Too Much House

Downsizing Your Home

People always talk about outgrowing their home and needing more space, but sometimes you may look at your home's square footage as a disadvantage rather than a perk. We often forget that the size of our home is a reflection of the stage we are in life. When you first start, people often get a condo, townhouse, or starter home as a first-time buyer. During this process, they get a first-hand understanding of homeownership and grow pride in their home. As life goes on, we acquire new titles in life from spouse to parent to empty-nesters.

Empty-Nesters
Being an empty-nester in a large home where you've raised your family, you can see the areas in your home that you rarely use after your children go out into the world and obtain their place as you did. If you're an empty-nester, maybe it's time to think about how your lifestyle has changed and what that means to your future. When you're looking at your home and wondering about your options, consider some of these possibilities.

Downsizing
If your home is too much, but you love the area and want to enjoy getting out more, consider downsizing to a home with less square footage and a guest room or two for visiting family. Tire of climbing stairs or never using various spaces in your existing home well downsizing might be the best plan for you. Taking the equity in your family home to buy a new home and live mortgage-free has many advantages. Having less square footage with a condo, townhouse, or tiny house will change your environmental footprint because heating and cooling a less expansive home will save money. Your savings could go towards vacations or your retirement fund.

Living Your Dream
Life happens, and sometimes dreams are detoured, and now that you've fulfilled other aspects of your life, maybe it's time to live your dreams. Using the equity in your home to fund your passion, whether it is opening a wine shop or becoming a painter, the possibilities are endless, and life is too short to let those dreams slip away.

Moving Closer to Family
Like many of us in the metro Atlanta area, we came here for more career options. Leaving behind family and close friends, but now that you've accomplished your career goals, it could be time to get back to your loved ones. Your home's equity can fund your move back to your hometown, where every day can be a holiday or a long weekend with family.

City Living
You gave it all up, nights out at different restaurants, attending gallery openings, hitting up jazz clubs, or venturing to breweries for life in the suburbs, and now you'd love to go back to your industrial loft lifestyle. You used your city condo's equity to leave the city; now, use your suburban house to return to the city. There's no shame in going back downtown; the heart wants what the heart wants.

Farm Living
Farm living is the place for you to spread out and enjoy gardening with a few goats and chickens. If the neighbors were too much for you and you need more land than a large home, then escape to the countryside where you can even build a tiny house. Let your old home fund your escape and live your best life growing heirloom tomatoes or produce honey to sell at the community's farmers market.

Mountain Living
Longing for those Blue Ridge Mountain vacations and want to experience snowy winters, mountain biking, hiking, or rafting. Make it your everyday retreat from the hustle and bustle as you drive along winding roads. Explore natural geological wonders all from your cabin that your old family abode made possible.

Beach Living
Unleash your inner mermaid again at the beach, where the fun in the sun is a way of life. Go crabbing, improve your surfing and scuba skills, or relax on the beach with the sand between your toes. It's all possible when you rethink all your options that are on hand to make your beach vibe a reality.

Moving Aboard
Did you become fluent in French, German, Japanese, or Spanish but never thought it was possible to live aboard. Put those language skills to work and take that leap. There's no time like the present to enjoy life to the fullest and take in a new culture.

Life is about your lifestyle needs and how that works for your overall happiness. We think so much about expanding that we sometimes forget about reducing our square footage to expand our lifestyle needs. I hope that this helps you see the possibilities when your home has outgrown you with these options. Please share with me by tagging me @AgentCate33 on Instagram with your dreams.