Typically, right-sizing involves moving. Usually from a larger home, to a smaller one when there are are now longer kids or other family members living with you. However, moving may not be the most feasible answer, financially or logistically. There are alternatives. You may decide it makes more sense to Right-Size-in Place and remain in your current home, for the foreseeable future.

Reasons to Right-Size in Your Current Home

• You LOVE your home

• There is no rule saying that people should move once the kids are out. It often makes financial sense to downsize, but if you are quite happy in your home, and don’t feel you could find a better set up in a smaller space, you might decided to stay put.

• You LOVE your neighborhood

• If you have lived in your neighborhood for many years, you have likely made many friends there and they may be the people you love spending time with. You also may be quite settled and comfortable with all of the area conveniences, and don’t feel you would find a comparable neighborhood or home elsewhere.

• You are caring for a family member

• Maybe you have your elderly parent staying with you, and you still need the extra room or rooms because of it. It is often financially feasible to opt for having an elderly or convalescing person stay in your home rather than go into an assisted living situation.

• You want to make sure your kids have a place to come home to

• It’s a great feeling to have everyone under one roof over the holidays or for visits, after the kids have moved out. The place you move into may not be ideal for a large group of visitors, such as your children and grandchildren. You may not want visitors crashing on your coaches and in your new office/gym.

Right-Size In Place: An Alternative to Moving

You might decide that it is best to stay put, in which case, you may want to explore renovating your existing home, to make the space more conducive to your current living situation. Before going this route, you will want to consider how committed you are to your home for the very long term, and perhaps survey the children to see if the home carries the same sentimental value for them that it does for you.

if You’ve decided to Stay in Your Existing Home, here are some ideas to explore. These suggestions could help make the family home the perfect fit for your best life.

Right-Size and Reconfigure Your Living Space

If you have a home that includes a living room, family room, dining room and eat-in kitchen all on the main floor, you might consider a total renovation to create an open concept kitchen and great room. This set up is great for entertaining and it is a much better use of available space for most people. Rather than squeezing into a smaller family room and eat-in kitchen, create a beautiful island kitchen that opens up to a great room, and eliminate the rooms that sit unused for most of the year.

Super-Size Your Bedrooms

if you have five or six smallish bedrooms, and you only really need three bedrooms, consider combining rooms. You could remove a wall and join two smaller bedrooms to make one larger one. You might use some of the extra space you gained to create a large walk-in closet and/or an ensuite bathroom. This is not an inexpensive project, so you will want to be certain that it falls within your budget. You will also want to be fairly certain that you are not planning to sell in the short-term because you have just reduced the number of rooms in your home which can decrease its value.

Repurpose Your Bedrooms

The good news about extra rooms is that you can now have that in-home gym or that craft room you have been dreaming about since you saw it on HGTV. A gym can be as easy as putting down hard-surface flooring, installing your equipment, creating a mirror wall, and installing a tv. You can store extra supplies in the closet. A craftroom is another easy fix that primarily involves storage for supplies and a nice-sized work table and comfortable chair. For this type of remodel is fairly straightforward and doen’t require a large cash outlay in comparison to the previous option.

Consider Becoming an AirBnB Host

If you already have, or decide to create, a second ensuite bedroom, you might consider becoming a host on AirBNB. If you enjoy company, and want to supplement your income, you can set one of your rooms to take in guests. Set it up like a nice hotel room and promote it to travelers. For more information, go here

Right-Sizing – The choice is yours

Right-Sizing in Place: This solution may require a Cash Out Refinance or a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) You will want to have a discussion with your financial advisor and your lender. If you don’t have either of these, contact me and I can refer you.

Right-Sizing by Relocation: If you have decided that the above suggestions do not work for you, and the sensible solution is move, I can help you find your San Diego Dream Home. Please reach out to me and we can go over your wishlist and begin to formulate a plan. It is ideal if you can contact me six months to a year ahead of your planned move, if that is possible. In any case, I am here to answer any questions you have. Contact me to set up a Free One Hour Consultation, so we can strategize on your right-sizing plan.