Do you remember when you were younger, and you had dreams put on hold because of life and children?  Maybe it was owning a cabin by the lake.  Perhaps it was touring European castles. Or maybe even a pursuit of a secondary career for fun instead of necessity.  With your children out on their own, retirement coming into focus, now is the time to rethink your dreams.

We’re not suggesting complete spontaneity here; this isn’t the time to sell everything, give yourself a clever nickname, move to Costa Rica, buying yourself a couple donkeys and become a coffee farmer.  No, we’re suggesting that you do a bit of planning and don’t feel for one second that your home is anchor, it shouldn’t be, it should be your sail.  Your home represents the single largest store of value in your possession – use it properly and may facilitate your lifestyle goals, use it improperly and your home could quickly turn into your next career as you care for it and maintain it.

Where is home?

Please remember that simply because you’re selling your primary home doesn’t mean you’re going without one.  You ought to ask yourself what purpose your home will serve – and based on those answers/descriptions it may help you realize that you need something vastly different.  Perhaps a home that is smaller, easier to maintain, a community with more amenities, or a home with a monster sized garage in a place where it doesn’t snow.
For many, selling your home doesn’t mean going down in home, it may mean buying a home that lines up better with your new lifestyle goals.

What does retirement look like for you?

If your dream for retirement always had your present home in the center of it, then you may have already done this planning long ago – congratulations!  But for most, that simply isn’t the case. Their present home represents a complicated calculus of compromise with proximity to work, clean neighborhoods, the right school district, and a stone throw distance from other life’s essential amenities as the value variables.  As retirement draws near, several of these variables drop off the equation and new priorities push forward.

Life 2.0

There is a moment upon retirement when you are in your absolute prime.  You have wisdom, means, and ability.  It’s that time to trust your plan, execute, and enjoy the next couple decades doing the activities you love in the places you want to be doing them.  Speaking with a local REALTOR® will help you best understand the local real estate conditions and receive the most accurate real estate data; this information combined with advice from your financial planner can help you maximize your early retirement years.