The house has been so quiet since my husband died. Will moving actually help?
Answered by Chris Deutsch, Founder & Editor
Licensed Minnesota Realtor #20382264 ·
The short answer
Moving changes the setting. It doesn't move the grief — that comes with you, and anyone who promises otherwise is selling something.
On stage The 60-second answer
Captions on · Transcript below
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Chris's video answer is on its way. Until then, the short answer above says the same thing.
The transcript posts with the video.
The longer answer
What a move can honestly do is stop the house from asking questions all day. The chair at the table, the workshop nobody opens — some people find those corners comforting, and some find them exhausting. Only you know which is happening to you. A gentler test before any decision: spend two weeks somewhere else — a sister's place, a short rental. Notice whether you miss the house, or just miss him. That answer is the real information. (The house will still be there when you know.)
If the quiet turns out to be the problem, we can talk about what a smaller, warmer setting looks like. If the house turns out to be the comfort, staying is a decision too — and just as valid. Either way, nobody should rush you. Including me.
The next department over
What people in this spot usually ask next.
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- Senior transitionsWe're not ready for a senior community, but this house is too much. What's in between?Read the answer
- Inheritance & probateMy mom just died and owned a house. What do we do first?Read the answer
- Sudden wealth & business saleCan we keep what we paid for the house out of the public record?Read the answer
From the editor's desk
“As Founder and Editor, I review, correct, and stand behind every answer.”
Is your situation more specific than the market? That's the one worth talking through.