Retirees: Is it time to downsize, even in this real estate market?

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Your home is your sanctuary, but it’s also one of your biggest budget items

Your home is your sanctuary, but it’s also one of your biggest budget items. And after you retire, it may feel like more house than you need. But in this housing market, when a smaller home with upgraded features may be about as expensive as the one you’re selling, is it still smart to downsize?

In some cases, downsizing is appropriate, but not necessarily money-saving. You may be able to sell your house and buy something cheaper, but it might also make sense to downsize to move closer to family or have less house to clean.

It’s important to be clear on what you want. “Goals are so crucial,” says Juan HernandezAriano, a certified financial planner in Houston. “There are multiple pathways people can take.”

Here are some situations that may match up with a “For Sale” sign.

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In retirement, you might find that rising prices combined with a fixed income make you feel a little squeezed.

HernandezAriano notes that his clients in southeast Texas are bothered by high home insurance premiums due to severe weather events, plus high property taxes. “A lot of insurance companies are dropping coverage on the southeast side of Texas,” he says.

If downsizing is a question of money, consider all your housing costs. Weigh the mortgage, property taxes and insurance, plus basic bills like electricity and water services for your current and future homes.

One client in Houston did the math and moved 90 minutes away, where they got a cheaper home and dropped their homeowners insurance by 60%. “Property taxes also went down since they weren’t in a highly competitive school district,” HernandezAriano says. “They still spent more on gas and