their children, grandchildren, and out-of-town guests. They imagine hosting large family gatherings filled with their adult children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. However, as you age, maintaining a large home just so you can fit your entire family in it sometimes isn’t reason enough to avoid downsizing. Maybe your family members don’t live nearby. There’s also the chance that family who do live close by might end up moving for a variety of reasons, including job transfers and career changes. And bear in mind that not all adult children necessarily want to live close to their parents, so factor in the relationship you have with your grown children before you assume that your large home will be the place everyone flocks to for holidays. On the other hand, you can downsize and still have enough room to host family and other guests (just maybe not all at once!). So, when you’re thinking about where you’d like to live, consider how much space you need based on your family relationships and overall dynamic, as well as how frequently out-of-town family members and friends visit. Think about how often you’ll have overnighters and how much space you really need. Perhaps downsizing into a one-bedroom apartment isn’t the best choice, but you can still downsize into a smaller two- or even three-bedroom home so you have that space for your friends and family when it’s needed. I knew a couple who insisted on purchasing the largest home in an active adult community so all of their kids and families could visit. Five years later, they sold that large home because busy schedules prevented the “whole family” from getting together. Instead of holding onto space you won’t need the majority of the time, consider having large family vacations at another destination. Rent a large home on the beach, and invite everyone to join you. You’d be surprised how fast schedules clear when a
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