Selling a large house and moving somewhere smaller sounds like straightforward retirement math: lower property taxes, cheaper utilities, less maintenance, and perhaps a pile of home equity left over. Those savings can be real, but downsizing in retirement often requires spending thousands of dollars before the lower monthly bills begin paying you back. Imagine reducing housing expenses by $600 a month, which sounds like a healthy $7,200 annual savings, only to spend $15,000 selling, moving, repairing, and furnishing the new place. Suddenly, your “money-saving” move doesn’t break even for more than two years. Before putting the house on the market, keep an eye on these six costs that could eliminate any potential savings in the first year.
