How to read your result

“Cash freed up” is what lands in your account after selling, paying your costs, and buying the smaller home outright — money that was locked in your walls, now available for retirement income, travel, helping the kids, or simply a cushion. It doesn’t count the monthly savings, which stack on top: lower property tax, utilities, and insurance, and no more paying for snow, lawn, and exterior upkeep if you move to a villa or condo.

The single biggest number here is your sale price — and it’s the one most people guess wrong, in both directions. Before you plan around any figure, get a real one: my free home valuation uses actual comparable sales on your street, not an algorithm. Want to understand every line in the calculation? Read The True Cost of Downsizing in Calgary, or start with the complete guide.