Why Downsizing to a Smaller House is Smart

Whether you are an empty nester looking for a smaller home that's easier to take care of or an older adult looking for a one-story house, consider making a fresh start at Alta Vista in Traverse City, MI. Two to three-bedroom, two-bath homes starting at $169,000 are easier to care for and offer residents a sense of community. Enjoy custom-made homes with sunrooms, garages, and decks while keeping more of your monthly income in your pocket. Are you ready to downsize your home to upsize your free time and quality of life?

Less Maintenance

If you currently have a large home with a complicated floor plan, now is a great time to sell and move into a smaller home with fewer rooms to vacuum, dust, decorate and maintain. Plus, it's currently a sellers’ market, so you're likely to get more than enough money for your current home to make a move worthwhile.

When you have a large home, it can be stressful to pay for roof repairs, basement refinishing, new carpeting, and a thousand other things that come with keeping up a large home you no longer need. With less stress and lower monthly bills, you may feel as if the weight has been lifted off your shoulders. Feedback from our prospective residents indicates that they look forward to the freedom that comes with a smaller home.

Downsizing has become a movement for the “Boomer” generation. Here are a few statistics that may surprise you:

• 33% of Baby Boomers downsize because they no longer require large homes.
• More Americans want to downsize their home than supersize them.
• 12 percent of the overall homebuyers between the ages of 45 and 64 in 2017 were downsizing.

Increased Cash Flow

Where will you save money in a smaller home? First, moving into a smaller home typically means spending less money than the mortgage and property taxes required to own a larger home.

Here’s a useful exercise:

1. Calculate your monthly spending on your home and divide it by the total square footage.
2. Now, calculate the actual amount of square footage you use for living space.
3. When you multiply the unused square footage by the cost per square foot, you’ll see how much money you could be saving in a smaller home.

With lower housing expenses, you have more money for other needs or desires. That could include health care, retirement savings, or saving up for a life event such as a child’s wedding or college education.

Also, heating and cooling costs, cleaning supplies, and parts and equipment to maintain your large home add up over time. You can save hundreds or thousands of dollars a year by downsizing your living space.

A Less Stressful Environment

Consider all of these factors together: less responsibility, reduced wear and tear on your body from performing household chores, reduced energy consumption, and less house to worry about. It’s clear that a smaller home equals a less stressful environment for many people.

Ask yourself whether the following amenities meet your lifestyle needs:

• Elevated location with beautiful views
• Nature paths to help you stay in shape
• Community lodge for gatherings and activities
• Fitness room
• Community garden
• Outdoor pool
• And so much more!

Isn't it time to spend your energy and money focusing on enjoying life? Join the growing list of homeowners in Alta Vista who no longer feel overwhelmed by the complicated maintenance of a larger home.

Plus, many benefits and amenities await when you join our community. Meet lifelong friends, learn how to play pickleball, exercise your green thumb in the community garden and enjoy being part of a large community of smaller homes.