Your parent doesn’t need to move because they’re old. They need to move because the home has become a problem. Here are three clues it’s time to have the conversation.
Hi, I’m Tanja Odzak, Realtor with eXp Realty. I help people sell and buy homes right here in the East Bay
Number one: maintenance is becoming a safety issue. They’re not maintaining the household anymore. The landscaping hasn’t been attended to. There’s deferred maintenance on the roof or the foundation. They’re not noticing leaks, points of animal entry, and there’s more “stuff” in the home than they could ever deal with on their own. When the home starts to become a liability instead of an asset, it’s time.
Number two: the home is too much space for how they live. They might have four bedrooms and they’re sleeping in one. They’re using one bedroom, one bathroom, and the kitchen. So maybe just 30% of the house. The rest is “storage” and they’re heating and cooling a house that they’re not actually using. That’s money walking out the door every month.
Number three: they’re isolated. The home is great, but it’s an hour from their doctor, their friends, their family. They’re spending more time trying to manage the property than living their life. That’s the real loss there.
When one or more of these is true, the conversation isn’t “we have to move you.” It’s “let’s find a home that fits your life right now.”
I’m Tanja Odzak and I’ve sold over $95 Million worth of homes and have a decade of experience, If you’re seeing these signs with your parents, let’s talk about the next step. Message me “DOWNSIZE” and we’ll walk through the options together.