Have you thought of downsizing for retirement? Many Americans do so, often selling their homes and looking for a more right-sized home. But rather than turn around and buy another house, you have good reasons to consider renting an apartment instead. Why? Discover five of the most compelling reasons.
1. Your Cash Isn’t Tied Up
What should you do with the lump sum of profit from your home sale? If you go out and buy a replacement home, you tie up all that money once again into one asset. Would you be better off putting those funds to another use during early retirement? Because many people’s retirement funds aren’t as large as they’d like, keeping some or all of this money liquid could provide a big buffer against emergencies.
2. Apartments Are Less Work
Homeownership has many great benefits, but it’s also a lot of work. You have many bills to manage over the year, a yard to maintain, home repairs to make, and cleaning to do. Would you prefer to spend your newfound leisure time pursuing other activities?
The early years of retirement, in particular, are a great time to explore your own interests and find out how you want to enjoy life when not encumbered by the 9-to-5. And less work and responsibility at home frees up time to do that.
3. You Can Enjoy Amenities
Even if you do rent, you must choose between a freestanding house and an apartment. While the house provides more space, apartments offer amenities often not possible on your own. Many complexes include things like a gym, pool, spa, outdoor entertainment areas, pet cleaning facilities, fitness classes, and high-end security. Enjoy these at no extra cost, saving even more money and making your life simpler.
In addition, many apartment complexes are located to offer the most connections and surrounding amenities for renters of all types. So an apartment tenant may be better positioned to enjoy a downtown district, a walkable neighborhood, or even public transportation hubs.
4. Renting Carries Less Risk
Retirement planning in the United States is particularly difficult as the right amount of income and expenses is a hard target to know. One way to make things more financially stable is to avoid unexpected expenses and fluctuations.
Renting an apartment is a fixed expense that generally changes no more than once per year. With the maintenance, upkeep, and many utilities included, you can write one check for a set amount and leave the rest to the landlord.
5. You Buy Time to Adjust
Transitioning into retirement is an adjustment for most people. Even if you have planned your retirement for years, the actual result may not be what you expected. Perhaps you expected to move to the suburbs, but you find that they’re not as appealing as they once were. Maybe you planned to retire completely, but now you want to consult part-time.
If you buy a home right away, though, you have no time to learn what you really want and plan for it. You’re already committed. Renting for even as little as a year buys time to figure out some things and feel like you can actually pursue new ideas.
Could an apartment rental help you make a successful change from your working life to a life in retirement? Whether you want to stabilize your finances, give yourself time to make decisions, or enjoy the good life more, it might solve retirement dilemmas both large and small. Start by learning more about apartment options in your area.
Crossroads Westside in Kansas City provides a variety of layouts, amenities, and extras to suit every taste. Tour our units today to see how they might fit into — or remake — your retirement plans.
