Musings: Downsizing idea gets me down
A $489,000 Sayville condo on sale in a 55-and-older community in 2025. Credit: All Media NY/Andrea Onglengco
I feel it’s humorous that the whole purpose of downsizing is to move to a smaller home with easier maintenance and, above all, lowering one’s monthly costs.
I don’t see that experience happening on Long Island if you try to move to a 55-and-older community.
It’s going to cost you an arm, a leg and all the equity you’ve built up in your current home over the years.
The scarier part is that even if you buy the new smaller home, the facility’s huge monthly fees might have you needing to visit food banks to maintain a decent existence.
The whole purpose of downsizing is to cut your own bills, not make some developer rich.
— Anthony Tanzi, Mastic Beach
With new 55-and-older community rents of more than $2,000 to $3,000 per month, how can many seniors afford to “downsize” when we are barely squeaking by on our Social Security income?
— John Wolf, Levittown
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