Are you planning to downsize when you are older?

[D20]

What age/life stage are you aiming for? We’ve always assumed at some point we will downsize (physically) when we retire. Our Mortgage will be paid off, kids will be well on their way into adulthood. Both of our neighbours are now in their 70s and in failing health but no plans to move so I wonder if we’ll end up the same.

Yes. Ds and I live in a 4 bed house. When he goes off to Uni or wherever, I'll rattle around here like a pea in a bean tin, so my plan is to downsize, pay off his university fees and move somewhere further away from London. Somewhere less expensive.

BUT, I won't be moving into an over 55s apartment or a sheltered community. I can't think of anything worse. I'm in my 60s, still working full time, martial arts, parkrun.

I want a 2 or 3 bed house with a garden and enough parking. Access to open countryside and plenty of walking. Possibly a doer-upper if the price is right. I don't mind.

But if I can't find what I'm looking for, given the ludicrous cost of moving, and the years I've put into restoring my current house, I shall simply stay where I am.

Nope. 3bdr bungalow and mostly live alone. Nice big garden which is my passion. It's easy to clean and I'll hire in help when I'm older for the garden.

I have no intention of downsizing. I'm looking forward (into the very distance future) of my boys having their own homes and me finally getting to use all the space available in this one. We have done a lot of work over the years, the neighbours are fab, all my friends are here, it's local to the town and all facilities, why would we want to move.

I watch programmes like escape to the country and wonder why, at a time in their life when they will need more help not less, people choose remote cottages with beams and lots of stairs miles from the nearest town.

When we moved here it was a new build (25yrs ago), a lot of 4 bed detached, and 3 bed detached or semi. There are more than a dozen houses - all beautifully improved - for sale in our immediate area that have been on the market for almost a year with no sales, so clearly younger families don't want, or can't afford the properties available. So saying that we should 'free up' properties for others is nonsense. Also, Even if we 'needed' a bungalow we couldn't afford to buy one here, they are pretty much the same price as our house or more if they have already been renovated.

Yes we will be. The minute one of us starts with mobility issues we will be looking to move to a flat or bungalow.

We’re not downsizing but will move to a more appropriate house. Our present house is very old with two staircases and too many nooks and crannies. I’d love a bungalow but still want an office each for dh and I (for hobbies etc) and at least three bedrooms.

We have a large four bed Victorian house.100% we plan to downsize once our children have left home.

Our plan is to do this before we are 70 - looking at older relatives experiences, that seems to be the point beyond which it becomes harder to do.

In retirement, we would like a large 2-3 bed modern house - a good amount of reception space for entertaining and a spare bedroom for visitors.

Downsizing would be partly to release some capital for retirement and partly so we don't have to maintain the house and garden. And also to give us an excuse to declutter.

I love our house but I struggle to imagine wanting to deal with the maintenance of it in retirement. Something always needs attention

My in laws in their late 70s, and very healthy and mobile, are struggling with this idea. My MIL would move like a shot if they could find a 'done' bungalow with a manageable yet still nice garden. Their house is beautifully decorated and they don't want to start all over again in a bungalow that hasn't been touched since the 70s. FIL doesn't really want to move but he doesn't hoover the 3 floored house with 5 bedrooms.

We talk often as we moved just before Covid to a 5 bedroom house, with too small garden, that we spent a fortune on and rattle around in. Just the 2 of us.

We are in our mid 50s, aiming to retire at 60, though DH will probably still do a bit, mortgage paid off soon.

We might rent it out and go travelling for a bit first, and we'd like to rent in the Lake District for a bit.

And then sell up and buy something smaller with more garden.

Crossed fingers that we keep our health....

There does seem to be an age, 70s or so when people have got past downsizing. I don't want to miss that point.

Yes we plan to downsize to a city centre apartment at 60 and retire.

If possible, once you are in your late 30's and you move to your own, new home, it may be your home for life. This may not have been your plan but things happen forcing you to stay

Therefore, buy a property with not or just one or two front steps that coupld be adapted if you became frail. Try to get a level back garden but front of house is more important

Consider the rooms if you have space for ground floor toilet, shower

Is it easy to keep clean, heat and mainatain?

The stairs, could they have a stari lift but these days you can get smaller through floor lifts

Are shops, gp, public transport near by

Then if you are stuck, you can manage in it as buying and selling at any time is hard but a lot harder if you lack money/health

I've always lived in a city centre flat. Raised the children here. Had no plans to upsize, nor to downsize later on.

We’ve been in our current home since 1991.
It’s a large 4 bed semi. Will be 60 this year and retiring next year hopefully and plan to buy a bungalow then and hopefully a motorhome!

We are mortgage free so no worries about that and we could still afford our home even after retirement just after 35 years almost be good for a change of scenery!

Smaller house but better area.

We downsized at 57 when we retired from a 2600sq ft home to a 1500 sq ft home, no stairs walk in shower etc. very well suited for aging BUT if our vision and ability to drive fails and it will we plan another move nearer to 80 into a downtown condo.

Oh this question has been more popular than I’d imagined! Love the idea of spending some time house sitting/swapping/renting for a while before making a big commitment. Interesting some posters echoing the reasons I think my neighbours haven’t moved on in that there are few places nicer than our street (and their neighbours 😉). DH still reckons we’ve got another move up in us but I just don’t think it makes economic sense currently. It has made me reevaluate the idea of a property ladder.

I do
Dh doesn't
I'd like to help both dc onto the housing ladder if they wish
I'd love to move but am aware that moving to beautiful parts of the UK isn't necessarily the sensible thing to do as one ages:(

We did but not for the usual reasons. We had a 3 bedroom cottage in a town which was handy for work..I was working ft nights. 5 a week initially (nursing busy general hospital) then the night hours increased to 12.5 hour shift. My ward manager gave me mon.wed Friday, I was either at work or trying to sleep! We moved to a cheaper county (originally Surrey)quieter location,very near the beach and countryside, for us and the dogs. So we could be mortgage free. We did go for a 2 bedroom bungalow,we could afford to be detached,big garden because that's our thing.A few months after moving,DH came home his company had liquidated, locked down,no job from that minute on. I rescinded, my retirement, stayed at work with a 100 mile round trip commute (sometimes staying with DKs) he applied for over 100 jobs, only offered one (dodgy cash in hand,no insurance) he's 7 years younger than me,so wasn't retirement age. After a year, got a job,80 mile round trip commute. To be honest,wish we had moved years ago.

We are in big rambling house. The upstairs could be converted to a flat for the live in carers. DCs are not near though so might move nearer them. But our neighbours are all similar ages so we are ageing together.

I think we'll have to because our home is really too large for two people. Also DH wants to move to the coast once the kids have left home. I'm a bit sad as I really love our house.
I think it's sensible to downsize in your 60s. I've seen so many people leave it too late (including my parents). By the time they realise they can't cope with the house they're old and frail and moving is hugely stressful.

Mid-fifties and thinking about it, partly because with all dc now adult we no longer need the schools we moved here for, and partly because this house is now too big for us. Would like to do it before we get too old to manage the move and enjoy at least a decade in a smaller house in a new location. Will probably go more central and very much enjoy not having to care about school catchments! Our neighbours are in their 70s and rattling round in a 6 bedroom house - I don't really want to be doing that.

We have vague plans to downsize when we're older. Our house is close to central London, 5 mins to a zone 2 tube station and it's within 30 min bus ride to 2 major hospital, so the location is pretty good for old age. But it's a Victorian terrace with 4 flights of stairs - there is only space for 2 rooms on the ground floor so I don't think it could ever be converted in a way for anyone to live here with mobility issues.

The main reason really would be to release some equity to help the dcs as young adults. We had dcs quite late and they are both under 6 now. I'd plan the downsizing to happen once they had moved out permanently, but that might be fairly old, if they get jobs in London and want to save money. When I'm 70, youngest dc will be 28 so that seems like a good stage. I really like the area where we live and have always appreciated the convenience of city centre living, so I wouldn't plan to move areas. Almost no bungalows here though and I don't know if I'd be happy living in a leasehold flat again.

Each to their own, but I can't think of anything more depressing than being in sheltered housing from 60!

I would love to downsize - only 2 of us left in a 6 bedroom house now but I'm not prepared to pay over £20K in tax to do so

No. I've been here far too long and the idea of all the hassle involved with packing up and buying and selling a house is far too much for me.