The Joy of Downsizing: Why Planning Ahead Matters

For many homeowners, downsizing marks the start of a new chapter – not a step back, but a chance to simplify and refocus. With the right advice, the process can be practical, efficient and surprisingly rewarding, writes Georgina Neil, our Cotswolds Buying Agent

After decades spent enjoying a large family home – typically bought when owners were in their 40s – many find that the once distant plan of downsizing suddenly becomes an urgent necessity when they reach their 70s or 80s.

Without preparation, this shift can feel rushed, emotionally taxing and costlier than expected. But approached early and on one’s own terms, with time, clarity and expert advice, downsizing can offer not only freedom but genuine enjoyment and the promise of a fresh start.

In my experience, the most successful moves happen before they become a necessity. Clients who downsize while they are still in robust good health and can carefully consider what really matters without the pressure of illness, bereavement or financial strain usually fare best. Crucially, they can take the time to get it right.

But downsizing is rarely as straightforward – or as cost-saving – as some might expect. In prime markets like the Cotswolds, competition is fierce. At the £1.5m to £3m level, the best houses – on the edge of a village, with views, privacy and a manageable garden – often sell off-market and fast. Many clients arrive assuming they can buy a scaled-down version of their family home, complete with drawing room, dining room and space for grand furniture. As a result, many are surprised to find how little £2m now buys when expectations are shaped by a larger, older house.

Successful downsizers quickly learn that priorities must shift. Energy efficiency, ease of maintenance and future-proofing win out over period features and sprawling grounds. The flexibility which comes with lock-up-and-leave security, a sensible garden, practical location and no requirement for staff becomes increasingly attractive.

This is not simply observation. According to new research from the Open Property Data Association (OPDA), older homeowners are increasingly ready for this kind of change. More than a third (34%) of those aged 65–74 who bought in the last five years chose to downsize, rising to nearly half (47%) of those aged 75 and over. The appetite for simpler living is clear. Yet the barriers remain: long transaction times are cited as the main frustration by 55% of buyers aged 65–74 – and by a striking 68% of those over 75. Many would welcome more efficient, digital processes to reduce the stress and delay that so often dog these moves.

These frustrations highlight why working with an experienced buying agent has never been more valuable. For many later-life movers, this may be the first time they’ve navigated the property market in 30 or 40 years – a period during which prices, processes and expectations have changed dramatically. A good buying agent brings market insight, negotiation skill, and crucially, access to properties that may never reach the open market. But beyond that, we act as a steady hand, guiding our clients through unfamiliar territory, helping to prioritise needs over wants, spotting potential problems early, and ensuring that decisions are made with clarity and confidence – and not under pressure. This guidance can make the difference between a smooth, rewarding transition and a stressful, costly mistake.

We also help to gently challenge assumptions. Clients may insist they don’t want a barn conversion – until they walk into one with an extraordinary view and charm to match. They may dismiss a semi-detached house – until they realise it offers the perfect village location and privacy they crave. They simply won’t know until they see it for themselves; curiosity and open-mindedness are key.

Location also takes on fresh importance when people decide to downsize. Many clients want to stay in the same village – or at least close by – but with less property and acreage to maintain. Others make bigger moves, to be nearer family or familiar holiday spots from their childhoods. Few want to sacrifice a proper garden (even if smaller) or guest bedrooms for visiting friends and family. The practicality and hubbub offered by a village provides both reassurance and entertainment. After decades spent relying on the car, it can be refreshing to have restaurants, cafés, a cinema or theatre – as well as a good doctor’s surgery – on your doorstep.

While downsizing offers plenty of benefits, we also appreciate what a significant and often emotional process it can be. Our role extends far beyond viewings and negotiations. We become sounding boards – especially for clients who may be widowed or handling finances alone for the first time in decades. Many of these conversations are personal, touching on health, family and legacy, and it is a privilege to be taken into our clients’ confidence.

Our deep personal knowledge of the areas we represent means we can offer highly specific local knowledge and suggest villages and micro-locations that suit not only a client’s wish-list but their pace of life and social interests. We can also make introductions to removals companies, surveyors, solicitors, builders, unpacking companies – even the local golf or bridge club. This matters more than ever when buyers are relocating to areas they barely know – sometimes hundreds of miles from their old communities. A house, after all, is only part of the story. The life built around it matters just as much.

Done well, downsizing is not a loss – it’s a liberation. Less house often means more freedom: fewer ties, fewer worries, more time to travel or pursue other interests. It is about taking control of the next chapter of life while the choice is still yours to make.

Those who embrace this process with clarity and the right guidance usually find it far more rewarding than they ever expected.

Georgina Neil Cotswolds buying agent, The Buying Solution

Georgina Neil is The Buying Solution’s Cotswolds Buying Agent

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Why Americans are Flocking to the ‘Hamptons of England’

Our Head of the Cotswolds, Harry Gladwin, talks to Laura Parnaby at the Mail Online about the noticeable rise in interest from American buyers in the region in recent years.

One of the most experienced and well-regarded specialists in the Cotswolds, Harry, spoke about why the beautiful Cotswolds stone houses, privacy and space continues to resonate so strongly with our American friends and clients.

Read the article here.

Trump Sends Wealthy Americans Fleeing to the Cotswolds

Our Head of the Cotswolds Harry Gladwin spoke to Lauren Almeida from The Guardian about why a significant proportion of his clients are now Americans looking to settle in this idyllic pocket of the English Countryside.

period home with trailing greenery in the Cotswolds
Sarah Frances Kelley for The Buying Solution

“There are multiple draws: it is a safe place to hold properties; young families often want to have a holiday home with a view to spending more time here in the long term; and older couples who want to spend more time in the UK use it as a stepping stone into Europe,” says Harry.

Read article here.

Why ‘Healing’ your House is now an Open Secret

Our Head of the Cotswolds region Harry Gladwin spoke to Rebecca Newman at the Financial Times about the rising trend in ‘energy cleansers’ in the housing market, particularly among clients in their thirties and forties buying older houses.

Cotswolds stone house with sage green front door and evergreen hedges
Sarah Frances Kelley for The Buying Solution

Read the article here.

In the Press: The Buying Solution in Country Life

Our Partner Harry Gladwin speaks to Anna White for Country Life about the rise of the rural supercar, where you’re as likely to see an Aston Martin in the Cotswolds as you are in Knightsbridge.

Classic Rolls Royce ©Sarah Frances Kelley for The Buying Solution
Sarah Frances Kelley for The Buying Solution

Read the article here.

In the Press: The Buying Solution in Bloomberg

Harry Gladwin, The Buying Solution Partner and Head of the Cotswolds Region, speaks to Sarah Rappaport at Bloomberg about the Cotswolds’ appeal for US buyers, and the surge in his American clients in the past year.

Sarah Frances Kelley for The Buying Solution

Read the article on Bloomberg here.

In the Press: The Buying Solution in The Telegraph

With news of Ellen DeGeneres’ rumoured move, Harry Gladwin, The Buying Solution Partner and Head of the Cotswolds Region, speaks to Guy Kelly of The Telegraph about how Trump’s victory has prompted wealthy Democrats to consider relocating to the Cotswolds.


Sarah Frances Kelley for The Buying Solution

Read the article in The Telegraph here.

Elegant Christmas Destinations Guide: Country

From refined shopping destinations to stately country retreats, discover our guide to the finest festive events and destinations across our country regions

Exterior of large country house hotel Heckfield Place with frost on the lawn and christmas tree
Heckfield Place
Hampshire House Guests

Resident guests and Friends of Heckfield Place in Hampshire, the lovingly restored five-star Georgian estate, can enjoy a beautiful selection of experiences throughout the season. Highlights include wreathmaking and willow-weaving workshops, festive films in the screening room and a grand Christmas tree lighting ceremony with carolers in the grounds.

Resident guests will be treated to a Christmas Eve sleigh ride, feasting and live music on Christmas Day and Boxing Day duck herding, followed by family tree hunts and wine tastings between Christmas and New Year. While it may be too late to book for this year, why not plan ahead for next?

The Festive Royal Borough

Ascot’s final race meeting of the year – the Howden Christmas Racing Weekend – is always hugely popular and, as ever, it promises a great day on the track as well as plenty of festivities off it. Family entertainment on the Saturday includes candle-lit carol singing with the Ascot Brass Band and an appearance by Father Christmas himself.

Nearby Windsor Castle pays homage to 1,000 years of royal history this Christmas with a number of special events. At the centre of the beautifully decorated State Apartments each year stands the 20-foot-high Nordmann Fir tree in St George’s Hall, which is felled from Windsor Great Park and dressed with thousands of lights.

Elegant West Sussex Estates

Whether you choose to stay at the Hotel over Christmas or simply visit, with twinkling lights strung up on the hundreds of trees across the 11,000-acre Goodwood Estate in West Sussex it’s a magical setting. Culinary masterclasses, late-night shopping events, festive afternoon teas and the ultimate Après Ski Party; the Estate has a hugely varied programme of events throughout December and into the New Year. Their candlelit carol service in the resplendent Front Hall of the House is always a memorable event.

Travelling north to the magnificent 17th-century National Trust-owned Petworth House, visitors can marvel at the beautifully adorned historic rooms and enjoy late-night openings, choir performances, a makers’ market and wreathmaking workshops.

A Cotswolds Christmas

The bucolic country retreat of Thyme, a ‘village within a village’ in the Cotswolds, is leaning in to the slow and intentional side of Christmas with cookery classes, wreathmaking and wellness events. This is a place to unwind and recharge before the festive excess takes over. A half-an-hour drive north to Daylesford Farm and there are still spaces left on a number of their wreathmaking workshops, or take the children to meet Dancer and Blitzen while you wander the farm shop in search of gifts.

Elsewhere in the Cotswolds, guests at Estelle Manor near Witney can enjoy all manner of special events, inspired by festive folklore. The centrepiece is an ice rink for up to 60 skaters on the north lawn lit by pretty festoon lights which is open until 5th January.

Enchantment at Waddesdon

The great Rothschild estate of Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire always goes to town with their festive celebrations and, this year, visitors can enjoy winter cellar tours and wine tastings and festive afternoon teas in the house. But the real magic takes place in the grounds which will be transformed with light projections on the Manor façade, a light trail through the gardens and artwork installations, all inspired by the classic tale of Sleeping Beauty. Waddesdon’s ever-popular Christmas fair and late-night openings also return this year.

Meet our specialist Country team of buying agents here and get in touch to find out more about how they can assist with your next property search.

In the Press: The Buying Solution in Bloomberg

Harry Gladwin, The Buying Solution Partner and Head of the Cotswolds Region, speaks to Sarah Rappaport at Bloomberg about the rise of the ‘party barn’; the new must-have in the most sought-after areas of the English countryside.

Party-barn-by-Sims-Hilditch
Party barn designed by Sims Hilditch

Read the article on Bloomberg here.

In the Press: The Buying Solution in The Telegraph

Harry Gladwin, The Buying Solution Partner and Head of the Cotswolds Region, speaks to Anna White of The Daily Telegraph for her cover story about Britain’s wealth hotspots, and the importance of the off-market deal.

STOCK a gateway into a country house in an english village

Read the article in The Daily Telegraph here