Downsizing vs Upsizing vs Right-Sizing

Are you thinking about making a change to where you live? If you no longer need all the rooms in your home, you may have decided to downsize into something smaller. Or, perhaps it’s the opposite – you need more space, in which case, it could be time to upsize into a new place.

With people tending to stay in their homes for an average of 12 years, and selling and buying taking time, money and effort, before you set the wheels of change in motion, try to look ten years ahead and think about how your needs might change over that time.

Whether you’re looking for more or less space, the clearer you can be about what you want and need from your new home – and why – the easier it will be to narrow down your options and find something that’s going to suit you well for the foreseeable future.

So, let’s explore some of the options out there and what you need to consider?

If you are thinking of moving up the property ladder?

If you need a bigger home and you’re ready for a change, or it’s not possible to extend where you live at the moment, then there could be plenty of homes for sale that are the right size, but how do you make sure you pick the one that’s really right for you?

Well, when you’re moving for a specific reason, it’s important to be led by your head and not your heart. It’s all too easy to fall in love with a beautiful kitchen, a fabulous view or the perfect family room, but if you let your emotions chip away at the square footage you know you need, you could end up running out of space again in just a few years!

This is where we at Orchard by Bridges in Camberley can really help. As the local property experts, it’s worth spending some time talking it through with us before you start viewing potential new homes, to explain exactly why you’re moving and what you are looking to get from the move, whether it is the number of bedrooms, more living space for the expanding family or other spaces you need. Then we can make sure all the homes you view at least meet your requirements.

If you are thinking of downsizing to a smaller home?

At the other end of the moving spectrum is downsizing. Maybe you’ve spent years watching the family grow around you, entertaining and making full use of all the rooms in your home, but now your lifestyle has changed, and you just don’t need all the space you currently have. If you are looking to downsize or rightsize, you might also want something you won’t have to spend much time and money maintaining.

It is also important to think about whether you want this move to be your last one or just the next step. Either way, it’s worth planning ahead and making a wish list of everything you think you’re going to want or need from the new home. Although compromises sometimes have to be made when you move, if this is your ‘forever’ home, it should be as perfect as possible – even if it takes a little longer to find.

Whatever your reason for the move, it can be a tricky move to make. Even though it might feel like the natural ‘next step’, the reality is that you’re not going to be able to take all your furniture and possessions with you. So, as well as cutting back on living space, you have to work out which things you really want to keep and what won’t be making the move with you. There are plenty of ways we can help and advise you through these difficult choices.

So, whether you’re upsizing, downsizing or rightsizing, we’re always very happy to chat through your options and lend our expertise to help you make the right move. Just give us a call on 01276 587 email us on dramon@orchardbybridges.co.uk and we’ll get right back to you.