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Property & Home

Discover the latest news, tips, and advice on property and home for over-60s.

Latest news & insights

5 nifty tips to make the most of your downsized living space
Starts at 60 Writers avatarStarts at 60 Writers
Downsizing & Decluttering
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Source: Kislev from JulieK's Images (Canva Teams).
Downsizing & Decluttering

How to downsize while keeping the important things that hold memories

How to downsize while keeping the important things that hold memories

It’s not about having less, but having more of what matters.
Source: ucpage from Getty Images (Canva Teams)
News

Smart ways to protect your home

Smart ways to protect your home

Not everyone has the budget for a state-of-the-art security system, but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep your home safe. With a few clever tricks and precautions, you can add an extra layer of protection.
Source: Drazen_ from Getty Images Signature (Canva Teams)
Property & Home

Six essential home upgrades to consider before downsizing

Six essential home upgrades to consider before downsizing

It doesn't matter how long you've lived in your current digs, there are some simple home improvements that – if done well – can give your property added value. The good news? Some of them don't take very much work at all!
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Property & Home

Understanding the difference between aged care and retirement villages

Understanding the difference between aged care and retirement villages

Many people confuse aged care with retirement villages, often picturing nursing homes instead of independent living communities. So, what sets them apart?
When evaluating an aged care facility, asking the right questions is crucial to gather the necessary information and make an informed decision. Source: Getty Images.
Aged care

Key questions to ask when choosing the perfect aged care facility for your needs

Key questions to ask when choosing the perfect aged care facility for your needs

To help you make informed decisions that align with your unique needs and preferences, Starts at 60 has put together a list of essential questions to ask when exploring aged care options.
Source: Getty Images.
Downsizing & Decluttering

9 practical tips for downsizing after divorce

9 practical tips for downsizing after divorce

Divorce can be emotionally draining, but downsizing and decluttering afterward can be liberating, giving you a fresh start both at home and in life.
Moving can bring excitement, but also a deep emotional struggle when it’s time to let go of cherished keepsakes. Source: Getty Images.
Downsizing & Decluttering

Navigating the emotional challenges of downsizing

Navigating the emotional challenges of downsizing

Downsizing isn’t just about moving into a smaller space—it’s about letting go of the things we hold dear. Here's how to face the emotional challenge of sorting through memories and starting fresh.
Source: Daria Minaeva (Canva Teams)
Home Decorating

The home decorating tool you’re probably overlooking

The home decorating tool you’re probably overlooking

From creating room dividers and dramatic statements to adding life as table centerpieces or wall-mounted art, plants are a versatile design tool.
Source: sasirin pamai's Images (Canva Teams).
Arthritis and joint pain

10 helpful tips to make everyday living with arthritis easier at home

10 helpful tips to make everyday living with arthritis easier at home

These home adjustments are a great way to improve accessibility and make life easier in the face of chronic pain and flare ups.
Source: Kristen Prahl from Getty Images (Canva Teams).
Downsizing & Decluttering

A step-by-step guide to decluttering your pantry

A step-by-step guide to decluttering your pantry

The pantry is one of the biggest culprits of holding unnecessary clutter.
Source: madsci from Getty Images Pro (Canva Teams).
Home hints and DIY

How to keep ants out of your home

How to keep ants out of your home

These DIY methods can be easily accomplished with tools and ingredients commonly found around the house.
Source: Biserka Stojanovic from Getty Images (Canva Teams)
Home hints and DIY

Say goodbye to frustration and hello to a faster, smarter way of making your bed

Say goodbye to frustration and hello to a faster, smarter way of making your bed

Struggling to insert your doona into its cover? You’re not alone. The secret lies in a clever roll-up method.
Source: Getty Images.
Downsizing & Decluttering

Downsizing made easy: How to get rid of unwanted items with ease

Downsizing made easy: How to get rid of unwanted items with ease

Moving soon? It’s time to start the great declutter! Make lists, plan ahead, and find the best home for your items—whether it's a new owner or a donation bin.
Source: Getty images
Home

Creative ways to declutter your space

Creative ways to declutter your space

If you are thinking about downsizing, you might be worried about what to do with items you can't take. From bulging wardrobes filled with clothes you no longer wear, to furniture that won’t fit in your new place, it can be daunting to decide what to do with your clutter.

Resources

FREE Downsizing Essentials eGuide

Need more help? Register your interest to download the Starts at 60 Downsizing Essentials eGuide, packed with insights from both the Starts at 60 and recognised industry experts that will help you understand your downsizing options and all. the big need-to-knows.

Register your interest

Explore the sections

Downsizing & decluttering

Downsizing & decluttering

This section covers selling a home, choosing a new home and making over-60s lives simpler by decluttering.

Home decorating

Home decorating

Add some zhuzh to your home with tips, ideas and inspiration from design and decorating experts

Gardening and home improvement

Gardening and home improvement

Our expert gardeners guide over-60s on what to grow and when to grow it

The property market

The property market

Real estate experts keep us up-to-date on the property market

Retirement Villages & Lifestyle Communities

Retirement Villages & Lifestyle Communities

Experts and insights to assist you when considering community living.

Property porn

Property porn

Stunning properties to inspire your next move.

Expert contributors

PROPERTY EXPERTRachel LaneThe Retirement Living and Aged Care Guru
Planning expertCraig ChristensenPrincipal Urban Designer
Money ExpertBrian HerdThe Elder Law Legal Eagle
DOWNSIZING EXPERTLorraine CoxThe Downsizing & Moving Guru
LIFESTYLE EXPERTSDi and Geoff EastRetirement Reviewers

Property & Home

The step-by-step guide to selling your home
Downsizing Your Home

The step-by-step guide to selling your home

It can be difficult to know where to start when you have decided to downsize and sell your family home.
Written byJessica Galley
‘Great house, nice neighbours, lots of wine: The Barossa is retiree heaven’
Bloggers

‘Great house, nice neighbours, lots of wine: The Barossa is retiree heaven’

Robin has lived in pretty much every state in Australia so knows the pros and cons of each.
Written byRobin Henry
Julia Zaetta’s 10 best tips for lower-stress decluttering
Downsizing Your Home

Julia Zaetta’s 10 best tips for lower-stress decluttering

"You CAN love something and still let it go and free yourself up."
Written byRachael Rosel

We ask retirement expert Rachel Lane

'What's the difference between a land lease community and strata title?'

How does the land-lease model used at lifestyle communities compare with strata title, which is more common in apartment buildings? 

Read more

Your Property Questions Answered

‘If we sell our farm and buy something smaller in town, how does that affect our pensions?’
Rachel Lane avatarRachel Lane
Downsizing & Decluttering
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If I sell my house, how long do I have to buy another one before I lose my Age Pension? Image source: Getty
Downsizing & Decluttering

‘If I sell my house, how long do I have to buy another one before I lose my Age Pension?’

‘If I sell my house, how long do I have to buy another one before I lose my Age Pension?’

Property and finance expert, Rachel Lane, answers the questions: 'If I sell my house, how long do I have to buy another one before I lose my Age Pension?'
Beware of these hidden costs associated with selling your home. Source: Getty
Selling your home

The unexpected costs to budget for when selling your home

The unexpected costs to budget for when selling your home

Selling a house involves more than simply listing it on the market. Here are some of the hidden expenses that sellers should not overlook.
Handing your house over to your kids when you're still alive can come with more complications than just naming them in your will. Source: Getty.
Estate planning

‘Should I give my home to my daughter now or will it to her?’

‘Should I give my home to my daughter now or will it to her?’

"I have seen many of these types of arrangements fall down because no one applied the 'what if' analysis."
There are some hurdles to jump over before a de facto can successfully contest a will. Source: Getty.
Estate planning

‘Can my ex-wife’s new partner rob our kids of her home if she dies?’

‘Can my ex-wife’s new partner rob our kids of her home if she dies?’

There are several hurdles a de facto partner must jump to successfully challenge a will. But it's not impossible.
Family fights are bad enough on their own, let alone when there's money involved. Source: Getty.
Estate planning

‘Can my estranged brother fight my attempt to sell our late dad’s house?’

‘Can my estranged brother fight my attempt to sell our late dad’s house?’

"I've received no benefit from my father’s will over the past 37 years, unlike Dad's de facto wife or my half-brother, who've lived rent-free for all of that time."
Downsizing expert Rachel Lane says the two options are like apples and oranges. Source: Getty.
Retirement Villages & Lifestyle Communities

‘What’s the difference between a land-lease community and strata title?’

‘What’s the difference between a land-lease community and strata title?’

Land-lease and strata title are two of the most common types of property ownership downsizers have to choose from – and knowing which one suits you best is vital.
Downsizing expert Rachel Lane says people should avoid falling into the trap of thinking land-lease communities are just full of oldies. Source: Getty.
Money

‘I’m a young 52! Should I wait until I’m older to buy into a land-lease community?’

‘I’m a young 52! Should I wait until I’m older to buy into a land-lease community?’

You don't have to be 'old' or even retired to live in a land-lease community.
Here are the top tips on staying financially secure in the current environment. Source: Getty.
Investment

‘How to protect your investment property portfolio in a risky environment’

‘How to protect your investment property portfolio in a risky environment’

Here's how to make sure your assets are always protected no matter the situation.
As this reader's assets increase, her pension may consequently be reduced. Source: Getty.
Age Pension

‘I’m worried that releasing $200K in home equity will impact my pension?’

‘I’m worried that releasing $200K in home equity will impact my pension?’

There are clever solutions that could allow this reader to downsize AND keep as much of her pension as possible.
Adding together all the building blocks of your finances will help to understand how much rent assistance you're eligible for. Source: Getty.
Financial planning

‘How much Rent Assistance can I get with a pension and nearly $600K in assets?’

‘How much Rent Assistance can I get with a pension and nearly $600K in assets?’

Bad news for self-funded retirees, as the rules around Rent Assistance are only applicable to those in receipt of a pension or government allowance.
Deciding which bucket to put your income and assets into can be difficult. Source: Getty.
Age Pension

‘Is it feasible to upsize, rather than downsize, to get a bigger pension?’

‘Is it feasible to upsize, rather than downsize, to get a bigger pension?’

Noel Whittaker has an answer for this community member, plus others on equity release and downsizing to pay off rental properties.
Building on family property might be more hassle than it's worth. Source: Getty.
Age Pension

‘Are there pension or estate issues if my parents have a granny flat on my land?’

‘Are there pension or estate issues if my parents have a granny flat on my land?’

Granny flats are an Aussie institution but they come with serious legal, financial and tax implications.
The rental market is a ticking time bomb according to the newest data. Source: Getty.
Money

‘A ticking time bomb’: Rental affordability crisis gets worse for pensioners

‘A ticking time bomb’: Rental affordability crisis gets worse for pensioners

A pensioner looking to rent can afford less than 1 per cent of all rentals, which is equivalent to just 625 rentals on offer out of the total 77,000 rentals that were surveyed.
This reader is tying to avoid being kicked out of her home. Source: Getty.
Estate planning

‘I live rent-free in a friend’s unit. If he dies, can his wife or kids kick me out?

‘I live rent-free in a friend’s unit. If he dies, can his wife or kids kick me out?

There are two ways to remove this worry, one more reliable than the other.
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