In April of 2016, we sold our family home of nearly 20 years in the Upper North shore. It was a very quick off market sale, so we asked for a 6-month settlement as we had no idea where we wanted to live in the east or what type of home, we wanted to live in.
Our initial parameters were quite wide, including: –
- Smaller 3-bedroom home
- Low maintenance
- Easy to lock up and leave
- Close to our Golf club
- An easy level walk to shops, cafes and transport
- Proximity to parks or harbour for our morning walk
As our search progressed, we realised off street parking was a priority, views are expensive and for our budget meant shops and cafes were not as accessible as we wanted, and we were not ready for strata living as we still had 1 adult daughter living with us.
Having worked in the real estate industry for the previous decade I did the bulk of our research. It took me almost 5 months and towards the end I was looking at properties on and off market 3 to 4 days a week. After several failed attempts, we saw our home premarket and having completed all our searches, handed our offer on a signed contract to the agent at the end of the first open home. My years of experience in the industry made the negotiations swift and successful and we are so happy with our new home.
It is not easy working out how you are going to live the next 20 years of your life and what you need house wise to successfully navigate the post school children years. During the search phase it is very important to work out what you and your partner are prepared to compromise on and what is non-negotiable. It is important to look 10 years ahead and think how you are going to be living your life as you want to grow into a house not out of it.
The benefits of downsizing are many and include minimal housework, small or no garden and a cosmopolitan lifestyle with shops, restaurants and bars at your doorstep. We love the easy lifestyle of lock up and leave for lovely holidays. Entertaining means smaller numbers around the dinner table or having a larger group for drinks and then walk around the corner to dinner. The downside includes reduced storage, culling some of your treasured possessions, increased traffic noise that comes with higher density living and if you move areas, finding a new doctor, dentist and hairdresser and moving away from close friends.
Downsizing often results in an enormous change in lifestyle and this adds greatly to the normal stresses of selling the family home and buying a smaller one. With my years of experience in real estate helping people transition from one stage to another, I have a great depth of knowledge which I draw from to help ease the anxiety and stress for my clients and ensure they enjoy the journey to a new and exciting way of life.
Remember, change is good for you and keeps you young but get help to ensure you make the right decisions!
Please contact me on 0421 051643 or sally@roseandjones.com.au for a confidential discussion.
