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5 Hidden Costs of Staying in Your Current House vs. Moving to a Life Plan Community

A lot goes into deciding between aging in place vs. a senior living community. There are the emotions tied to downsizing for seniors, especially if they’re moving from the home where they raised their children and celebrated life’s big moments. But selling your home allows you to unlock your home equity and invest it in a more fulfilling lifestyle — one where you can continue to enjoy life’s big moments.

From a practical standpoint, the cost of staying in your home can be measured in both time and money. While you can try to save both, if you’re going to spend either one, make sure it’s worth it by making a move to Vista Point at Fairview.

How a Life Plan Community Helps You Save Time

Time is the only thing you have to spend every day. We believe it’s better spent doing what you enjoy—and less on what you don’t. Moving to a maintenance-free retirement community frees you from the responsibilities of home upkeep and repairs. You won’t even need to wait around for a service call. Our talented and helpful staff will take care of everything while you enjoy the lifestyle our retirement community offers.

If you’re wondering how much time you’ll free up by leaving household chores behind, here’s an estimate based on the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data on the average time people spend maintaining their homes:

Housekeeping

47 hours/month. This includes tidying up, making the bed, sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, dusting, putting away dishes and utensils, and cleaning the kitchen and bathroom, plus laundry. Chances are, you do at least one of these tasks daily.

The math: 11.76 hours/week × 4 weeks = 47.04 hours/month.

Cooking

29 hours/month. With three meals a day (plus a snack here and there), you likely spend over an hour a day preparing meals, serving them, and doing dishes.

The math: 7.42 hours/week × 4 weeks = 29.68 hours/month.

Outdoor maintenance

56 hours/month. In Connecticut, there’s always something to do outside—mowing the lawn, watering plants, pulling weeds, raking leaves, or clearing snow. On average, this takes more than 2 hours a day or about 14 hours a week.

The math: 14 hours/week × 4 weeks = 56.28 hours/month.

Indoor maintenance and repairs

Even if you don’t personally handle repairs like painting, cleaning gutters, replacing light bulbs, fixing leaks, or servicing your furnace and AC, you still have to find someone you trust to do the work — and pay them.

In total, the average person spends about 133 hours each month (over five and a half days) on these simple chores. That’s time you could spend seeing friends and family, socializing with your new neighbors, traveling, exploring your creative side, or simply relaxing while enjoying our waterfront view.

Note: This total of 133 hours doesn’t include general straightening, organizing, or putting things back where they belong.

Four Ways a Life Plan Community Helps You Save Money

Seeing how a Life Plan Community helps you avoid the hidden costs of aging in place is fairly straightforward. However, you might save in ways you wouldn’t expect—or even initially consider:

Unpredictable expenses

It’s nearly impossible to precisely predict your annual expenses for home maintenance, repairs, and replacements. You’ll also need to factor in major repairs like your roof, siding, windows, plumbing, wiring, and appliances. The age, condition, and location of your home—as well as the weather—can all influence your costs.

Expenses beyond your mortgage

Even if your mortgage is paid off, you’ll still face unavoidable monthly expenses: property taxes, homeowners insurance, and utility bills. You may also pay for optional services like housecleaning, landscaping, and maintenance.

Transportation expenses

Between running errands, attending medical appointments, and going to social events, it’s hard to get by without a car or access to transportation. Car ownership comes with costs like a monthly car payment, insurance, gasoline, licensing fees, maintenance, and repairs.

Home modification expenses

If you stay in your home, you may eventually need to make renovations to maintain safety and mobility. These could include modifying bathrooms, widening doorways, and adding stair lifts or ramps.

Learning About Vista Point is Time Well Spent

As the only nonprofit Life Plan senior living community in Southeastern Connecticut that combines a vibrant lifestyle with breathtaking waterfront views, Vista Point features services and amenities designed to help your time and money go further.

To learn more, call (860) 968-VIEW (8439) or contact us here.

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