Moving house in your 60‘s kids grown up. What did you do?

[mumma24]

Did you upsize and renovate?
downsize to a bungalow?
move to the seaside or country?
move closer to family and grandchildren?
move to free up money for retirement?
sell your house and go travelling?
would love to know your story and any tips and advice along the way.

We were pondering this at the weekend. We live in a beautiful place, and Island, but the travel logistics are getting harder. We are here because we both have good jobs and my DH's family are here - his parents are getting older. I think there might be a sweet spot after we retire where we live somewhere else more lively for a while and then come back and look after his parents.

I was going to ask about this. My parents are the generation with the big house. They have a 4/5 bed and no sign of them moving yet. But it’s where we all gather at Christmas and summer, because they have the space and love to host us all. DH and I are in our 50sI don’t think DH and I will ever afford a house that size, so once they move things will change for all of us. We are close as a family but geographically spread out so having a central gathering place makes it easy.

similar sorry with lots of my older friends - they are bemoaning the fact that they adult children haven’t bought houses big enough to host then plus grand children, and they keep having to fork out for air bnb etc.

My in-laws were those people. They saved my sanity to be honest, but we didn't often have them because of lack of space and money when our kids were growing up. Now we are the ones hosting. My children haven't got the space to host us either, and air b and b plus travel is expensive.

I'm moving to a bungalow in due course because I have seen paramedics struggle to get DH downstairs past the stairlift. If there was a fire he'd be roasted. I have an arthritic knee which is always better after a week in a friend's bungalow, even though I walk more when there.

Those are my plans too...just need to get husband on board. We're only 25 minutes into Waterloo and even find that too far out.

We are really undecided about where we see out our next phase of life. We are both turning 69 this year, and DH has had mahoosive cardiac problems since he was 50, but is currently well regulated, and quite fit. Being selfish, but realistic, I am going to be a widow within 10 years. I want DH to enjoy life. We are currently in the care of the hospital that has dealt with all his history (and his file is huge) and I am a bit reluctant to move away from all of that.

I don't think I shall know how to be a merry widow, but I definitely don't want to be a sad bored one. Answers on a postcard please.