The Empty Nest
After 28 years in our 4-bedroom house in Kanata, we realized something: we didn't need all this space anymore. The kids had moved out. We were heating rooms nobody used. We were "house poor" on paper but cash poor in reality.
The Maintenance Reality
At 63 and 65, we were spending every weekend on yard work. The roof needed replacing. The furnace was making a noise we ignored. The mental load was exhausting.
The Decision to Downsize
We listed our Kanata home in spring 2024 and sold for $875,000. We bought a 2-bedroom, 1,100 sq ft condo in Westboro for $580,000. That left us with nearly $300,000 in freed equity (after the realtor commission took a bite).
What We Gained
Freedom. We can lock the door and travel for months without worrying about the pipes freezing. We walk to restaurants, the farmer's market, and the river paths. We don't need to shovel or mow ever again. We've already booked a 3-month trip to Portugal.
What We Miss
The garden. Having grandkids stay over (we only have one guest room now, so they stay at the hotel down the street). The workshop in the garage. We had to purge 30 years of "stuff"—that was emotional. I cried over a box of old VHS tapes.
Advice for Others
Do it while you can choose to. Don't wait for a hip replacement to force you out of a split-level home. We downsized on our terms, and that made all the difference.