If your home feels bigger than your life needs now, you are not alone. In Centennial, many long-time homeowners reach a point where extra bedrooms, stairs, and yard work no longer fit the way they want to live. The good news is that right-sizing can open the door to easier maintenance, better daily comfort, and a home that supports the next chapter well. Let’s dive in.
Why right-sizing matters in Centennial
Centennial is a strong homeownership market, with an estimated 2025 population of 108,658 and owner-occupancy of 80.6%. About 18.9% of residents are 65 or older, which helps explain why later-life housing choices matter here. In a city where the median value of an owner-occupied home is $658,100, your next move is often about strategy as much as lifestyle.
Right-sizing is not always about going much smaller. In many cases, it means choosing a home that better matches your mobility, maintenance preferences, and access to the places you enjoy most. For some households, that could mean fewer stairs. For others, it could mean less exterior upkeep or easier access to shopping, transit, and community activities.
What right-sizing can look like
Every household defines this differently. The best move is the one that supports how you want to live now, not how your home worked 10 or 20 years ago.
Single-level or main-floor living
If stairs are becoming less convenient, a single-level home or a layout with a main-floor primary suite may be worth exploring. This option can help simplify day-to-day living while still giving you space for guests, hobbies, or family visits. It can also make it easier to age in place longer.
Condos and townhomes
For many empty nesters and seniors, condos and townhomes offer a practical tradeoff. You may reduce exterior maintenance while keeping ownership and staying connected to the community you know. This path can be especially appealing if yard work and seasonal upkeep have started to feel like more work than joy.
Homes near daily amenities
Another smart right-sizing path is moving closer to the places you use often. Centennial describes The Streets at SouthGlenn as a mixed-use center with shopping, dining, living, and working options. Being near an area like that can make daily routines simpler and help you stay engaged without needing to drive for every errand.
Transit-connected living
If you want more flexibility, location near transit may matter more than square footage. RTD’s Dry Creek Station in Centennial serves the E, R, and T lines and includes a park-n-ride near I-25. For some households, that kind of access can support easier outings, visits, or regional travel.
Staying in Centennial can still mean a fresh start
One of the biggest myths about right-sizing is that it means leaving the community you love. In Centennial, you may be able to shift into a home that fits your current needs while staying close to familiar routines, favorite parks, and social connections.
The city reports more than 100 parks, 100 miles of trails, and more than 4,000 acres of open space. Centennial Center Park also offers accessible walking paths and year-round events. For many people, those amenities are part of what makes staying local so appealing.
Centennial also has a Senior Commission and partners with the YMCA of Metro Denver to operate the Center of Generations at SouthGlenn. That creates a strong aging-in-community story. Your next move does not have to be about stepping away from your lifestyle. It can be about protecting it.
Consider ADUs as another option
A move is not the only path. Centennial has adopted ADU regulations that allow a second, smaller dwelling on the same lot. These homes can be used to house family members or provide a rental home for a small household.
For some homeowners, an ADU may support multi-generational living or create more flexibility without leaving the property entirely. This will not be the right fit for every lot or household, but it is worth knowing that Centennial is encouraging a wider range of housing types.
Timing the sale takes careful planning
If you are selling a long-time home, timing matters. It can affect your housing options, your stress level, and in some cases your taxes.
The IRS says homeowners may exclude up to $250,000 of gain from the sale of a main home, or up to $500,000 for a joint return, if they meet the ownership and use tests. In general, that means 24 months of ownership and 24 months of use within the five-year period ending on the sale date.
Colorado also has senior-related property tax programs that may affect move timing. The state’s Property Tax, Rent and Heat Credit is income-based and may be available to certain full-year Colorado residents who are 65 or older, certain surviving spouses, or people with disabilities. The state also offers the Qualified Senior Primary Residential Classification for tax years 2025 and 2026 for certain homeowners who previously qualified for the senior property tax exemption and moved or plan to move, with a March 15 application deadline.
Because these rules can depend on primary-residence status, past exemptions, and the details of your sale, it is wise to confirm the impact with a tax professional or attorney before you make assumptions. A right-sizing move can be positive, but it should still be planned carefully.
A simple right-sizing plan
When the process feels emotional, a clear sequence can help. Instead of trying to do everything at once, focus on one step at a time.
1. Define your non-negotiables
Start with how you want daily life to feel. You may want single-level living, minimal stairs, lower maintenance, walkability, or proximity to family. A clear list makes every later decision easier.
2. Decide whether to sell first or buy first
This choice depends on your flexibility, finances, and comfort level. Some households want the certainty of selling first. Others need to secure the next home before listing their current one.
This is where thoughtful planning can make a major difference. For timing-sensitive moves, support tools such as bridge-loan options may help create more flexibility.
3. Declutter room by room
Sorting a long-time home can feel overwhelming, especially when every room holds memories. It often helps to go room by room and separate items into keep, donate, consign, sell, or discard.
If a garage or yard sale makes sense, Centennial does not require a permit for an individual sale. Each location is limited to three sales per year totaling nine days. That can be a useful local detail if you want to clear items before listing.
4. Review repairs and accessibility updates
Before you list, think about which updates will improve safety, function, or marketability. In some cases, modest changes can help you stay put longer while you decide. In other cases, they can make the home more appealing to future buyers.
Centennial’s Home Improvement Program offers cash rebates of up to $300 for qualifying projects. Specific accessibility improvements such as no-step showers, widened door thresholds and hallways, handrails, ramps, and stair chairlifts can qualify even if the home is not old. General program eligibility is limited to homes built before 1990.
5. Build the right support team
A later-life move often involves more than a real estate transaction. Depending on your situation, you may also want support from tax, legal, or long-term planning professionals.
The Colorado Department of Human Services ADRC provides options counseling, planning support for future long-term service needs, and information for adults 60 and older and their caregivers. DRCOG’s Area Agency on Aging serves Arapahoe County and offers information and assistance, options counseling, caregiver support, transportation help, and Medicare or benefits help. These resources can be valuable if your move is tied to health, caregiving, or independence goals.
How the right guidance can help
Right-sizing is often part practical and part emotional. You may be balancing timing, finances, family input, and years of memories in one decision. That is why a calm, step-by-step approach matters.
With the right guidance, you can evaluate whether to stay, renovate, add flexibility with an ADU, or move to a lower-maintenance home. You can also create a smart plan for pre-sale preparation, move timing, and next-home options in Centennial and nearby Denver-area communities.
For many homeowners, the best outcome is not simply a smaller house. It is a home and lifestyle that feel lighter, more manageable, and better aligned with what matters most now.
If you are thinking about right-sizing in Centennial, Lisa Snyder can help you create a thoughtful plan that respects both the numbers and the emotions behind the move.
FAQs
What does right-sizing mean for homeowners in Centennial?
- Right-sizing in Centennial usually means choosing a home that better fits your current lifestyle, mobility needs, maintenance preferences, and access to amenities, rather than simply buying a much smaller home.
What housing options can empty nesters and seniors consider in Centennial?
- Common options in Centennial include single-level homes, homes with main-floor living, condos, townhomes, and homes near mixed-use areas like SouthGlenn or transit access such as Dry Creek Station.
Can older adults stay in Centennial and still simplify daily life?
- Yes. Centennial offers local amenities that may support aging in community, including parks, trails, open space, the Center of Generations at SouthGlenn, and a range of housing types that may better match later-life needs.
Are ADUs allowed for homeowners in Centennial?
- Yes. Centennial has adopted ADU regulations that allow a second smaller dwelling on the same lot, which may be used to house family members or provide a rental home for a small household.
What tax issues should sellers in Centennial review before right-sizing?
- Sellers should review possible capital gains exclusion rules for a main home and Colorado senior-related property tax programs, since timing and eligibility can affect the outcome and should be confirmed with a tax professional or attorney.
Does Centennial offer help for accessibility upgrades before a move?
- Yes. Centennial’s Home Improvement Program offers cash rebates of up to $300 for qualifying projects, and certain accessibility improvements may qualify even if the home is not old.
What local support is available for seniors planning a move in Arapahoe County?
- Older adults and caregivers can look to the CDHS ADRC for options counseling and planning support, and to DRCOG’s Area Agency on Aging for information, caregiver support, transportation help, and Medicare or benefits assistance.
