The Three Stages of Downsizing in Toronto: A Practical Guide for Every Life Stage

By Jacquie Othen, SRES  |  May 2026  |  8 min read

Jacquie Othen breaks down the three downsizing stages she sees most often in her work with Toronto seniors and explains what each stage actually requires.

Why "Downsizing" Means Something Different Depending on Where You Are in Life

Most of the content about downsizing in Toronto treats it as a single event. You decide to move, you sell the house, you buy something smaller. Done. But after 15-plus years working almost exclusively with seniors and life-stage transitions, that framing has never matched what I see in practice. Downsizing is a process, and the shape of that process changes completely depending on where you are in life.

I see three distinct groups in my work, and I want to be clear that age is a rough guide, not a hard rule. Health, finances, family situation, and personal goals all shift the picture. But the three stages do follow a pattern, and understanding which one applies to you right now changes everything: which neighbourhoods make sense, how much time you have to decide, what kind of support you will need, and what a successful move actually looks like.

Stage One: The Empty Nester (Roughly 55 to 65)

This is the group I find most energized about downsizing. The kids have moved out, the house feels too big, and for the first time in decades, you have room to actually think about what you want. You are probably still working, which means a month abroad is not happening yet, but two or three good vacations a year are well within reach once you are not carrying a home that is too large for your life.

At this stage, the most important thing you can do is get a current home evaluation. Not because you are selling tomorrow, but because that number gives you something real to plan around. File it away, revisit it in a year, and in the meantime, run the hypothetical: what would things look like if we downsized today? What would free up? Where could that money go?

People in their late 50s and early 60s who come out to look at homes are, in my experience, some of the clearest-headed buyers I work with. They know what they want, they can get around easily, and they are firmly in control of their own decision-making. The tradeoff is that this move is probably not a final destination. It might be a home that works beautifully for the next ten years, only for life to change again. That is perfectly fine. The goal at this stage is not permanent; it is purposeful. Free up some cash, reduce the maintenance burden, and create space to enjoy the years between now and a fuller retirement.

Some clients at this stage are also using the time before retirement to scout for opportunities. They take a couple of extra trips to places they are considering and treat them as test runs for where the final chapter might eventually unfold. I have seen that approach work really well. You learn a lot more from a week in a place than you ever will from researching it online.

If you are at this stage and considering right-sizing your home, the conversation does not need to start with a firm decision. A free consultation to talk through the numbers and the timeline is where most of my clients in this group begin, and it costs nothing to have that conversation.

Stage Two: The Newly Retired or About-to-Retire (Roughly 65 to 75)

This stage splits almost cleanly in half, and that is the honest reality. There are people at 65, 68, or 72 who are in remarkable health, moving without any limitations, and open to a wide range of housing options, including townhouses with stairs, two-storey homes, or active adult communities. And then there are people the same age who are dealing with health challenges that have started shaping the decision in ways they did not anticipate even a few years ago. Both situations are normal. Neither one is wrong. But they call for very different conversations.

For the people in this group who are healthy and active, the priority is still accessibility, even if it does not feel urgent yet. What looks fine today may not look fine in five years. A home that works beautifully at 67 can become genuinely difficult at 73, and making a move twice in that window is expensive and disruptive. So when I am working with clients in this range, we talk about the home not just for where they are now but for where they are likely to be. Stairs, bathroom configurations, proximity to services: all of it matters even when it does not feel like it matters yet.

For clients in this group dealing with mobility or health constraints, the conversation shifts toward what works right now and what can be reasonably adapted. Single-level living, condo buildings with good elevators and amenities, or communities designed for older adults, become much more central to the search. Neighbourhoods like Don Mills and Leaside offer mature, walkable environments that tend to work well for this stage, with access to parks, transit, and local services built into the fabric of the area.

There are also many people in this age range thinking about grandchildren, and the geography of family plays a big role. Some clients want to be close enough to help out. Others are very clear that babysitting is not on the retirement agenda, and they want the freedom to travel and be spontaneous. Both are completely valid, and the right move looks very different depending on that answer.

If you are getting closer to this stage and have not already started identifying a couple of target areas, that is the single most useful thing you can do before anything else. Get out and look. Drive around. Have a meal. Walk the neighbourhood. Seeing something in person almost always changes the picture from what you imagined it would be based on what someone told you or what you saw online.

Our seniors real estate services are built specifically for this stage. We build in extra time, we move at your pace, and we make sure the process never feels rushed. That matters a lot when the stakes are this high.

Stage Three: The 75-Plus Move

This is the stage that requires the most care, and I want to be direct about what that means. It does not mean treating people as if they cannot make their own decisions. Many of my most decisive clients are in their 80s and know exactly what they want. It means recognizing that the stakes are higher, the energy is more finite, and the support systems around the move need to be exceptional.

By this stage, the questions have shifted. It is less about which home is nicest and more about who is nearby. Whose visits make you happy? Where is the family that you depend on, or that depends on you? Is there a family doctor in the neighbourhood you are considering? If you could no longer drive, would you still be able to live well in that home? These are the questions that actually determine whether a move works long-term.

For some people in this stage, a partner has already transitioned into a care facility, which creates a whole separate set of decisions. Do you stay in the family home? Do you plan to move to a smaller place closer to that facility? Are you looking for a community where you can be under the same roof, even though you're in different parts of the building? There is no single right answer, and I have seen all of those work well depending on the family's specific circumstances.

The thing I hear most from clients who have had difficult experiences before finding me is that they felt rushed. A realtor who took them to see too many homes in one day, who did not stop for water on a hot afternoon, who treated the process as a transaction to close rather than a life transition to handle carefully. That is a real failure in this industry, and I take it seriously. If you are in this stage and are starting to look at estate sales, or if you are managing a family home on behalf of a parent, finding the right representative makes all the difference.

For clients at this stage who own their home and are ready to think about selling, our team can help with the full scope: getting the home ready for market, coordinating the logistics of a move, and making sure the sale itself is handled with the same care as everything else. Our selling process is designed to take the weight off the seller, not add to it. That includes professional staging, photography, and a marketing plan that gets the home in front of the right buyers without the chaos sellers at this stage simply do not need.

If you are 75 or older and thinking about this, or if you are an adult child trying to figure out the best next step for a parent, the most useful first step is a conversation. Not a commitment. Just a conversation with someone who is not going to push you anywhere and who will take the time to understand your full picture before offering a single piece of advice. That is how our free consultations work, and it is the only way I know how to do this job properly.

What All Three Stages Have in Common

Regardless of which stage applies to you right now, a few things hold true across all of them. The earlier you start gathering information, the better your decisions will be. A home evaluation costs nothing and gives you a real number to plan around. Understanding the neighbourhoods you are drawn to takes time, and the only way to really know if a community is right for you is to spend time in it. And finding the right person to work with matters more than almost any other single factor in how this process feels when it is over.

The Othen Group team has been working with Toronto seniors through all three of these stages for more than 15 years. Jacquie holds her SRES designation and has built the team around a clientele that deserves more time, more care, and more patience than a typical real estate transaction provides. If you are looking at what your home might be worth today or trying to figure out which direction makes sense for your situation, that conversation starts with a phone call or an email, and there is no pressure.

You have worked hard to get to this point. The move you make from here should feel like a reward, not a burden. Simply put, it can be done with grace and without chaos, and the right team makes all the difference.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best age to start thinking about downsizing in Toronto?

There is no single best age, but starting to gather information in your late 50s gives you the most time and flexibility. Getting a home evaluation around 55 or 58 costs nothing and gives you a real number to plan around, even if you are years away from selling. The earlier you start understanding your options, the more in control you will feel when the time actually comes to move.

What should empty nesters prioritize when downsizing?

Empty nesters between 55 and 65 should prioritize financial clarity first. Get a current home evaluation, so you understand what your property is worth and what downsizing would free up. After that, the key questions are about lifestyle: how much travel do you want? How much maintenance are you willing to carry? This move is rarely the final destination, so flexibility in your choice is more important than perfection.

How do I know if a home will work for me as I age?

The question is not whether the home works for you today, but whether it is likely to work for you in 7 to 10 years. Think about stairs, bathroom accessibility, proximity to transit, difficulty driving, and proximity to medical services. A single-level home or a well-serviced condo building tends to offer more longevity than a multi-storey house, even for buyers who are currently mobile and healthy.

What are the most important factors for seniors 75 and older who are considering a move?

For seniors 75 and older, proximity to people matters most. Where are the family or the close friends whose visits genuinely brighten your day? After that, access to healthcare is critical: is there a hospital nearby, a family doctor accepting patients in the area, and rehabilitation services if you ever need them? A realtor who moves at your pace, explains everything clearly, and does not rush you is not a luxury at this stage. It is a requirement.

Should I downsize before or after retirement?

Both timelines work, and the right answer depends on your specific situation. Downsizing before retirement, while you are still working and your income is stable, can be financially advantageous and reduce the stress of managing a major move during a period of major life transition. Downsizing after retirement gives you more time to research and make decisions without a work schedule in the way. Many clients find that having a year or two of retirement before making the move gives them clarity about how they actually want to live day to day.

What Toronto neighbourhoods are popular with downsizers?

Don Mills, Leaside, Lawrence Park, and the Yonge-Eglinton area are consistently popular with Toronto downsizers because they offer walkability, transit access, mature trees, and a community feel without the intensity of the downtown core. The Beaches attracts downsizers who want proximity to the water and a quieter pace. The right neighbourhood depends entirely on your priorities: proximity to family, access to amenities, budget, and how important it is to stay close to the parts of the city you already know well.

How does Othen Group work with seniors who are downsizing?

Othen Group builds extra time into every appointment, explains every step of the process clearly, and moves at the client's pace rather than the market's pace. Jacquie Othen holds the SRES designation, which is a specialized certification for working with seniors in real estate. The team handles everything from the initial home evaluation through staging, sale, and closing, with a concierge-style approach that is designed to remove stress from a process that can otherwise feel overwhelming. Every client relationship starts with a free, no-pressure consultation.