The Lowdown on the High Life

John and Barbara Townsend

We went all the way from a large five-bedroom, two-bathroom home in Willetton into a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment at Falcon in Taskers, North Fremantle.

We raised three kids in that home and lived very happily there for more than 25 years.

It was time to spend significant money on it, but with so many empty rooms, we thought it best to move to something smaller.

While we’re working full-time, we don’t want the maintenance associated with running a big home.

There are no lawns to mow and gutters to clean, but John is getting good at cleaning glass.

Barb also really likes the gym and we’ve finally got a swimming pool we don’t have to maintain.

We can have small pets here but prefer not to, and we can get our gardening fix by helping out the local Mosman Park community groups in Minim Cove.

We like to ride our bikes, go beach fishing with other residents, paddle on the river, help out with the local footy side – the list goes on.

We’ve never ridden bikes or walked so much since we moved here over 18 months ago.

Our advice for downsizers looking at apartments is to remember that all apartments seem tiny compared to your existing large home, so take the time to work out what rooms you need.

Let go of the many things that tend to accumulate; you really don’t need them.

Read and understand the management statement carefully because that sets the rules and standards for the apartments – you don’t want to move into nice apartments that quickly become a place where anything goes and probably will. Be prepared for change – different noises, different community.

For more information contact Stephen Vitale on 0416 095 906.

View the full article here.

Article published in the October 2017 Community Newspaper Group.