Should You Sell Your Home and Rent in Retirement? 3 Things to Compare

Should you sell your home and rent in retirement? Compare the full cost of staying in a paid-off home, what selling could leave after costs, and how each option fits your health, mobility, and day-to-day life. This video uses two fictional retirees and illustrative assumptions, not typical costs or a recommendation. In this example, staying in a paid-off home costs $1,400 a month, while renting nearby costs $2,340. That $940 monthly difference belongs to this example only. A separate home-sale example leaves about $420,000 after a $30,000 placeholder for selling and moving costs, before any tax on a gain. The three-ledger comparison: 1. Full monthly owner and renter budgets 2. Realistic net proceeds from a home sale 3. How each home supports the life you want Your taxes, insurance, upkeep, rent, home value, selling costs, and future needs can change the result. If a move, home sale, or investment withdrawals could materially affect your retirement plan, review the assumptions with qualified financial and tax professionals. This video is general education, not individualized financial or tax advice. Which factor would matter most to you: monthly cost, access to home equity, or where you want to live? Tell us in the comments. CHAPTERS 00:00 Own or rent in retirement? 00:30 Two fictional retirees 00:59 The full cost of owning 01:56 The full cost of renting 02:43 Monthly budget example 04:00 What selling the home could leave 05:20 Stress-testing future costs 06:09 Health, mobility, and daily life 07:19 The three-ledger test 08:33 No universal winner SOURCES AND FURTHER READING CFPB — Figure out how much you want to spend: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ownin... CFPB — Making housing decisions when your health changes: https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/d... U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Consumer expenditures in 2024: https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/cons... #RetirementPlanning #RetirementHousing #HomeEquity