When Downsizing Actually Makes Financial Sense
I've sat at a lot of kitchen tables over the years with couples who've raised their kids, watched them leave, and are now staring down a house that feels too big. The furnace needs replacing. The property taxes keep climbing. There are three bedrooms nobody sleeps in and a backyard nobody uses. And still, the thought of selling makes their stomach drop.
That's normal. Downsizing isn't really about square footage. It's about closing a chapter. The doorframe where you pencilled in the kids' heights. The kitchen where Thanksgiving happened every year. The backyard where the dog used to run circles. Those things don't show up on a listing sheet, and they matter more than most people are willing to say out loud.
So if you're in that spot — knowing it probably makes sense to move but not quite ready to feel good about it — I get it. I've walked through this with enough families to know that the practical stuff and the emotional stuff are tangled together, and you can't just skip to the spreadsheet. Let's talk about both.
Not every empty nester needs to downsize. Some people love their house, can afford it, and want to stay. There's nothing wrong with that. But for a lot of people, the numbers start telling a story that's hard to ignore.
If your home is worth $450,000 or more and you're carrying it debt-free, that's a significant amount of equity sitting in a building you're heating, insuring, and maintaining for two people. A 2,500-square-foot home in Regina costs real money to run — property taxes, utilities, a roof that'll need replacing every 20-25 years, a furnace that doesn't last forever. Those costs add up quietly. I've had clients realize they were spending $8,000 to $12,000 a year just on maintenance, taxes, and utilities for space they weren't using.
Here's the math that usually gets people's attention: if you sell a home worth $500,000 and buy a bungalow or condo for $300,000 to $350,000, you've freed up $150,000 or more in equity. That money can go into retirement savings, travel, helping the grandkids, or just peace of mind knowing it's there. And your monthly carrying costs — taxes, utilities, insurance, maybe condo fees — drop meaningfully.
I'm not saying you should rush into anything. But if the house is costing more to maintain than it's giving back in daily life, it's worth running the numbers with an honest eye.
What "Downsizing" Actually Looks Like in East Regina
When people hear "downsizing," they tend to picture a tiny apartment. That's not what we're talking about. In east Regina, downsizing usually means one of three things.
Bungalows. A lot of empty nesters want to stay on one level. No more stairs, no more running up and down to do laundry. East Regina has some really well-built bungalows — both newer construction and established homes — that give you 1,200 to 1,600 square feet on the main floor. That's plenty of space for two people and enough room for grandkids to visit.
Condos. If you're done with yard work and snow clearing, condos take that off your plate entirely. You lock the door and leave. The east side has newer condo developments where your monthly fee covers exterior maintenance, landscaping, and sometimes even snow removal. Entry points start around $200,000 and go up depending on size and finishes.
Townhomes. These split the difference. You get your own front door, maybe a small patio or yard, but with shared exterior maintenance through a condo association. Townhomes in east Regina range from roughly $300,000 to $500,000 depending on the neighbourhood, and they tend to feel more like a house than a traditional condo does.
The right format depends on what you actually want your daily life to look like. I always ask clients: do you want a garden? Do you want to shovel? Do you want a guest bedroom or a guest suite? Those answers narrow things down quickly.
The Best East Regina Neighbourhoods for Empty Nesters
East Regina works well for retirees and downsizers for practical reasons. You've got the Pasqua Hospital and medical clinics nearby. The Aurora and Quance Street shopping corridors handle most daily errands within a 5- to 10-minute drive. And the residential feel out here is noticeably quieter than other parts of the city. It's not isolated — it's just settled.
Here are the neighbourhoods I'd look at closely.
East Pointe Estates — Affordable Condos and Low Maintenance
East Pointe Estates is one of the more practical downsizing options on the east side. The newer condos and townhomes here start around $207,000 to $250,000, which means you can sell your family home, buy here, and come out with a significant amount of equity freed up.
The Pilot Butte Creek pathway runs through the neighbourhood, so you've got a walking route right outside your door without needing to drive to a park. For shopping, you're close to the Aurora area — Costco, Landmark Cinemas, and the usual big-box stores are about five minutes away. Condo fees are reasonable, typically $150 to $200 a month, and they cover exterior maintenance so you're not up on a ladder cleaning gutters in October.
It's not a luxury neighbourhood. I'll be honest about that. But if what you care about is an affordable, low-maintenance home with good access to everything you need, East Pointe Estates delivers without pretending to be something it's not.
Wascana View — Established Prestige with Green Space
Wascana View is a different conversation entirely. This is Regina's premium residential area, and the homes reflect that — you're looking at $600,000 on the low end up to $1.7 million for the best lots. But for empty nesters who've built wealth through their home and want to downsize into something smaller that still carries prestige, Wascana View has options.
The neighbourhood borders 930 hectares of Wascana Centre parkland. Most Regina residents drive to Wascana Centre. People who live here walk. The streets curve along the Wascana Creek valley, and the five-finger greenspace design means walking paths weave behind many of the homes. For retirees who want daily access to trails, birdwatching, and genuine nature without leaving their neighbourhood, there's really nothing else like it in the city.
The homes are custom-built from the 1990s and 2000s — mature landscaping, solid construction, generous lots. Turnover is low, which means inventory is limited. If this is your price range and the setting speaks to you, it's worth watching the market patiently.
The Creeks — High-End New Construction, Minimal Upkeep
The Creeks draws a surprising number of downsizers, and not just because of the price tag (median around $900,000). A lot of retirees who've sold acreages or larger properties want quality finishes without compromising on standards. The architectural controls here require stucco, stone, or brick exteriors — no vinyl siding — and the lots are designed to be manageable. You're not taking on a half-acre of lawn.
The McKell Wascana Environmental Reserve sits right on the neighbourhood's edge — 171 acres of protected prairie and wetland with trails along Chuka Creek. The streets are almost entirely cul-de-sacs with no commercial traffic. It's consistently one of the safest neighbourhoods in the city.
For retirees who want a newer home that'll hold its value, a quiet setting, and access to nature, The Creeks is hard to argue with. Just know that it's car-dependent for errands, and inventory is tight — typically only about four homes for sale at any given time.
Spruce Meadows — Budget-Friendly Condos on the East Side
If your priority is keeping costs low and life simple, the east side of Spruce Meadows has newer condos built after 2020 that make a lot of sense for downsizers. You can get into the market here from around $200,000, which means you're potentially freeing up a significant chunk of equity from your current home.
The Sandra Schmirler Leisure Centre is walkable from most of the neighbourhood — pool, gym, library branch all in one spot. That kind of daily access matters when you're retired and looking for routine and activity without driving across the city. The Prince of Wales Drive corridor handles groceries and errands, and the Aurora Shopping area is close by.
Spruce Meadows isn't flashy. It's not going to impress anyone at a dinner party. But if you want a safe, quiet, affordable place where the maintenance is handled and you can walk to the things you use every day, it's one of the best-value options in east Regina.
Greens on Gardiner — Community Feel with Walkable Amenities
Greens on Gardiner is the neighbourhood I mention most when empty nesters tell me they want to downsize but don't want to feel isolated. The Acre 21 commercial hub is built right into the community — Save-On-Foods, restaurants, a pharmacy, services — and most of it's walkable from your front door. That's rare in Regina.
There are newer bungalows and townhomes here in the $350,000 to $500,000 range that work well for two people who want space without excess. Over 40 acres of parks and green space run through the neighbourhood, connected by lit walking paths. For retirees who want to walk to the grocery store, stroll through green space in the evening, and feel like they're part of a community, Greens on Gardiner checks a lot of boxes.
The neighbourhood skews younger — lots of families with kids — so it's got an energy to it. Some empty nesters love that. Others prefer something quieter. It depends on what you're after.
Practical Tips for Making the Move
The decision to downsize is one thing. Actually doing it is another. Here's what I've seen work well.
Start sorting before you list. Don't try to pack up 25 years of a family home in two weeks. Give yourself months. Go room by room. Keep what matters, donate what's useful, and be honest about what you're holding onto out of guilt versus love. I've had clients rent a small storage unit during the transition so they don't feel like they have to make every decision at once.
Stage your current home for the market it's in. Your family home probably has personal touches everywhere — photos on every wall, the kids' art on the fridge, a craft room that only makes sense to you. A buyer needs to see themselves in the space. That means decluttering, depersonalizing, and letting the bones of the house speak. I'll walk you through exactly what to do and what not to worry about.
Think carefully about timing. The ideal scenario is selling your current home first, so you know exactly what you're working with financially. Then you buy. In a balanced market like Regina's, you usually have enough time between accepting an offer and closing to find your next place. If the timing gets tight, bridge financing or a longer closing date can give you breathing room. I've handled this enough times that we can plan it so you're not sleeping on your kid's couch.
Visit neighbourhoods at different times of day. Drive through on a weekday morning, a Saturday afternoon, and a weekday evening. You'll get a much better sense of traffic, noise, and the general pace of life. A neighbourhood can feel completely different at 10 AM versus 6 PM.
Run the real numbers. Don't just compare purchase prices. Factor in condo fees, property taxes at the new assessed value, utilities for a smaller space, and what you'll save on maintenance. I've seen people surprised in both directions — sometimes the savings are bigger than expected, sometimes the condo fees eat into them more than anticipated. Better to know upfront.
It's a Big Decision — Take Your Time
Downsizing isn't something you do on a whim. It's one of the most personal real estate decisions there is, because you're not just buying a new house — you're leaving one that meant something. I've sat with enough families going through this to know that it takes time, and there's no reason to rush.
If you're starting to think about it, even casually, it helps to have a conversation early. Not a sales pitch — just an honest look at what your current home is worth, what's available in the neighbourhoods you're considering, and what the numbers actually look like. I'm very patient with this process because I think you deserve to be.
You can browse everything available in East Regina to get a sense of what's out there. And when you're ready to talk it through, I'm here. Call or text me at 306-581-1212 — I'll truly listen to what matters to you, give you all the options, and let you make the decision that feels right.
