One life transition that emerges with a new stage in life is the changing needs of housing.
One of the decisions my husband and I are facing is: to move or not to move. Our young adult children have been living apart from us for several years. Our house seems to have become too big for two people. We’re faced with the decision of whether to stay with the familiar, or move to a different place.
Many people would call this “downsizing,” but “downsizing” is not what most empty nest Boomers or aging couples look for. Recently, our friend Tim told us that his parents, already in their late 70’s, are moving from their condominium into a big house. Reason? They have a lot of beautiful furniture in storage for 20 years and they want a house big enough to use these pieces of furniture they miss.
In our situation, my husband and I are talking about moving because our needs have changed since we’re no longer raising children. We discover there are several key points to consider as we ponder on this decision: To move or not to move?
1. What are the needs? Smaller house and more leisure time? Proximity to community?
2. How is your night vision? Are you still able to drive at night?
3. What services and stores do you need? Grocery store? Medical offices? Your massage therapist? Department stores? Are these available and accessible in the new location?
4. What extracurricular, social, or community activities do you want to be involved in? How easily accessible are these?
5. If you and/or your spouse are still employed, how does this new location change your commute?
6. What about public transportation? If you decide to reduce your driving, can you access public transportation to get places?
7. How does this move affect your finances?
8. How long do you forsee being in this new location? Is it long enough to make the relocation worthwhile?
What are some considerations important to you when you try to decide whether or not to change your housing situation? What did you learn?
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