Moving. Just saying the word out loud can send shivers down your spine, right? And trust me, as a Realtor, I know the exact kind of "paint" that moving inflicts on people. There's no way to slice it, no sugar-coating it: moving is hard.

But sometimes… it's just time. You know it in your gut. I finally downsized myself about two years ago, and honestly? I could not be happier. And if you’d told me that back then, I never would have believed it!

It took me a full ten years longer than I thought it would. Why? Because I was absolutely in love with my home, and especially its location. I love to walk, and I could literally step outside my door and walk for miles on the incredible Carolina North trails. I adored it, couldn’t bear to leave… despite having a house and yard that had become more than I could, or frankly, wanted to handle.

Hi everyone, I'm Jodi Bakst with Real Estate Experts, working right here in Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. And today, I'm going to share some genuinely helpful hints to make your downsizing journey a little bit easier. Because if I can do it, you can too!

By the time you're even thinking about downsizing, you've lived a lifetime in a home you probably deeply love. It’s incredibly hard to make that mental shift, to truly come to terms with the reality that downsizing is the best next phase of your life. When I downsized, I was, and still am, working full-time. I needed a smaller home, a smaller yard, and I desperately wanted a home that would allow me the ease of simply locking the door and traveling for extended periods. I needed a house that took a lot less maintenance. Personally, I was so done with lugging hoses around the yard!

I talk to clients all the time who are thinking about downsizing, but they just don’t want to leave their homes, and they genuinely don't know where to start.

Blunder Number One: Trying to Move Everything You Own!

Here’s the single best thing I did, and it wasn't easy: I decluttered my home. And to be honest, this process took me years. I went through my house piece by piece, room by room, over a period of years, and made those hard decisions about what stays and what absolutely goes. And let me tell you, it truly astounded me just how much stuff I took out of my house!

So, my first big tip: While you're still figuring out your next destination, start going through all your stuff. And I mean all of it. Go through all your kids' artwork, all the way back to pre-school. Look through every single photo album. Go through years and years of clothing you’ve built up in all different sizes. And that furniture you might have inherited, lovingly brought into your home, and combined with your own? Ask yourself the hard questions: What truly stays? What absolutely goes? Take your time. Don't rush. Do it slowly, but get it done. You'll thank yourself later!

My second major piece of advice for avoiding a downsizing blunder…

Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute to Make Necessary Upgrades!

Talk to your favorite Realtor – like me! – and find out exactly what you need to do, beyond just decluttering, to get your home ready for the market. Again, take your time! Enjoy any upgrades you decide to make. One of the biggest mistakes I see? Sellers spend a fortune right before they put their house on the market, only to sell it and then say, "Why didn't I do this years ago?! Now I want to stay in my house!"

Whatever it is – painting your house a neutral color, getting new carpet or installing beautiful hardwood floors, fixing a deck, or doing some nice landscaping – get it done over time. Don’t spend a fortune all at once. Spread it out, and genuinely enjoy it!

This brings me to number three… Not Having Your Home Market-Ready!

Take your time, and do everything you need to do so that when you are truly ready – when you know it's the right time – all you need to do is put the finishing touches on your home. It should be "easy peasy!" This might be power washing your driveway and walkway, getting your windows professionally cleaned. These are the things that are the icing on the cake. Get these smaller, impactful things done, and then, confidently go on the market!

Okay, I know, I know. The very hardest part of this entire process is figuring out: where are you going to go? My recommendation is to, again, take your time. Start looking at all different types of places – condos, townhomes, smaller single-family homes, different neighborhoods – and genuinely try envisioning yourself there. Something you may have originally said "no" to may wind up being that perfect place. Let it sink in. When you are truly ready, and you will know when that is, the home that is right for you will be there. It was for me. And if it was for me, it will absolutely be for you too.

Just yesterday, I was talking to a friend about this. They’re empty nesters, living in a big house. The problem? They know they should move, but they absolutely love their home and, critically, they love their location. They don’t want to live anywhere else but right there! I asked, "Could you put an elevator in the house?" Their bedroom is on the second floor, and those steps aren't getting any easier. She laughed and said, "Funny you should say that, my husband said the exact same thing!"

So, maybe the answer is don't move! If you can cleverly retrofit your current home to make it work better for you – perhaps adding an elevator, reconfiguring a first floor – and it doesn't cost a fortune or price your house out of your beloved neighborhood, this may actually be the way to go! It's all about making your home work for you for the next phase.

Finally, and this is crucial… Don’t Ignore Market Conditions!

It’s always good to look at the current market and ask: is it the right time to sell your home? This is where your Realtor comes in. Your Realtor needs to break down the market for you – the good, the bad, and yes, the ugly. They need to be honest with you about what you can realistically get for your home, the likely days on market, and all the nitty-gritty details about the current market conditions.

You absolutely want to time it right to get top dollar for your home so you can smoothly move on to your next step and be truly happy. I know many people are sitting on fantastic 2-3% interest rates right now and don't want to sell and then have to deal with closer to 7% interest rates on a new loan. My question to you is: how much equity do you have in your home? Can you buy your next home outright and have no mortgage? Or, can you put enough money down that you would have a small loan where, even at 6.7% interest, your actual payment is the same, or even smaller than what you have now?

I'm going to share something personal with you. My personal goal was, and still is, to have no mortgage. I finally sold my house, and thankfully, I timed it right. I better have, since I am a Realtor! I was able to sell, buy my new home outright, and even put money into my retirement. That was a huge win for me!

So, think hard about what your personal goals are for this next phase of life. Discuss them openly with your trusted Realtor, and together, put a multi-year plan in place to achieve them. The journey is worth it for the peace of mind and joy on the other side!