Upsizing in Retirement: Why You Should (and Shouldn't) Do It
Upsizing, or buying a bigger home, can make your retirement feel more luxurious. There's room for grandkids and projects, but run the numbers carefully.


It’s long been a common practice for retirees to downsize their homes once their careers wrap up and their children grow up and move out. And while AARP reports that a growing number of Americans are opting to age in place, there can be benefits to downsizing, like shedding the cost of a larger home and eliminating much of the work.
But you may be toying with the idea of upsizing your home in retirement. It’s less conventional, but that isn’t necessarily a reason not to do it, provided you’ve thought things through.
The upside of upsizing
Upsizing might read like a foolish move at a time in life when people are advised to try cutting costs. But upsizing could offer you a world of benefits during retirement.

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
For one thing, it may be that you spent most of your life in a smaller, less expensive home for the express purpose of being able to fund your retirement nest egg and meet your remaining savings goals. But if you've achieved those goals, and you're finally in a place where you can afford a larger home, why not let yourself enjoy one?
Retirement is a period of life when you're likely to spend more time at home, not less, given that you aren't working. So it makes sense to want a home that gives you room to spread out, enjoy your hobbies, and perhaps get a little space from your spouse or partner at a time when you're both apt to be home a lot.
You may also have opted for a smaller home during your working years because your career kept you busy, and you wanted to minimize maintenance. In retirement, you may be eager to keep busy, and you may have a lot more time on your hands to maintain a larger home.
Upsizing might also be necessary if you want to retire closer to family. If you lived in a city your entire career for job access, you might finally have an opportunity to live near family if they happen to be located in a more rural area.
And if not, a larger home could be more conducive to extended family visits than your current home — something you might crave in retirement. A 2024 Transamerica survey finds that pre-retirees' top dreams include spending more time with family and friends. A larger home could make it possible to host guests under your roof.
It's also worth noting that while upsizing a home often means taking on more work, it doesn't always equate to taking on more expense. If you’re moving from a city to a suburb or rural area, your mortgage and property taxes could shrink, even if your maintenance costs and utility bills rise.
Finally, you may find that a larger home is better able to accommodate you as you age than a smaller one. If you end up needing a walker, wider doorways could help you get around. If you have more space to move around, you’re less likely to injure yourself banging into corners.
The downside of upsizing
The obvious drawback of upsizing in retirement is potentially taking on more expenses. But there's also the work and stress of owning a larger home to consider.
In the absence of a job, you may have more time to deal with upkeep. But whether that's work you'll enjoy is another story.
You may also find that as you age, your ability to tackle home maintenance starts to wane. At that point, each minor repair that crops up could become a major point of stress, especially if you're outsourcing help every time.
You may also find that upsizing puts you in a less social environment. If you're moving from an apartment where you're used to chatting with neighbors to a rural area where homes are spread out, you might struggle with loneliness.
As it is, retirees are prone to loneliness because they're not going to work every day and interacting with others. You don't necessarily want to pile on by isolating yourself physically.
Run the numbers
If living in a larger home is something you’ve always wanted to do, and you’re confident you can afford to upsize in retirement, then there’s no reason not to do so. Avoiding upsizing simply because most of your friends may be inclined to do the opposite isn't a good enough reason. But make sure to account for all your costs before moving forward with plans to purchase a larger home. These include:
- Your mortgage, if applicable
- Property taxes
- Homeowners insurance
- HOA fees, if they apply where you’re moving
- Utilities
- Maintenance
- Furniture, which you may need to fill a larger home
Ultimately, if the numbers add up, there’s no reason to deny yourself the joy of what could be a more comfortable home.
Read More
- The Cheapest Places to Retire in the US
- I Want to Buy a Vacation Home. I'm 65 and Have $3 Million Saved. Am I Crazy?
- You May Not Want to Downsize in Retirement: Here's Why
- My Great Retirement Dream: Sell My House, Downsize, Live off the Proceeds and Dabble in Stocks. Can I Do It?
- Should You Rent in Retirement?
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

Maurie Backman is a freelance contributor to Kiplinger. She has over a decade of experience writing about financial topics, including retirement, investing, Social Security, and real estate. She has written for USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, and Bankrate. She studied creative writing and finance at Binghamton University and merged the two disciplines to help empower consumers to make smart financial planning decisions.
-
Ask the Editor — Tax Questions on Inherited IRAs
Ask the Editor In this week's Ask the Editor Q&A, we answer tax questions from readers on the rules on inheriting IRAs.
-
I Asked Experts When It's Worth Splurging on Beauty and Skincare — and When You Can Save
Smart Shopping Experts agree that while you don't have to spend three figures on your products, some higher-priced items have value.
-
The Retirement 'Rule of $1 More'
The 'Rule of $1 More' explains how to plan for critical retirement thresholds. Because "you don't want to step off a cliff just because of $1 more."
-
Retiring Early? This Strategy Cuts Your Income Tax to Zero
When retiring early, married couples can use this little-known (and legitimate) strategy to take a six-figure income every year — tax-free.
-
Ditch the Golf Shoes: Your Retirement Needs a Side Gig
A side gig in retirement can help combat boredom, loneliness and the threat of inflation eroding your savings. And the earlier you start planning, the better.
-
The $33,000 Retirement: One Man's Surprising Path to Financial Freedom at 61
Forget what society tells you, even with less than $1 million, you can be happy in retirement.
-
Balancing Safety and Affordability: Florida’s Condominium Reform Enters a New Chapter
As robust inspections and reserve mandates remain, the state legislature introduces flexibility to ease financial burdens on condo owners.
-
Roth IRA Conversions in the Summer? Why Now May Be the Sweet Spot
Converting now would enable you to spread a possible tax hit over more than one payment while reducing future taxes.
-
Five Costly Medicare Myths
Signing up for Medicare can be complicated, and mistakes can be costly. Let's demystify these five Medicare myths to avoid expensive penalties.
-
Could Screen Time Be Good for Your Health?
We all love our screen time. Could your tech habit be helping you age gracefully? The answer is astonishing.