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The post-Covid era is generally regarded as a good time for sellers. Home prices were at a high, so those looking at property gains for retirement (or other investments) would theoretically have done well. But as we’ve found out, not all downgraders who rushed to capitalise on their gains have been totally happy. This is where real estate differs from other financial investments, in that it tends to go far beyond money: YK is in his mid-forties, and he just right-sized from a large, 2,000+ sq. ft. condo unit, which was handed down from his late mother. YK and his wife moved into a smaller two-bedder unit. This meant lower maintenance fees, as well as savings on transport and necessities: the couple’s previous home was quite far from malls or MRT stations, causing the couple to spend excessively on food and grocery deliveries. Within the first year, however, YK says he already began to have regrets: “ It was especially painful for YK who collects vintage electronics, and he had to auction off his collection of game consoles, which included a prized complete set of ZX Spectrum games. In addition, belongings like sporting equipment, bicycles, and large parts of the couple’s wardrobe also had to be given away. In hindsight, the couple find themselves missing these more than they enjoy the monetary savings.  Even having food nearby started to lose its charm: “ The biggest loss though, according to the couple, is the ability to easily host his father, siblings, or nephew when they want to stay overnight: YK describes the financial gains as “substantial” and agrees that, on paper, the move was a good one which made sense. However, both he and his wife still feel it was the wrong move, given the impact on their lifestyle. The main regret? “ Joan is a recently widowed parent of two, who downgraded from a condo to a resale flat in 2021. Part of the reason was financial: Joan was previously a homemaker; she has just re-entered the workforce, and is earning less than her late husband. In addition, only one of her children is of working age, and able to contribute. Nonetheless, Joan says that in hindsight her decision to downgrade was too much of a knee-jerk reaction: “ Joan realised she had made a mistake when, a year after the move, her children seemed less outgoing, more moody, and often refused to leave the house: “ Joan says that, even though keeping in touch is easier with social media, there’s less time and inclination to meet up due to the realities of distance. Her children don’t want to travel for 30 to 40 minutes each way to meet up, and to just hang out for a much shorter time than they had before.  There is another major issue that worsens this: Joan says that she shouldn’t have implemented the move so soon after the loss of the children’s father, as this likely imposes even more stress.  Her advice to downgraders, especially those facing big changes in their financial situation, is to: “ One of the few upsides though, is that the downgrade has helped to ensure Joan’s eldest quit her part-time job to focus on schooling, if he so chooses.  BK moved from a landed home in the Jalan Eunos area, to a three-bedder in the Middle Road area. This was due to the needs of his mother, who suffers from dementia. The former landed house not only had stairs, it was also easy for her to wander out the front gate and directly onto the road. (Incidentally, BK raises some points that might be useful to know: Smaller homes are less confusing than large, multi-level homes for people with dementia. And even if you install a lift, which BK did consider, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s harder to monitor dementia patients when they might be on a different floor).  By shifting to a single-floor condo, BK had multiple intentions: the first was that it was safer for his mother. The second was to prepare for retirement. BK expects this to happen within the next decade, and he says that: “ Everything makes sense, so why was BK unhappy after the first year? “ BK also misses the opportunity to sit in his own garden and backyard, and just relax as the sun goes down. While he’s tried to do this in the quieter areas of the condo, he’s inevitably interrupted by cleaners, kids starting ball games (even though it’s against the rules), and food delivery workers, contractors, etc. going by. BK says his mistake was simply underestimating the impact of living with many more people; and it may be the contrast that worsens it:  “ You can also follow us on Stacked for more stories on homeowner experiences and advice. If you’d like to get in touch for a more in-depth consultation, you can do so .