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She wrote, My home wasnt just an asset it was my life.
Her raw, unfiltered experience reveals therisks of trading stability for short-term gains.
But the reality was messier than she imagined.
The sale left her with far less money than expected.
What seemed like a path to freedom quickly became a financial trap.
But the excitement faded fast.
Her $2,200 monthly rent devoured her budget, and Denvers rental market kept climbing.
According toZillows 2024 data, average rents in the city rose 7% year-over-year, compounding her stress.
Gone was the predictability of a paid-off mortgage.
When Home Isnt Just a House
For Linda, the biggest surprise wasnt financial it was emotional.
Her home wasnt just a house.
The garden shed tended for many years, now someone elses project.
The neighbors, whod become like family, now waving to a new owner.
Psychologists call this place attachment the deep, often invisible bond between people and their homes.
For Linda, selling meant severing ties to the life shed built.
Its like losing a part of yourself, she wrote.
My old house is already worth more than I sold it for, she admitted.
That sting of what if lingers.
If shed held on just a few more months, she couldve sold for tens of thousands more.
But timing the market, as Linda learned, is a gamble few retirees win.
If I could do it over again, Id never have sold, she wrote.
My home wasnt just an asset it was my life.
For retirees considering a similar move, Lindas experience is a cautionary tale.
Once thats gone, theres no going back.
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