Should My Aging Parents Stay in Their Home or Downsize?
For many families, the hardest part of downsizing isn't packing the boxes. It's deciding whether there should be boxes at all.
Most Older Adults Want to Stay in Their Homes
For many families, the hardest part of downsizing isn't packing the boxes. It's deciding whether there should be boxes at all.
Maybe your parents have lived in the same home for 20, 30, or 40 years. To you, the house may be getting harder for them to manage. To them, it is home. And those are two very different things.
According to AARP's 2024 Home and Community Preferences Survey, AARP reports that 75% of adults age 50 and older want to remain in their current homes as they age, while 44% expect they may have to relocate at some point. That gap tells us something important: wanting to stay and being able to stay are not always the same thing.
For families across Naperville, Chicagoland, and Chicago's western suburbs, a better question may be: Does this home still support the life Mom or Dad wants to live?
Start With the House, Not the Move
Before talking about selling, take an objective look at the home itself. Can your parent comfortably manage the stairs? Is the primary bedroom on another floor? How much maintenance does the property require? Are repairs accumulating? Are entire rooms going unused?
None of those things automatically means someone needs to move. But together, they can signal that it's time to start thinking about what comes next.
AARP's research also found that 43% of adults 50 and older believe their homes will need changes to allow them to remain there as they age. That creates a real decision for families: do we adapt the current home, or would another home better support the next chapter?
Staying May Be the Right Answer
Getting older doesn't automatically mean someone should downsize. Sometimes the existing home still works beautifully. The goal shouldn't be to convince someone to move simply because they have reached a certain age. The goal is to understand what will allow them to continue living safely, comfortably, and independently.
If you're beginning that conversation with a parent, Presto's The Conversation Before the Move: How to Talk to Aging Parents About Downsizing can help families approach the subject with more patience and less pressure.
Sometimes the House Begins Making the Decision
There is rarely one dramatic moment when a longtime home stops working. Instead, small things accumulate: stairs become harder to climb, snow removal becomes someone else's responsibility, repairs are postponed, rooms go unused, and adult children begin handling more of the maintenance.
Eventually, keeping the house can begin to feel like a job. That's often when the conversation changes from “Do you want to move?” to “What would make everyday life easier?”
The Cost of Staying Matters Too
Among adults 50 and older who anticipate needing to move, AARP found that 60% want to lower housing and maintenance costs, while 55% cite property taxes as a reason for moving.
That doesn't mean downsizing is automatically less expensive. It means families should look at the whole picture: maintenance, future repairs, landscaping, accessibility modifications, unused space, and the cost of alternative housing.
Downsizing Doesn't Necessarily Mean Giving Up a House
AARP's research also challenges a common assumption. While about two-thirds of adults say downsizing is a good option, 75% of adults 50 and older still prefer a single-family home.
For some homeowners, downsizing may simply mean moving from a large, demanding house to a smaller, easier house with fewer stairs, less maintenance, less unused space, and a location closer to family and everyday needs.
And Then There Is the Stuff
Even when everyone agrees that moving makes sense, another enormous question appears: What do we do with everything?
A longtime home is filled with decades—furniture, photographs, collections, china, tools, children's belongings, and things whose value exists entirely in memory.
Presto explores this part of the transition in What to Do With a Lifetime of Stuff, including the emotional and practical decisions families face when sorting a longtime home.
When Downsizing and Selling Happen at the Same Time
This is where many families discover that downsizing is much bigger than a real estate transaction. There may be repairs to coordinate, belongings to sort, items to donate or sell, a new home to find, movers to schedule, and a current home to list.
That's why preparing a longtime home for sale should begin before the For Sale sign goes in the yard. Presto Real Estate + Services brings home preparation, move management, and real estate together so families aren't left coordinating every part of the transition on their own.
The Question Isn't Really “Should My Parents Move?”
For many families, the better question is: What does Mom or Dad need from their home now?
Maybe the answer is staying. Maybe it's modifying the existing house. Maybe it's moving closer to family, finding a smaller single-family home, a condo, townhome, or senior living community.
There isn't one correct answer. But there is enormous value in having the conversation before circumstances make the decision for you.
If you're helping a parent think through a move, downsizing your own longtime home, or simply trying to understand your options, Presto Real Estate + Services can help you figure out what comes next. You don't need the entire plan before you call. Sometimes the first step is simply a conversation.
Preparing a Home for Sale Can Feel Overwhelming — But You Don’t Have to Do It Alone.
The Presto team helps families manage every step of the transition, from home preparation and organization to selling and moving.
If you’re beginning to think about your next move, we’re here to help.
Start the conversation with the Presto team today.
