Moving House at 70 years of age!!

Having moved just a month ago. The main factors at over 70 have to be access ie transport and shops with facilities such as U3A and safe cycling next. I have lived much of my life rural and semi rural, I would class where I am now as small town ie a market town which is thriving. I went a bit smaller still 4 bedrooms but had to give away all my study furniture and several comfy chairs and other bits of furniture as well as the usual stuff such as crockery but I have done it with no looking back. One bedroom will be my craft room and one the `health` room also for ironing board. One a guest room and one is main

I have enough garden to keep me happy but am keeping an eye to the future and am getting the patio doubled, while the builders are on site. I love stairs, use it or lose it. Not until I moved did I fully appreciate being able to walk to the shops

THE one big consideration is access - public transport imho.

Like a pp, we have no intention of downsizing for the foreseeable - we are 70 and 71. House is not too big or unmanageable - though we'd have loved more space when dds were both at home. We did in fact try to move more than once, but it never came off.

Our 4 bedrooms are all used fairly often, including later this week. I do want space for family to stay - 2 couples and 2 little ones last Christmas, and we'll have a full house again in July.
Garden is small and manageable, and we have a very good shopping centre, GP and hospital very close by, plus very good public transport on top.
So IMO we'd be daft to move.

Dd with the 2 little ones would love it if we were round the corner, instead of a 1 1/2 hour drive away, but TBH although we like her area, it's not far off as expensive as around here (outer SW London) so anything as good as we've got would v likely leave us out of pocket once the stamp duty and fees were added, not to mention the things you nearly always have or want to do re carpets, curtains, etc.

I wouldn't sacrifice losing extra space inside a house just to have a lovely garden. Only you know if you really want to move or not.

I am currently in the process of selling a house(London.Essex border) and buying a flat in Weston S Mare in Somerset. I will be 78 in a few days time, and am finding it very difficult. Only me to make the decisions. Sixteen years ago I downsized from the family house to this 3-bed 1930 terrace, then - almost immediately had to have the loft done to make room for one of my daughters ever increasing number of babies.
Whilst I worked I had lots done to the house, with the idea of making it easy to run when I retired (just before my 70th birthday). I can manage most of the housework but do have a gardener now for the very small garden.
A bad fall early this year, really decided me that I need to be in a flat. These days, it is rare for any of my children to come to stay with me - even when they come to London, usually stay with my eldest daughter who lives about a mile away.
So, I am just looking for a flat that will suit me - want 2 beds so can have a friend stay - but TBH - if any of the family do visit then they will be better staying at hotels.
I have to decide between the larger, normal 2-bed flats or a smaller sheltered housing flat. Tempting this is as it will mean that there will be company without having to go out, etc. etc.
With my house under offer - and my Solicitor saying it should only take 2-3 months to complete (I have been thinking of nearer four months), I will be viewing flats on Saturday a week and will have to make my decision then.
I have been spending a lot of time, clearing out things - for a time making weekly visits to the Charity shops, still a way to go. Yes, it is cathartic.
At 70 many of us are still reasonably fit and healthy - but as the decade proceeds age does catch up with us.
It is a big move for me, as I have never lived outside East London/Essex and I will be moving down to Somerset. My five children are all scattered, so wherever I go I can only be near one of them.

We had all our garden made into a lovely big lawn a few years ago, and will do the same when we move. I always said I would never move unless to a place with a view. I hung on and on, and yes we shall have one!

We have lived in big houses in 2 different villages now, for 40 years ???at different times obviously! We found a bungalow 6 days before we were going on holiday: right size (2 beds), right location, near one DS. And in a city! We had to make a quick decision and a quick good offer. Between us all we scraped the money together to get it off the market, and are now starting to sell our own large bungalow. We are both looking forward to getting back to city life, instead of having to travel backwards and forwards to anything decent. We shall also have a bus every 10 minutes, and will be able to get into the peaks and dales on buses! We nearly left it too late. Forget the ensuite, and go for it. PS I'm nervous!

My brave mother not only moved house, all alone, but countries when she was 75 !

I'm another who wouldn't want a smaller house, not that we're thinking of moving, since where we are is very convenient with fantastic public transport, and would still work if (God forbid) we couldn't drive.

House is not huge - we'd have loved more downstairs space esp. when dds were teens - but we do have 4 bedrooms which are all needed now and then for family/friends.
It's fine for me and dh, not too big, and the garden is small.

I used to think I'd like to move to the country or coast when we retired, but staying many times with friends in rural Devon cured me of that. Beautiful area, but needing to drive at least 10 minutes every time you need a pint of milk - no thanks!
And oddly enough it's a lot easier to enjoy good walks here - plenty of open space nearby - without having to drive first, or else risk very narrow lanes with no pavements and the odd local boy racer hurtling around corners.

I agree, it is the garden, having spent just a few hours gardening this afternoon I came in thinking 'downsize'.

We could probably find a cleaner fairly easily if needed, but finding a reliable gardener is well nigh impossible.

I wonder how many people give up and decide not to sell, when they get yet more obscure questions from a buyers solicitor. I got those today and I had filled in the buyers pack weeks ago, questions like the development planning permission and building regs documents for installations that took place on a build that was new to us 9 years ago. Certificates for this that and the other

So I had downsized yet more stuff this morning, furniture to a dd 80 miles away and I felt happy because the men were good and suddenly there was more space. Then the seller`s solicitor questions came via e mail and destroyed my appetite and excitement and I ended up with hunderds of papers strewn on the floor and sofa and table

What I am saying, is that the downsizing is the easy bit and make sure to keep every document you have ever had for your house. The details they wanted went back to 2004 and our house was finished for us to move in during 2010. Luckily I found stuff online because somehow my husband had been given the planning permission number

The OP would now be 77 - wonder if she did move!

Always sad to see posts from the late Greatnan.

cb93, look at the development as a development of families and renters. The type of people who will live next door. Will they have children kicking footballs into your garden. Barking dogs. Try and see past the glitz of a brand new home. Stairs are great, use it or lose it and for when stairs are too much, then a stair lift.

I looked at an old house with a 1/3 acre garden, oh yes I garden, I run an allotment and I can use a drill but, big but, I am now 71 and widowed and fortunately have an active brain which guides me during my sleep. I woke up and cancelled buying that house and that same day gave away half my allotment, keeping the easy half.

Many posters are using `we`, I used to say that but now it has to be I. That awful time when 2 becomes 1 and life has to change and thank heavens it changed before that final move because no way will I ever move again. The stress of moving is a killer, really it is. Two of us would have meant bigger bedrooms and bigger garden and semi-rural and maybe an older property, one requiring long ladders

Now I have the perfect house in my sights, still 4 bedrooms but much smaller rooms, perfect for my family to stay and for craft storage. Warm and cosy and overall much smaller, lower energy bills, lower council tax, small garden

What I am enjoying about this thread is hearing from people who say that with family scattered they want to keep living in a reasonably large home.

We have quite a big 4 bedroomed house and if we move it will be to a similar sized house. In one way and another we use all the rooms. We have a large study and will continue to need one, our children do not live near so we need bedrooms for when they come to stay.

The only thing likely to make us consider a move is the size of the garden, we are still managing quite well, but a day will come when that is too much and we will have to move.

Advice welcome!
I am 74 years old but fit and active and in denial! Have recently had knee replacement but am recovering well and dancing and walking almost as before.
I am currently living in a single storey house in isolated position in country. Am Looking for house in the town. It would be sensible to look for a single storey y appartment. However there are some very attractive 2 storey town houses around. I can't imagine a time when I can't cope with stairs, but who knows.??
Opinions and advice please!
Dancing gran

And, I've just had another one!!

FFS! I'm in that sort of a mood as I just had some girl trying to mend my computer for me AGAIN!!

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Thank You Annobel!!

Swansong it sounds delightful where you live, so glad we could all be of some help it's a hard decision to make I know,we made a big decision to move abroad when our youngest boy left home but it changed lives and we are very glad we made the decision,so best of luck to you for future.

annobel more like thousands I think

Swansong , that's what GN is all about, I think. Among us we have hundreds of years of experience and are more than happy to share it. Sometimes it's sifting through it all that's the hard bit. I am so pleased that our collective 'wisdom' has helped you to come to a decision. Hope to run into you on lots of other threads too.

Thank you all !!!-For your kind messages and after careful consideration we will stay where we are. Its too much downsizing for comfort and as lots of you kindly pointed out would we be able to keep up garden in 10 years time and the answer is no we would have to pay for a gardener.
We actually live in a private road with only 2 other properties so its quiet enough I suppose I dream the dream of a pretty chocolate box home but I need some sort of space (incidentally I decided to buy this bungalow in 15 minutes 10 years ago) so I am not usually undecided.
You all helped me to make up my mind I am pleased I asked!!!

All important considerations, harrigran, sounds like you have it sussed