Downsize Real Estate

What to do with all that house?

It has finally happened - all your children are out of the house and now you find yourself with more rooms than people to occupy them. So what's next? Should you move to a smaller home with fewer rooms, or does it make sense to redesign and repurpose the children's bedrooms? The professionals at Coldwell Banker Northwest Group offer you the following tips on how to make your house more homey in this next stage of your life:

If You Choose to Downsize:

• If you decide to move to a smaller house, a condominium or an apartment, meet with your insurance company as your home insurance needs will change dramatically.
• Before moving, organize a big garage sale with all the furniture and other items you will not need anymore. Use the proceeds to pay the movers.
• If you are on track to meet your retirement savings goals or if your children have graduated, you may have newly available disposable income. You may now be in a better position to spend more on housing since you are no longer supporting your offspring. With that in mind, you might consider moving to an active-adult community. Many feature recreation centers, amphitheatres, pools and tennis, as well as hiking and biking trails.