04/22/2026
"We'll save money by staying put" is the most expensive lie seniors tell themselves.
Let me show you the math one couple discovered too late:
Staying in their 4-bedroom home:
- $3,200/month property taxes and insurance
- $400/month average utilities (heating that big house)
- $800/month maintenance and repairs (older home, aging systems)
- $200/month yard care
- Total: $4,600/month before they spend a dime on groceries
Moving to a right-sized condo:
- $2,100/month total housing costs
- $55,000 cash freed up from home equity
- Zero maintenance headaches
They stayed put for three years "to save money."
Cost of that decision? $90,000 in unnecessary housing expenses plus the opportunity cost on freed-up equity.
The math doesn't lie, even when we tell ourselves stories.
Sometimes the biggest financial risk is staying exactly where you are.
Happy to run these numbers with anyone thinking about their housing costs.