Family downsizes from 100-year-old home to new build

Suzanne Miller and her husband Gary downsized from a 100-year-old home to a new build, a move they made after living in the Hayes, Kent, property for more than 40 years. The couple, who work as bus drivers and have six children and seven grandchildren, bought the three-bed semi in 1985. They spent more than £200,000 on upgrades, including a £75,000 garden overhaul, an extension, conservatory, new kitchen, and bathrooms. Years later, they added an outdoor cabin. The mortgage on the old home was paid off 14 years before the move.

A new life in a new home

The Millers decided to downsize, though they never expected to buy a new-build. They purchased a three-bed detached house from Croudace Homes for £479,500, moving in October 2025. The property is about 20 per cent smaller than their old home, with a smaller kitchen. They sold the old house to first-time buyers, avoiding a property chain. The sale price was nearly £700,000 more than the 1985 purchase price, and the developer covered half the stamp duty, leaving the couple to pay just £7,000.

Suzanne said the new home fits their current needs. The garden is spacious enough for over 20 relatives to gather. She enjoys walking the dog in the countryside and has free parking. The layout is tighter, but she sees this as an advantage for aging. “It’ll be ideal for when we get older as the new house is a manageable size,” she told This is Money.

The move was not without challenges. Suzanne found the transition emotionally difficult, often wondering if she made the right choice on moving day. She had to get rid of sofas, pans, and integrated appliances that would not fit the new space. They spent six months decluttering the loft to spare their children the task later. One grown son was upset about the sale, taking the move very badly and not speaking to them for a while.

Despite the emotional toll, Suzanne sees downsizing as a sensible choice for older people. “Why become a slave to cleaning when you don’t have to?” she said. Her husband, a dab hand at garden landscaping, has been maintaining the new property himself, saving money on professionals.

Unexpected costs and new habits

Rebecca Maeers, head of residential property at Freeths, noted that downsizing after such a long tenure involves more than just a transaction. Deciding what to keep or discard can be demanding. The couple’s new house has solar panels, promising better energy efficiency, but their utility bills have actually risen.

Suzanne bought a £26,000 swim spa for the new home. To keep the water at 37 degrees Celsius, the unit must run constantly. This high energy use, combined with the new home’s other appliances, has pushed their bills about 20 per cent higher than at their old house. “The new-build house itself is more energy efficient, but our swim spa isn’t!” she explained.

Professional insights

Rebecca Maeers noted that moving after 40 years is more than just a transaction. A house holds decades of memories, so deciding what to keep, sell, or leave behind can be difficult. Downsizers should think beyond simply buying somewhere smaller and consider how the home will work for them in the longer term: accessibility, stairs, maintenance, energy efficiency, proximity to family and amenities, parking, storage and ongoing service charges or estate charges can all be important.