Can my parents just stay in their house? What does staying put actually take?
Answered by Chris Deutsch, Founder & Editor
Licensed Minnesota Realtor #20382264 ·
The short answer
Sometimes, yes — and it deserves an honest look before anyone packs a box. Staying put works when four things line up: main-floor living (or a real plan for the stairs), a bathroom that's safe rather than hopeful, help that comes to the house as needs grow, and a Minnesota-specific one — a plan for snow, ice, and a furnace that picks its moments.
On stage The 60-second answer
Captions on · Transcript below
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The longer answer
Then there's the math. In-home help by the hour adds up quickly against what a community charges, and an older house keeps writing its own repair bills either way. Some households find staying is genuinely cheaper for years. Others discover they're paying a premium to keep an empty second floor.
Staying put works until it quietly doesn't — so the honest plan includes what happens next, either way. If you want help running both versions of the math, that's a conversation I'm glad to have. No pressure toward either answer.
The next department over
What people in this spot usually ask next.
- Senior transitionsThe house has been so quiet since my husband died. Will moving actually help?Read the answer
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- Senior transitionsWhat's the actual difference between independent living, assisted living, and memory care?Read the answer
- Senior transitionsWhat do we do with 40 years of belongings nobody has room for?Read the answer
- Divorce & separationCould we keep the house for a while and take turns living there with the children?Read the answer
- Inheritance & probateI feel like I'm betraying my parents by selling their house.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.