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.
Atlanta joins Minneapolis and Phoenix as the three cities with the smallest downsizing savings, according to the report. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta ranked No. 19. With lower housing costs, that savings is about $110,000 overall. Homeowners downsizing from a four-bedroom home in Atlanta to a two-bedroom home in Sandy Springs can reap $380,000 in savings, while Atlanta homeowners downsizing to a smaller home within the city itself could save $163,000.