The Empty Nest Move (AKA The 2.0 Move)

The kids are (finally) out of the house! Maybe they are off at college, living on their own or with their own families. You suddenly have a lot more time on your hands and are not quite sure how to fill it. Sure, you could fill the time with more work but why not take this time to rediscover yourselves? Especially if you now find yourselves without those tuition payments for the first time in many years! Go back to those restaurants you loved before having kids. Discover some new ones too! Buy tickets to those concerts you’ve always wanted to attend but could never make work. Check out the new museum exhibits or take in a Nats game on the weekends. Sounds great, right?

THE EMPTY NEST MOVE

We’ve had many clients in recent years come to us when they enter this stage of life. They’re not ready to downsize to a one level home or make the “retirement” move down to warmer climates. They are, however, looking for a change of scenery while keeping local roots for their kids’ visits. They want to take advantage of their newfound freedom and be close to all of the action our area offers. Recent empty nest clients of ours called this stage their lives “2.0.” Often, these empty nesters want to be:

• closer to shopping, restaurants, and cultural activities
• closer to work or the Metro
• closer to friends
• in a walkable location
• in a smaller and more manageable home with less or no yard

For example, we are seeing an uptick in buyers who are moving to Old Town or even back into the District from the further out suburbs. These clients are drawn to walkability, proximity to Metro and DC, an active social scene and of course, charm. Townhomes and condos are ideal for empty nesters who no longer want or need a big yard. These sorts of homes still offer enough space for the “kids” to crash when they are in town too (if you want them to). We have some recent clients who purposefully bought a property with small spare bedrooms so their kids would not want to come back and crash indefinitely after college!

THE BOTTOM LINE

The empty nest move can be a tricky one, as it often involves buying and selling at the same time, reducing clutter, and preparing your current home for sale. But, we’ve helped a number of clients successfully make this transition and now they’re happier than ever.

If the empty nest move sounds like something you’ve been considering, please contact us! We’d be happy to chat about your options and what makes the most sense for you.

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