Downsizing and Real Estate Insights

Nicole Schell, Broker and Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES®) with the Schell Real Estate Team in Waterloo Region, holds a designation built specifically around what a downsizing move actually involves.Adapted from a social post Nicole originally shared in September 2026. What SRES® Actually Means Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES®) is a designation earned through additional training focused on the real estate needs of homeowners 50 and older, people navigating downsizing, retirement moves, and the practical and emotional sides of leaving a longtime home. It's a different skill set than a typical home sale, and it's built around exactly the kind of move a lot of downsizers are making. A Downsizing Move Is Different From a Typical Move A downsizing sale usually carries more than ...

Nicole Schell, Broker and Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES®) with the Schell Real Estate Team in Waterloo Region, works with empty nesters at every stage of deciding whether, and when, to downsize.Adapted from a social post Nicole originally shared in June 2026. There's No Deadline The best downsizing decisions are rarely made under pressure. You don't need to move today, and nothing about becoming an empty nester requires an immediate decision. What tends to make the biggest difference is understanding your options well before you actually need them, so that if or when the time comes, you're choosing rather than scrambling. The Moment Usually Announces Itself Quietly It rarely arrives as a single clear signal. More often it's a room that sits empty most ...

Nicole Schell, Broker and Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES®) with the Schell Real Estate Team in Waterloo Region, hears this question from almost every downsizer she works with: bungalow or condo?Adapted from a social post Nicole originally shared in April 2026. It Isn't Really About the Property Most people think the hardest part of downsizing is deciding to move. It isn't. The harder decision usually comes after that, once the options are actually in front of you: a condo apartment, or a house like a bungalow. Both can make sense, which is exactly what makes the choice difficult. The real question isn't which property is better. It's how you want to live, now and in the years ahead. What a Condo Can Offer A ...

Nicole Schell, Broker and Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES®) with the Schell Real Estate Team in Waterloo Region, hears a common theme from people who've already downsized: nearly all of them wish they'd started sooner.Adapted from a social post Nicole originally shared in March 2025. Give Yourself More Time Than You Think You Need Downsizing almost always takes longer than people expect. Sorting through years of belongings isn't just about the stuff itself, it's about the memories attached to it. Rushing that process tends to make it harder, not easier. Giving yourself more time than feels necessary is usually what makes it feel manageable instead of overwhelming. You Don't Have to Do It Alone Whether it's family, friends, or a real estate professional, getting ...

Nicole Schell, Broker and Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES®) with the Schell Real Estate Team in Waterloo Region, knows how hard it is to live far from family. Her own parents are far from her, and her sons are far from their grandparents. Missing birthdays, holidays, and the small everyday moments is a kind of ache that's hard to put into words.Adapted from a social post Nicole originally shared in February 2025. Why This Move Feels Different Downsizing on its own is a big decision. Downsizing to be closer to family carries something extra. Being on your own when something goes wrong, a health scare, a repair around the house, an emergency, is harder without family nearby to help. That's the part ...