Downsizing

We sleep with window open every night of the year…in our bung we have had safety locks fitted, they will open so far , but if forced in any way they scream
I also do not understand going Up to bed 😂

Ideally we would have liked a small house/garden but for us location and easy parking were critical. We moved to be nearer to two of our adult children and access to health services, local shops and good transport were essentials which ruled out even many rural towns today.
We weren't able to find a property that was absolutely right for us so bought a renovation property and had a lot of alternations done to make rooms larger, with a new kitchen and bathrooms and easily maintained wooden floors. We're fairly typical of the people who are buying properties like ours locally, so knew that the changes would make it more attractive to future buyers.
Although we're experienced renovators we were 68 and 74 when we moved and I think that if we had been much older we might have found the building work too much to undertake.
We've ended up with a maisonette with a large balcony, two bathrooms and two parking spaces in greater London. Personally I wouldn't want to live in a property without stairs, daily exercise is what keeps us ticking over. I also wouldn't want to have a large garden at this stage of my life, though more space to garden would have been nice.
Virtually all our criteria are satisfied and two of my children are within walking distance. All our outside maintenance and the gardening on the estate is taken care of, even the system for hot water and heating is serviced and run centrally by the management company.
We moved during the Covid epidemic so most means of getting rid of things were not open to us, hence we still have large furniture languishing in the garage. Family may take the large dining table and chairs but the rest should really go to either a charity or an auction house. I either gave away or sold most of my crockery, but I still have a large amount of crystal and bedding which I don't need.

grandMattie

Easy access to : -
Public transport
Doctors
Shops
Church (if churchgoer)

Downstairs room/s and bathroom for future proofing…

I agree, I've given similar advice myself.
In the last months, the bus routes and frequency of buses here have changed (and not for the better), and the local surgery/pharmacy has moved!
Another on my wish list was a vet with hospital attached - they've been taken over by a chain and are now phenomenally expensive (3x, maybe 4x as expensive as before)

You need to be near a good bus route incase you have to give up driving, near a what I call a bread and milk shop incase you can't walk far and not too far from doctors and hospital.

It isn't always possible in the housing market to find the perfect property. Risk is always a part of it but this is the way I minimised my risk:

Services and amenities- I have a frequent bus service across the road, a short drive to the local shops (there are shops on my road including a PO, but I still need the supermarket!) GP, dentist, library, cafes, churches etc.

Good transport links, another short dtive to the motorway junction and road links to the nearby city. Train station likewise a short walk away with links to other cities.

Despite this I am in a small friendly village with lots of trees and greenery around, popular tourist sites very close by and a thriving market town only a bus journey away which costs nothing.

I also have family close by so feel very secure.

My house is dilapidated and drives me nuts but I love living where I am- so, yes location is everything!

Good luck with your search.

Easy access to : -
Public transport
Doctors
Shops
Church (if churchgoer)

Downstairs room/s and bathroom for future proofing…

I've been half heartedly looking for a place in the nearby town, close to amenities/bus routes etc and very half heartedly trying to get rid of stuff in my present home. Presently rural location almost zero public transport Have now seen what appears to be the perfect house and will arrange to view next week, unfortunately my house isn't on the mkt yet and needs a few little things doing before this happens so I'm probably not a good prospect for any seller. Age old question of whether to sell first before searching for property.

Ps. You can burglar proof windows fixed these days for ground floor accommodation.

JaniceF62

Thank you everyone for your excellent replies/advice, all really helpful. We’ll be looking for a 2/3 bed detached house (we like to go up to bed at night, we also sleep with windows open). We’ll keep in mind all your replies, hopefully it won’t take too long… thanks again.

Maybe think about a two/three bedroom with an attached or integral garage so that you could make a downstairs bedroom/shower if you ever needed to?

I would look for a bungalow.. It is a way of future proofing. I have lived in a flat since I was 27 near Versailles with no problems. I don’t really understand why people have to ‘go up to bed’.

Also you need to live near shops and a medical center, within walking distance preferably,
Not forgetting family, public transport bus and railway station.
Good luck.

I relocated and sold my family home to a new build. Although I live on my own I still wanted a decent downstairs size and guest bedrooms, so I bought a 4 bed detached. The problem with 2/3 bedroomed houses is the size of rooms, nothing living & sleeping. Also I have my bedroom windows open all year so bungalows were a no for me. I will get a stair lift if I need one in years to come. Incidentally there are, I think, only around 200 new bungalows built annually in the UK, it's just been in the news.

JaniceF62. We downsized about 6 years ago. Such a good idea. We went from 5 bed to 2. Small Bungalow. With the right frame of mind it has felt right from the very first minute we moved in
In fact I said as we went to bed that first night.
It feels like a Gîte….like I’m on holiday and in many ways still does
I hope your move goes smoothly and like us you are very very happy x

My only advice is: do not leave downsizing till too late.
Also, if you're happy where you are, and amenities are within easy reach, stay close. That way, friends and neighbours are still nearby, you can still keep the same doctor, dentist etc. and you can carry on with your same interests.
I'm never sure about moving to be near AC. For me, making an independent life in a new place would be very difficult.

I think getting rid of stuff is the hardest part of downsizing.

My mantra in dealing with stuff that “might come in useful” ie I wasn’t actually using it at the moment - was to ask myself “If I ever need this could go and buy one?”
If the answer was yes, out it went!

My other biggie was to invest in a Kindle and download some of my favourite books. I got rid of over 500! It was a wrench😱

Apart from that accept that your furniture may not be right for your new home.

Good luck!

Ilovedogs22
I sympathise - same here! We downsized from a 5 bedroom house with large garden to a newly built 2 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment. It is too small, mainly because of the secret hoarder.
We are now looking to upsize to 3/4 bedroom detached house with a garage for all the hoarded stuff and give us some space for hobbies etc.
Trouble is the apartment is in a perfect location - walking distance to all amenities, close to the countryside and on a regular bus route to the city. To buy what we want in the same area is proving tricky as there is a huge demand for that type of property.
We have moved 10 times in our married life and MrExtratime has promised this will be the last move!

We are currently downsizing in order to move to a cottagy-type bungalow in a nice area with all the facilities we need near-by & good transport links too.
However, it's taking flipping ages & I just want to eat cake and read a nice book. Mr MrIlovedogs is a secret stubborn hoarder! 🤔

Location.
Orientation for light.
Yes, 2 or more toilets.
Etc.

I downsized earlier this year from 4 bedrooms to a 2 bed semi bungalow and I’m very happy and settled. 3 miles from my daughter and family. Health centre, library, sports centre, major supermarkets and train station all within a mile.

I previously had a downstairs loo and upstairs bathroom and shower. I had my son, Dil and 2 GC to stay for a few days last week. We all fitted in nicely. Bunk beds and a single bed in 2nd bedroom.

I didn’t find the lack of a second bathroom to be as big an inconvenience as I anticipated. I was happy to wait till the end of the queue for a shower and they were all considerate enough to ask each time “anyone want to use the loo before I go in the shower?

In the process of downsizing the biggest mistake I made was to underestimate how much time I’d need to sort and dispose of nearly 40 years of accumulated “stuff”. I tried to do it in 4 weeks and I was utterly frazzled by the end of it. I made daily trips to the charity shops and the local dump and I thought I’d never make the deadline.

I’m very happily settled here now and glad that I plucked up the courage to make the move. I did find the prospect rather daunting and dithered over it for a couple of years. I was beginning to struggle on the stairs and I thought it’s now or never.

Good luck with your move 😊

Useful information GN's. We are thinking of down sizing. Our house is too big now, especially for just 2 of us. This is house that needs a family in it, but the thought of decanting it, fills me with dread.

Houses are great for the sake of a little exercise. Just going up and down stairs is so underrated as we age. This simple act helps so much with keeping us mobile. Anyone heard of bungalow legs ?

Thank you everyone for your excellent replies/advice, all really helpful. We’ll be looking for a 2/3 bed detached house (we like to go up to bed at night, we also sleep with windows open). We’ll keep in mind all your replies, hopefully it won’t take too long… thanks again.

I'm also trying to downsize but so far things are moving very slowly. So slow that I am having to take in lodgers again to help pay the bills.

Meanwhile I am trying to declutter and sell, give away or throw out more than half the contents of the huge family home of 45 years.

I have a potential buyer but he can't raise the money quickly. I also want to build a smaller house for myself on my land, but I have been waiting to hear if I have planning permission for nearly 8 months.

So another year here probably.

My next house will be on one floor, 2 beds, 2 bathrooms, a large living/kitchen and a craft room/ bedroom 3.

I am not expecting to be near to family as they are so scattered but my present location is perfect, just impractical to future proof with 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 kitchens, 4 public rooms plus a pottery studio and showroom. It's on 4 floors plus a cellar. I am on my own. I would like to be able to free up some money to help DD onto the housing ladder and to reduce money worries.

If the sale falls through and I have to put the house on the open market and if I don't get permission to build, then I'll be looking for something in the vicinity but whatever comes on the market.

I don't think I fancy living in a bungalow on a housing estate but I may have to.

You have had excellent advice Janice. Good luck to you!

we downsized from 4 bed 2 bath 2 reception, wonderful views, large garden on a sma ll island, to 2 bed 2bath I large reception, all on level, groundfloor, mainland; DR, dentist, library, hospital ,family, cinemas and theatre. smkts, all within minutes drive. Pharmacy hairdresser corner shop in walking distance, and on a bus route. Edge of town, wonderful open views from windows, wildlife in very very large communal garden all garden work done by contractor.

Maintenance minimal, heating bills far smaller, housework fast and easy. IF we ever need paid carer there is plenty available nearby. Climate drier and less windy, no power cuts.

No regrets at all.

Lots of good advice here, but from my own experience make sure the parking is adequate and off road. Constant struggles to find a parking space outside my otherwise perfect downsizer has been a major contributor to my decision to sell my car.

We had a conversation about what we'd do if one of us died and we both said move nearer our daughter so we said well let's move now!
We downsized to somewhere more expensive! Slightly smaller and with the bathroom down stairs.
This has proved to be useful as we get older.
It also proved to be a good investment
We are now within walking distance of the doctors, 2 underground stations and a good bus network.