find a new place to meet your needs and beyond, you don’t need to stay in a large house forever. All that space is a pain to clean, and maintenance and repairs can be costly. For example, if you’re working on paying off your mortgage, then keep in mind that you’re spending more money than you should on space that you don’t need. This includes extra costs for heating, cooling, water, electricity, and gas, and basic home maintenance, upkeep, and cleaning. Maintenance of a larger home alone is often reason enough for empty nesters and new retirees to consider downsizing. When you factor in cleaning, yard work, and upkeep, think about how exhausting and time- consuming it can be. But life in a smaller house can mean more time for relaxation, leisure, and family time.
4. “I don’t see the point of selling.”
Some of you reading this book might be tempted to dwell on how much money, time, and energy you’ll need to put toward preparing your home to sell. You might be focused on short-term challenges rather than long-term benefits. As a result, you don’t think downsizing is worth it. But if you’re concerned about money, then it most definitely is worth it. You can gain a serious financial advantage by downsizing. Whether you’ve already retired or you’re nearing retirement, selling a larger home—particularly if the mortgage has already been paid off—can give you a significant financial return. You can do your own research to see how much money you can gain from selling—better yet, hire a real estate agent who can do this for you. This extra money can be used to pad your savings account; to help you live comfortably during retirement; to allow you to
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