Downsizing in Fairfield County: Where Do You Start?

Downsizing can feel like a hundred decisions all landing on the same day. What do you keep? Where do you go? Do you sell first or buy first? What is the house even worth?

I'm Jill Howell with Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, and I've lived in Fairfield County my whole life. When someone tells me they are thinking about downsizing, I don't start with the listing. I start with a few questions, in a set order, so each decision gets easier than the one before it. Here is that order.

Most people begin by asking what their current home will sell for. I'd begin one step earlier: what does the next home need to have?

Write it down in two lists. The first is what you need, like a bedroom on the main floor, a smaller yard, or a shorter drive to the people you see most. The second is what you'd like but could live without. A short list now saves a lot of touring later, because we can skip the homes that were never going to fit.

If you've ever walked through a house and thought "this is nice, but not for me," that thought is useful. Tell me what it was. It usually points at something that belongs on the list.

Once you know what you want, the next question is what your home can do for you. I do this with a free personalized valuation, a visit, and a written comparison of recent sales. It is not a guess from a website, and there is no pressure or obligation to list.

You can start with a home value request here whenever you're ready. The number matters because it tells us what range of next homes is realistic, and that shapes every choice after it.

This is the question I hear most, and the answer depends on your situation. Selling first gives you a clear budget. Buying first gives you time to move at your own pace. Lining up both closings is possible, but it takes planning.

I walk through all three with people, along with the tradeoffs, in a separate post on timing two moves. The short version is that the right order depends on how you'd feel if the move took a little longer than planned.

Smaller doesn't have to mean farther away. Here is how I think about the three places I work most.

Lancaster has a historic small city feel, and homes are generally more affordable than in Pickerington. It has older neighborhoods without HOAs, a couple of newer subdivisions with HOAs, and plenty of homes outside the city. Columbus is about 40 minutes away, and Hocking Hills is about 30.

Pickerington has many more newer homes, in lots of subdivisions, and Columbus is about 15 minutes away by Route 33 or Interstate 70. Homes here are generally higher priced than in Lancaster.

Canal Winchester is a growing town about 15 minutes from Columbus. It has new subdivisions with HOA fees and some older areas without an HOA.

This is the step people put off, and it's the one that makes everything else feel real. You don't have to finish before we talk. But the sooner you begin, the less rushed the final weeks feel.

A simple way to start is one room at a time, beginning with the room you use least. Sort into keep, give away, and sell. Let me know early if you'll need storage, because it affects both your timeline and your budget.

There are costs on both sides of a downsizing move, such as closing costs, moving, and sometimes storage. Ask me about each one early, so none of them is a surprise at the end.

You don't need answers to these. Bring the questions and we'll work through them together.

• What does the next home need to have, and what would be nice to have?
• Which of these areas feels right, or are you not sure yet?
• Would you rather sell first, buy first, or line up both?
• When would you like to be settled in?
• What worries you most about the move?

That last one matters most. I'd rather talk about it now than have it show up at the closing table.

If you're thinking about downsizing in Fairfield County and want to talk it through, get in touch and tell me where you are in the process. You can also read more about how I help with downsizing or see how I sell a home, step by step.