want to sacrifice the independence of owning, maintaining, and living in their homes. This is especially true for new empty nesters or those nearing retirement. If you’re not ready to give up the independence of living in your own home, then a different single-family home or a townhome might be the right choice for you. In many cases, this home will have less square footage than the home you currently own, but as I pointed out in the previous chapter, it may also just be a different type of home—or example, a 1-story home as opposed to a 2-story home, even if it has similar square footage. But for the sake of this chapter, we’re going to assume the home is a smaller size.
2. You can create your own personalized space.
If you choose another house or townhouse for your new home, rather than a condo, apartment, or community living space, think of this as your chance for a fresh start in a new home! You can create your own personalized space—a space that’s truly your own—and design your home however you like (without having to consider the needs of children). If you love creating, designing, and stylizing your own space, this could be a great option for you. And the added benefit is that you’ll have less stuff, since you’ll already have decluttered by this stage in the downsizing process, so it won’t take as much time, energy, and funds to design your entire home.
3. You can take pride in homeownership.
There is definitely a sense of pride that many people feel in homeownership. If you loved owning your own home and aren’t quite ready to give that up, then another single-family home or a townhome could be the perfect option for you. You can still be an independent homeowner, but enjoy things like less maintenance
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