Right-sizing
Sell the big house. Buy the right one.
Sell a long-held estate for top dollar and buy a ranch, patio or lock-and-leave home, on one timeline.
A live person answers. Not a robot, not a phone tree.
Concept photography: AI-generated illustrative imagery, not a property listing.
Price the current home from this year's comps, not the price you remember. Sellers held their homes a record 11 years before selling (NAR), so most have large equity; talk to your CPA about capital gains before you list.
Typical time owned.
Sellers' median tenure, a record high (NAR 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers (July 2024 to June 2025)).
All-cash purchases.
The share of buyers who paid cash, a record (NAR).
Repeat-buyer down payment.
The median down payment for repeat buyers (NAR).
Rent-back.
Sell, stay in the home for an agreed period, then move once.
How do I sell a home I have owned for decades?
- Price it from this year's comps. The Smart Pricing Report shows what homes like yours sold for in the last six months.
- Fix what buyers see first. Paint, lighting, landscaping and the kitchen hardware before the photos.
- Clear it out. Estate sale, donation and storage before listing day. We give you the vendor list.
- Stage it. Staged rooms photograph larger. Empty rooms photograph smaller.
What home comes next?
- Ranch or patio home. Primary suite, kitchen and laundry on one level.
- Lock-and-leave. The HOA handles the exterior, the yard and the snow.
- A 55+ community. Age-restricted communities with golf and clubhouses.
- A guest suite. A second suite or guest house for visitors.
What about taxes and cash?
- Capital gains. The federal home-sale exclusion is $250,000 per person, $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly, on a primary home owned and lived in 2 of the last 5 years. Your CPA runs your numbers.
- Buy with cash. Use the sale proceeds and close faster.
- Bridge the gap. A bridge loan or HELOC lets you buy before you sell.
- Property tax. Colorado's 2026 local rate is 6.80% of value after a $70,000 reduction. Your new home's bill follows its value.
Quick answers
Questions, answered.
How long does it take to sell and move?
Plan eight to twelve weeks: two to four to prepare the house, then 30 to 45 days under contract, with a rent-back if you need more time.
Should I sell first or buy first?
With equity and cash, buy first. Otherwise sell first with a rent-back. The move-up page walks through both.
Where to go next
Keep exploring.
Free playbook
The Colorado Luxury Downsizing Playbook.
Sell the estate, buy the right home, move once. The 12-week plan, the tax and cash questions, the ranch, patio, 55+ and golf communities, and the checklist. 8 pages, free.
A live person answers. Not a robot, not a phone tree.
Private consultation
Ask us about right-sizing.
303-955-4220A live person answers. Not a robot, not a phone tree.
- Private showings on your schedule, including evenings and weekends.
- Off-market homes from the Kenna Real Estate Group's agent network.
- One point of contact from the first showing to the closing table.
Kenna Luxury Real Estate is a division of the Kenna Real Estate Group at Keller Williams DTC (KWDTC).