for the housing crisis!!
Cheeky f*ers!!

Stairlifts are a godsend. I take the laundry up and down on mine and the vacuum cleaner and even furniture goes on it quite when I need things shifting.

Bungalows are rarer than hens teeth here. They ate bought up massive houses put in the land. Consequently even the most dilapidated ones sell for over a million pounds.