By Caroline Andrews
For years, most of us chose our homes based on what we needed while we were living in them. Bedrooms for children, a backyard, space to entertain, a good school district, perhaps a garage and enough storage for everything a busy family accumulated along the way.
But as life changes, perhaps there is another question worth adding to the list: How easy is it to leave?
For many people over 55, travel becomes a bigger part of life. A two-week vacation may turn into a month away. Winters somewhere warmer become more appealing. There may be grandchildren in another province, friends with an invitation to visit or, finally, the time to take the extended trip that never fit into a working schedule. Then suddenly the home that worked beautifully for one stage of life can require a surprising amount of attention when you are trying to enjoy another.
It is an interesting contradiction. We work for years to create a beautiful home and property, only to reach a point when some of those very features can make it harder to leave. The large garden needs tending. The pool needs maintaining. Snow still falls while you are in Florida. Repairs do not conveniently wait until you return. None of that means you need to move. But it may be worth considering how much your home influences the choices you make.
Have you ever shortened a trip because you were uncomfortable leaving the house for too long? Hesitated to spend a winter away because there was too much to organize? Found yourself checking security cameras from another country or wondering whether the person looking after the house remembered to stop by?
At some point, “How easily can I leave?” may become just as relevant as “How comfortably can I live here?”
There is a financial side to this as well. We naturally think about what our homes cost while we are living in them but rarely consider what they cost while we are away. Lawn care, snow removal, pool maintenance, security, house checks and other services can add up, particularly for people who travel for several weeks or months at a time.
That does not necessarily make those expenses unreasonable. If you love your home, they may be well worth paying. The point is simply to recognize them as part of the lifestyle decision.
There are also practical considerations that are easy to overlook. Home insurance policies, for example, may have specific requirements when a property is unoccupied, particularly during the heating season. Depending on your policy, someone may need to enter and inspect the home at certain intervals. Water, heating and other systems may also require precautions before an extended absence. These are things worth discussing directly with your insurance provider before a longer trip.
For some homeowners, the solution is simply putting better systems in place. Reliable property maintenance, a trusted neighbour or house sitter, monitored security and smart-home technology can make an enormous difference. A home you once worried about leaving can become considerably easier to manage.
For others, travel eventually changes what they want from their next home.
That is when the wish list can start looking very different.
Instead of another bedroom, perhaps secure underground parking matters more. Instead of a large backyard, you might prefer a balcony or terrace you can simply close the door on. A concierge, property management, exterior maintenance or a secure building entrance may suddenly have greater value than features that were important 20 years ago.
Even location can take on a different meaning. Being close to a good school may no longer matter, while easy access to the airport, train station, highway or family might.
This is not necessarily about downsizing. Someone could move into a beautiful, spacious condominium and gain convenience without sacrificing space. Others may choose a bungalow, rental community, retirement residence or smaller property. And many people will decide they are happiest staying exactly where they are and arranging the support they need.
The important part is that the home continues to fit the life.
We tend to think about housing decisions in terms of what we are giving up or gaining inside the front door. But perhaps, at this stage of life, freedom outside that door deserves equal consideration.
The next time you travel, notice how you feel when you leave. Are you thinking about the trip ahead or running through a mental list of everything that could happen at home? And while you are away, does your house stay comfortably in the background or does it continue demanding your attention?
The answers may tell you something.
A home should be a wonderful place to return to. But increasingly, it may also be worth asking whether it is an easy place to leave.
Because sometimes the greatest luxury isn’t a bigger house or another upgrade. It is being able to lock the door, walk away and know that home will be just fine until you return.
