3 simple steps to Downsize a home
Find 'secret' off-market properties to buy. Connect with experts. Sell with confidence.
Downsizing for retirement starts here.
Let the properties just come to you!
How it Works
Sign up and post a FREE Downsizer Ad for the location & style of home you want to buy. Your ad is anonymous so you’re in control. Access a dashboard with the estimated market value of your current home.
Local agents suggest ‘hidden’ off-market properties you won’t find on other real estate websites. You receive alerts for previews of homes matching your criteria. Also, manage your downsizing journey with an activity feed & checklist.
Shortlist suggested homes by ‘unlocking’ previews for full access. Start chatting with local agents, & get proposals to sell your existing home. Connect with other service providers such as lawyers & financial advisers who ca be essential when downsizing for retirement.
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Frequently Asked Questions
An off-market property refers to a property that is not publicly listed for sale. They account for about 20 per cent of all homes sold. Instead of being advertised through traditional channels like real estate websites or listings, real estate agents sell off-market properties through private negotiations or networks. These properties might be available for sale, but they are often ‘hidden’ or ‘secret’. Sellers prefer a more discreet approach, often to maintain privacy or to test the market before fully committing to selling. Off-market deals can offer advantages to both buyers and sellers, including reduced competition and the potential for more flexible negotiations.
Real estate agents always have properties belonging to other vendors they need to sell. It’s in the interests of agents representing those vendors to suggest these homes to you. Our system filters these properties to make sure they’re suitable for you, and match your criteria.
In addition, local agents are always looking for their next listing. They are motivated to help people downsizing for retirement to find a home to buy, so they might win the opportunity to sell your existing property when the time comes. By suggesting homes to buy, they may establish a relationship with you through our platform. When you are ready to sell, you may then request a proposal from any agent you have met through iDownsize.
A Downsizer Ad is a bit like a free classified ad. It’s where you post selected details of your downsizing situation, and what kind of property you are seeking. Importantly, the ad is anonymous. So you can try the iDownsize for free and view suggested homes without real estate agents or third parties contacting you.
The default setting for users on iDownsize is that others on the platform can’t see who you are, or your address. When you join, our system automatically creates an avatar and pseudonym for you. This is an alternative user name and profile image that you will go by on the platform. When other users view your Downsizer Ad, they only see these details - not your real name or photo.
When you see a property to buy that you really like, you can request to ‘unlock’ full details. Only at this point when there is a match will some of your details be viewable by the real estate agent (and then only that agent). You and that local agent can then discuss the unlocked property, but the agent will never know your address unless you provide it voluntarily. If you decline to unlock a property, then none of your details will be revealed to the agent and they continue to only see your alternative user name and avatar.
No, iDownsize is essentially an online marketplace. We connect downsizers with approved real estate agents and other service providers who can help with the process. The platform creates connections that may facilitate transactions, but licensed external providers and other third parties fulfil any actual real estate, legal or financial services.