7-Tips to Downsizing your home.
- JTodd Simpson
- May 3, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 17
10 Essential Considerations When Downsizing Your Home in Scottsdale, Arizona
Downsizing you home can be enjoyable - if it is planned and well thought out.
Deciding to downsize your home is a major life step—often representing a new chapter filled with opportunity, reflection, and change. Whether you're an empty nester, a recent retiree, or simply looking to simplify, downsizing can offer relief from the upkeep of a larger home, financial freedom, and the chance to reimagine your lifestyle.
Scottsdale, Arizona, with its sunshine, amenities, and community-focused neighborhoods, is an ideal place to consider this move. But downsizing isn’t just about square footage—it’s about mindset, priorities, and planning. Below are 7 essential factors to consider when downsizing, followed by 10 powerful questions to ask yourself before you take the leap.
1. Define Your Priorities
Before touring new homes or calling movers, take a step back and define what matters most to you. What are the non-negotiables in your next home? Is it low maintenance? A walkable community? Proximity to grandkids? Dream kitchen?
Ask yourself:
Where do I want to spend the majority of my time?
What hobbies or lifestyle goals do I want to focus on?
Do I want community amenities like a clubhouse, pickleball court, or walking trails?
Would a lock-and-leave property support my desire to travel more?
The clearer you are on what matters, the more confident you'll be in your decisions.
2. Evaluate Your Current Space
Downsizing isn’t just about moving—it’s also about letting go. Review what spaces in your current home are used often, and which ones have become storage zones. Begin by identifying essentials versus nice-to-haves.
Offer family members the chance to take meaningful items, but don’t be surprised if your treasures aren’t as sentimental to them as they are to you—and that’s okay. Focus on keeping what serves your new life, not just your old one.
3. Consider Location Thoughtfully
Scottsdale offers diverse communities—from active adult neighborhoods to lock-and-leave condos near Old Town. When selecting your next location, consider:
Access to healthcare
Proximity to the airport (if you plan to travel)
Walking distance to shopping, dining, or parks
Distance to family and social connections
Where you live will influence how connected, secure, and fulfilled you feel.
4. Assess Your Financial Landscape
A move can unlock home equity, reduce utility and maintenance costs, or lower property taxes. But it can also come with hidden expenses: moving fees, upgrades in your new home, or HOA dues.
Speak with a financial advisor or real estate professional to ensure your move supports both your immediate needs and long-term goals—especially if you’re transitioning into retirement.
5. Plan for the Future You, Not Just the Present You
Look beyond the next year or two—think about aging in place, medical access, and mobility. Will you want:
A single-level layout?
Wide doorways and hallways?
Low-maintenance landscaping?
A community with support services or security?
Making smart, future-focused choices today can reduce stress and expense later.
6. Reimagine Your Lifestyle
Downsizing is an invitation to reinvent how you live. Less house often means more life—more travel, more freedom, more energy for the things you love.
Explore neighborhoods in Scottsdale that cater to your interests—whether it’s hiking in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, golfing, art galleries, volunteering, or evenings out at fine restaurants.
7. Don’t Go It Alone
You don’t have to figure this out on your own. A knowledgeable, empathetic real estate agent (like Todd) can help guide your search, connect you with moving services, and answer questions you may not even know to ask. Family, friends, and professional organizers can also provide clarity and emotional support throughout the process.
10 Questions Every Downsizer Should Ask Before Starting the Process
These questions are designed to help you look beyond the transaction and make decisions that align with your long-term happiness and values:
How do I want to spend my time daily—and will my new home support that lifestyle?
Who do I want to live near or be closer to (children, friends, community, church)?
Do I expect to host frequent guests, grandkids, or out-of-town visitors?
Is being near a particular doctor, hospital, or healthcare provider important to me?
Am I planning to travel often—and do I want a home that makes that easier?
Do I want to fulfill a dream (live near a golf course, downtown, a hiking trail, or in a certain style of home)?
Will this move help relieve stress, or could it introduce new types of stress?
What physical limitations might I face in the next 5–10 years, and does this home account for them?
Do I want to reduce my “stuff,” or am I just looking for a new location?
Am I emotionally ready to leave behind a home filled with memories—and have I grieved and processed that chapter?
Your Next Step
Downsizing your home in Scottsdale doesn’t mean sacrificing lifestyle—it means redefining it. With the right mindset, team, and plan, it can be one of the most freeing, energizing decisions you make.
If you’re starting this journey, reach out today for a custom consultation. I’ve helped countless Scottsdale residents transition smoothly into their next chapter—whether that’s a cozy villa, a sleek condo, or a low-maintenance patio home in a vibrant community.
Ask yourself questions - What do I need, What do I want, Where do I plan on spending my time?
Remember that most realtors are clueless. They are only concerned about making a commission. Also negotiate your commission rate. There is no reason to pay anywhere near the traditional 3 and 3 percent commission rate. As a seller you took the risk when buying your home, you paid taxes for many years and spent time and money fixing it up. The realtor took no risk. If you are a buyer wait; prices will be dropping sharply. Ground zero has already collapsed.