Is 2026 the Year to Right-Size Your Denver Home? (Move Up or Downsize Smart)

Is 2026 the Year to Right-Size Your Denver Home? (Move Up or Downsize Smart)

If you’ve lived in your Denver home for a while, there’s a good chance your life looks different than it did when you first bought it.

Maybe you’ve:

• Outgrown the space and everyone’s fighting over bathrooms.

• Watched kids move out and now you’re heating and cleaning rooms no one uses.

• Changed jobs and your commute or work-from-home needs are totally different.

In a calmer, more balanced 2026 Denver market, a lot of homeowners aren’t asking “Should I buy or sell?” so much as:

“Is this still the right home for the life I’m living now?”

That’s what right-sizing is really about—matching your home to your current (and future) life, not just chasing square footage. Let’s walk through how to know whether it’s time to move up, downsize, or make your existing place work for a few more years.

Step 1: Look at the way you actually live (not how you thought you’d live)

Forget for a moment what the market is doing and look at your daily reality. Ask yourself:

• Which rooms do we actually use every week?

• Where does everyone spend the most time?

• Where do we feel cramped—or weirdly spread out?

If you’re constantly:

• Turning the dining table into a part-time office

• Squeezing guests into awkward spaces

• Avoiding whole sections of the house except to dust them

…your home might not be aligned with how you really live anymore.

Right-sizing is about giving the space you use most the priority it deserves, instead of clinging to square footage that only looks good on paper.

Step 2: Decide if you’re more “move up” or “scale down”

Most Denver homeowners fall into one of three categories:

1. Move Up:
   You need more room and/or different features.

   • Growing family or multigenerational household

   • Need a real home office (or two)

   • Want a bigger yard, bigger kitchen, or better layout for entertaining

2. Downsize:
   You need less house or less maintenance.

   • Kids are gone or almost gone

   • Yard work, stairs, or upkeep are wearing you out

   • You’d rather spend time traveling or enjoying Denver than managing the house

3. Reconfigure:
   You like your area but your current house isn’t quite right.

   • Remodeling might make more sense than moving

   • Finishing a basement or reworking a floor plan could buy you years of comfort

The trick is being brutally honest about which category you’re truly in—not just the one that feels easiest in the moment.

Step 3: Run the money math for staying vs right-sizing

Once you know what you want, it’s time to talk about what makes sense financially.

For your current home, look at:

• Your current mortgage payment and remaining balance

• Property taxes, insurance, HOA or metro district fees

• Average monthly utilities and maintenance

Then compare that to a realistic estimate for your next home:

• New mortgage at current rates

• Taxes and HOA/metro district for neighborhoods you’re interested in

• Likely repair/upgrade budget if it’s not brand new

Sometimes, people are surprised. Right-sizing doesn’t always mean “more expensive if we move.” In some cases, downsizing can free up equity and reduce monthly expenses. In other cases, moving up comes with a higher payment but far better use of space, especially if you’re currently in a starter home that no longer fits.

The real question is:

Does the new scenario support your life for at least the next 5–7 years without constant financial stress?

If yes, it’s worth exploring further. If not, we might look at improving your current home instead.

Step 4: Factor in your time and energy, not just dollars

Money matters, but so does your bandwidth.

Moving up often means:

• A bigger yard to care for

• More square footage to clean and furnish

• More systems (like multiple HVAC units) to maintain

Downsizing, on the other hand, can:

• Reduce cleaning and yard work

• Lower utility bills

• Simplify your life—but only if you truly let go of extra stuff and space you don’t need

If you’re burned out on house projects, yard work, or long commutes, that’s not a small thing. Sometimes the best “return on investment” is getting your time and mental energy back.

Step 5: Think about your five-year and ten-year selves

Right-sizing decisions are rarely about just the next year. They’re about who you’re becoming.

Ask:

• Where do I want to spend my time in the next 5–10 years?

• Will stairs, yard maintenance, or a long commute still work for me?

• Do I want to host holidays, grandkids, friends, or out-of-town guests?

• Am I planning to work from home long-term?

For some Denver homeowners, the answer is:

“We want a home base where family can gather and we’re willing to maintain a bit more house for that.”

For others, it’s:

“We’d rather have a lock-and-leave place, travel, and keep things simple.”

Neither is wrong. But if your future self would be much happier in a different type of home, it’s worth listening.

Step 6: Consider how the current Denver market helps (or challenges) your move

In a calmer 2026 market, right-sizing can actually be more doable:

• If you’re upsizing, you’re less likely to be in wild bidding wars on your move-up home.

• If you’re downsizing, you may still have solid equity in your current place, especially if you’ve owned for a while.

• You have more time and breathing room to make thoughtful decisions instead of reacting to a frenzy.

The key is sequencing:

• Do you need to sell first to unlock your equity?

• Can you buy first and then sell?

• Is there a way to do both with contingencies and a realistic timeline?

This is where a custom strategy—not generic advice—matters a lot.

Step 7: Get a “Right-Size Game Plan” before you do anything drastic

Right-sizing doesn’t start with calling movers. It starts with information.

Before you make any big decisions, you should have:

• A clear estimate of what your current Denver home would likely sell for

• A net sheet that shows your approximate proceeds after selling

• A realistic price range and payment range for your next home

• A rough timeline that won’t leave you homeless or juggling two homes longer than necessary

Once you see those pieces on paper, the right move usually becomes much clearer. Sometimes it’s:

“Yes, it’s time—let’s move up or downsize this year.”

Sometimes it’s:

“We’re close, but not quite there yet. Let’s wait 12–18 months and prep the house in the meantime.”

Right-sizing is successful when it’s intentional, not rushed.

If you’re even thinking about a move in the Denver area—now, next season, or “sometime soon”—you don’t need a hard sell. You need a clear plan.

I offer a no-pressure Denver Real Estate Strategy Session where we’ll:

• Walk through your timeline, goals, and budget in plain language

• Look at what’s really happening in your specific neighborhoods and price range

• Map out your next best steps—whether that’s buying, selling, right-sizing, or waiting on purpose

You’ll walk away knowing:

• What your current home could likely sell for in today’s market

• What a comfortable purchase price and payment range looks like for your next place

• Exactly what to focus on now so you’re ready when the timing feels right

When you’re ready:

• Visit salliesimmons.com to explore my Buyer and Seller resources

• Or call/text me directly at 662.588.2420

• Or send me a quick note through my contact form with “Strategy Session” in the message

No drama, no pressure—just honest guidance from a full-time Denver REALTOR® who treats your move like it’s her own.