Reflecting on ‘The Downsizer’s Journey’ Event

On November 14th, The Henry Wong Team?? hosted ‘The Downsizer’s Journey: Navigating Life’s Next Chapter ’ at the beautiful Pacific Golf Club in Carindale. We’re proud of how well-attended the event was, with our varied panel of knowledgeable guest speakers drawing in a sizeable crowd interested in forging an easy path towards downsizing.?

Perhaps most heart-warming of all was the feedback we got from attendees, who took home invaluable advice and made new connections with professionals who can guide them onto their next chapter.?

The event offered clarity, guidance, and community for people intending to begin their downsizing journey , a significant transition in life that can be tricky to navigate. Today I want to reflect on how the event went, describe how it unfolded and what knowledge was passed on.?

As the MC and one of the presenters, I wanted to create an informative and personable space where attendees felt comfortable. Downsizing can be emotional and overwhelming, so it was important to me they felt at ease discussing topics related to it.?

Setting the Stage??

We began the morning by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land, the Turrbal and Jagera peoples, paying our respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging. Respect and community are two of our strongest values at The Henry Wong Team?, so this is an important moment for us.?

From there it was about setting the stage for the theme of the day: downsizing. By definition, downsizing is when you sell a large property and move into a smaller one, so it could happen to anybody at any stage of life. Traditionally, though, its a process that seniors go through when it’s time to move on from the family home they’ve lived in for many years.?

For many, it’s a financial decision, a means of freeing up equity and giving the retirement fund a bit of extra padding. But usually there’s more to it than that – for many it’s about health, family, quality of life and legacy. Seniors get to a point where they want to simplify their lives and move into a home with less upkeep, or retirement living where their health can be supported in their later years. Moving away from a home with a staircase or lots of stairs throughout is also a big factor as accessibility and mobility become more important.?

Shared Wisdom?

In my role as a real estate agent, over 75% of my clients are seniors. They’ve worked their entire lives and have either moved into retirement or are approaching it. I form close bonds with these property vendors as I help to guide them through the next chapter, and over the years I’ve grown to admire and respect the knowledge and attitude of people at this stage in their lives. I’ve learned a lot from them and they have helped me and my team grow as people, so we enjoyed being able to give something back with this event.?

A major part of our approach to helping people downsize is connecting them with the right professionals who can guide them through different parts of the process. What made this event so effective is the lineup of professionals who imparted their knowledge to the crowd, providing relevant, real-world information and an opportunity to ask questions too.?

Expert Insights??

Each of our guest speakers brought a wealth of expertise and lived experience, offering insightful perspectives that resonated with the crowd.?

The lineup included:?

– Pete Galea, an estate lawyer from The Meridian Group. Pete shared insights on the power of wills, addressing common concerns about contested wills and ensuring future plans are respected.??

– Katrina Robbins, financial planner at Wealth Architects. Katrina looked at the financial questions that shape retirement dreams while giving practical advice on managing finances.??

– Chris Wells from Invocare. Chris closed with an important discussion about prepaid funerals. He framed them as a “final gift of love” that prevents difficult family conversations and financial strain.??

Closing Reflections??

An engaged question-and-answer session is always a sign that an event hit the right notes. The content of all the speakers clearly resonated with the crowd, who had plenty of questions for each one of them.?

I’m deeply grateful to the guest speakers for giving up their time and knowledge on the day. I’d also like to thank our sponsors GHM Holland Park West and Invocare, without whom the event would never have gotten off the ground. And of course, a big thank you to all those who attended on the day. We hope your downsizing journey is a positive and transformative step forward, and that this event helped guide you in some way!?

If you couldn’t make it, please feel free to get in touch with me or my team at any time with your downsizing questions. We’re here to help!

This article first appeared as a blog post on Henry's website and can be found here: https://henrywong.com.au/reflecting-on-the-downsizers-journey-event/