Property values continue to rise and those looking to downsize can make the most of the current market highs, but how much you can save by downsizing can vary significantly depending on where you live. A new StorageCafe study found homeowners in the 20 largest U.S. metros could save $194,000 when downsizing from a four-bedroom to a two-bedroom home. In some markets that savings is even higher.
StorageCafe’s methodology looked at the difference between the value of a four-bedroom home versus a two-bedroom home in each metro. The study took into account property taxes over 10 years, as well as closing costs for selling and buying both properties. California led the list with San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles taking the first three spots on the list for large downsizing savings at $406,000, $264,700 and $239,800, respectively.
What type of savings are downsizers seeing in the Chicago area? Chicago-Naperville-Elgin ranked 14th on the list. A four-bedroom home there is $366,000, and a two-bedroom home costs a little more than $200,000, resulting in a downsizing savings of just under $160,000, according to the report. Moving from a four-bedroom home in Naperville to a two-bedroom home in Elgin will generate $330,000 in savings. Downsizing to Chicago from Naperville will bring $250,000 in savings. Homeowners leaving a larger home in Chicago for a smaller home in Elgin or Naperville could save between $100,000 and $128,000.