According to Ryan Bruen of The Bruen Team at Coldwell Banker Realty in Morristown, New Jersey, the average downsizer reduces their living space by just 100 square feet, a statistic that surprises most people considering a move. Bruen notes that clients typically react with confusion and skepticism when hearing this figure, questioning the purpose of moving if square footage barely changes. This phenomenon reveals how Americans in their 60s and 70s approach major housing transitions, with what begins as a downsizing conversation evolving into a more nuanced lifestyle redesign.
The real motivation for moving rarely stems from wanting less square footage, according to Bruen's observations working with empty nesters and retirees throughout Morris County communities including Morristown and Madison. Clients express exhaustion with maintenance, desire to travel without worrying about property upkeep, and frustration with heating unused rooms. While square footage remains similar, everything else changes dramatically, such as a five-bedroom colonial transforming into a three-bedroom ranch with a first-floor primary suite of comparable size but completely different lifestyle.
Location increasingly trumps size in these housing decisions, with empty nesters prioritizing different amenities than families with school-age children. Instead of quiet neighborhoods and large yards, they value walkability to downtown areas, access to restaurants and cultural venues, and shorter commutes to grandchildren. Bruen cites a recent example of a couple who sold their 3,800-square-foot home in Chester for a 3,600-square-foot townhouse near downtown Morristown, trading an acre of lawn maintenance and a 15-minute drive to dinner for a lock-and-leave lifestyle with walkable amenities.
Location decisions increasingly revolve around grandchildren rather than traditional retirement attractions like golf courses. Bruen observes that while colleagues in Florida and the Carolinas report New Jersey retirees moving south for lower taxes and better weather, many return within two years as the pull of family, particularly grandchildren, consistently outweighs other appeals. This trend underscores how family proximity has become a primary consideration in retirement housing decisions.
Timing matters more than space in successful transitions, according to Bruen, who identifies waiting too long as the biggest mistake he observes. The ideal time to downsize occurs before mobility issues or health concerns force the decision, as preparing a home for sale, sorting through belongings, and coordinating a move requires significant energy. Bruen warns that waiting until maintaining a current home becomes difficult makes executing the move equally challenging, potentially trapping people in homes that no longer serve them due to overwhelming transition requirements.
Bruen advises clients to begin decluttering early, even if moving remains one or two years away, as deciding what to keep and what to release proves more time-consuming than the actual move. Starting with attics, storage closets, and file drawers allows gradual progress, with furniture being easier to manage than boxes of photos and decades of paperwork. The most satisfied clients make moves proactively rather than reactively, choosing timing, location, and their next chapter on their own terms, with square footage becoming the least important consideration in the entire equation. For more information, visit https://bruenrealestate.com.
