Is it time to Resize your home?

Your Essential first steps before listing.

Before we officially put your home on the market, it is important to lay a solid foundation. If you have not already, please consider these two steps:

Step 1: Your Personal Support Team

Start the conversation with your family. Gather their opinions and thoughts; they may offer unique ideas, emotional support, and firsthand help during this transition. Having your family’s support is vital for a smooth move.

Step 2: Your Professional Support Team

I highly recommend a "check-in" with your financial inner circle to ensure your move aligns with your long-term goals:

• Your Accountant: Ask about the tax implications of your sale. Depending on your region and tenure in the home, you will want to understand "Principal Residence Exemptions" or potential capital gains taxes.
• Your Financial Planner: Discuss how the equity from your sale fits into your retirement or investment strategy. Will it be used for travel, to supplement income, or as a gift to family?
• Your Lawyer: If you have not updated your Will or Power of Attorney recently, now is the perfect time. A move is a major life event that often triggers the need for updated legal documents.

Ready? Let Us Get Started!

 Deciding whether to downsize or up size is rarely about square footage; it is about matching your home to the next version of your life. In 2026, as the housing market stabilizes into a more balanced state, the choice often comes down to a simple question:

Do you want more financial freedom or more lifestyle capacity?

Our homes are more than just bricks and mortar; they are containers for our memories. We remember the height marks on the door frame, the holiday dinners, and the quiet Sunday mornings. However, as we move through 2026, the definition of a "perfect home" is shifting.

Many in our community, the large family house that once felt vibrant and full is starting to feel like a collection of empty rooms and endless weekend chores. If you have found yourself wondering if it is time to "right-size," you may not just be looking for a smaller house you may be looking for a larger life.

The Benefits of "Right-Sizing"

• Unlocked Equity: Selling a larger, paid down home often provides a significant cash cushion for retirement, travel, or a "living inheritance" for your children.
• Reduced Overhead: Benefit from lower utility bills, property taxes, and insurance premiums.
• Lifestyle Reclaim: Less time spent mowing lawns or cleaning guest rooms means more time for grandchildren, friends, or travel.

The Reality Check

• The Emotional Toll: Letting go of a family home and decades of possessions can be emotionally draining.
• The "Condo Trap": While a smaller home may cost less, high HOA or condominium fees can sometimes eat into your monthly savings.
• Competitive Market: In 2026, demand for low-maintenance, single-story homes remains high. You may pay a premium for a smaller footprint in a prime, walkable location.

The Readiness Quiz

1. The Museum Test: Are there rooms you have not spent 30 minutes in over the last month? (Guest rooms, formal dining rooms, or basements often become unused spaces rather than living spaces).
2. The Chore Check:  When you think about what you want to do tomorrow, is your first thought about yard work, weeding the gardens, or general upkeep around the house? Granted, every home with four walls, a roof and a yard require a level of upkeep but smaller means less. If your home feels like a second job, you are ready.
3. The Memory Location: If you moved tomorrow, would your favorite memories stay in the building, or do they live in the photos and memories you take with you?
4. The Center of Gravity: Are you traveling away from your neighborhood to see friends, go to restaurants, or visit family? A home should be the center of your life, not a destination you have to leave to find fun.
5. The Relief Factor: If someone offered you a beautiful, less maintenance home in your dream location today—at no cost—would your primary emotion be anxiety or relief?

The Furniture & Space Quiz

Most of us have "stuff" tucked away and forgotten. If you are feeling overwhelmed, ask yourself:

1. Multi-Functionality: Does this piece serve more than one purpose? In a smaller home, a coffee table without storage is "expensive" in terms of square footage.
2. The 80/20 Rule: Is your kitchen filled with specialized tools (bread makers, large roasters) that have not been in years? We usually use 20% of our tools 80% of the time.
3. The Scale Test: Is your furniture too large for modern layouts? That 12-person heavy oak table might make a beautiful 2026 open-concept space feel cramped.
4. The Storage Truth: If items have been in boxes or tucked away and not used in several years they are "ghost items.”
5. The Legacy Check: Are you holding onto heirlooms your children have already said they do not want? It is often better to gift or sell these items while they still hold value.

How to Start (Without the Stress)

The biggest hurdle is not the move; it is the overwhelm. Try these three small steps:

1. The One-Room Win: Choose one "ghost room" and clear it out this weekend. Notice how the "lightness" feels.
2. The Wish List: Write down three things your current house lacks (e.g., walkability to coffee, a main-floor primary bedroom).
3. The No-Pressure Valuation: Reach out for a market snapshot. Knowing exactly what your home is worth in 2026 removes the guesswork and helps you plan with confidence.

Final Thought: Downsizing is not about less, it is about more—more freedom, more time, and more room for the things that truly matter.

Enjoy the adventure!

Cheers,

Clark Perry

Cell 613-551-5982

Coldwell Banker, Coburn Realty

157 Main St. Morrisburg, ON K0C1X0

Office: 613-543-2222