grandchildren, other family members, and out-of-town guests for the night (or longer). However, if you downsize into a smaller house or even a townhouse (instead of an apartment, for example) that has an extra bedroom or two, you can still have that bit of extra space to host overnighters when you need it. Choosing a smaller house or townhouse over an apartment can help ensure you have that space.
5. You can save on utilities.
As I mentioned in the previous chapter, if you downsize your home, you can also save money on some of your bills! If you choose a smaller single-family home or townhome, you can save a significant amount on utilities, such as electricity and gas. Smaller houses are often considerably more energy-efficient than older, larger homes because they have less space to heat and cool, which means more savings for you, as well as a lower ecological footprint. Likewise, single-story homes can be easier (and less expensive) to heat and cool than 2-story homes, even if they share a similar square footage.
House vs. Townhouse
There are certainly differences between choosing to downsize to a single-family home vs. a townhome or carriage home. There are benefits to living in a townhouse compared to a smaller detached house. For example, some homeowners who are downsizing prefer complete privacy and independence, and aren’t ready to give that up just yet — but also aren’t ready for community living.
Compared to a townhouse, a smaller single-family house has
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