Everyone keeps telling me to "downsize." Why does that word feel so bad?
Because the word is wrong. "Downsizing" tells you your life is shrinking. It isn't — it's changing shape.
Here's what's actually true about this move: less house to keep up with is not less life. The people I've helped through it usually end up with more — more time, fewer stairs, less to fear when the ice comes, money that was locked in drywall now doing something useful. What gets smaller is the list of things that own your weekends. The memories don't stay behind; they never lived in the square footage to begin with.
So no — I won't tell you to downsize. I'll help you find a home that fits the life you're living now. When that conversation sounds useful, I'm here. No timeline.
I wrote this answer, and I stand behind it. I'm Chris Deutsch, a Minneapolis Realtor (MN #20382264). Twenty-five years of walking these neighborhoods, checking basements, and sitting across kitchen tables from people making exactly this call. I re-check every answer and date it — this one was last verified .
If your situation is more specific than the market, that's the one worth talking through. Email me at chris@lakesarearealty.com.