An emotional transition: Downsizing with the Alharts
It was the dream home they could not afford when they first got married. And now, after 24 years, Don and Mary Alhart are saying goodbye to their large suburban home in Penfield as they prepare to transition into a townhouse in Pittsford.
For months, the couple prepared for the move, downsizing their belongings and giving away furniture to their three adult children. But there's nothing like the cold reality of moving day as movers arrived to clear their furniture and boxed belongings. Teary-eyed, Mary Alhart looked around their home and reminisced about the many memories they had there. As painful as it was, it was a move that had to be made, she said.
"We made a pact. We were going to do it together before something happened to one of us," said Mary Alhart, 67.
Married for 47 years to Don, 72, the venerable anchor of WHAM-TV (Channel 13), Mary has seen too many of their friends lose a spouse. Downsizing becomes an impossible chore when there's only one, she said.
► SPECIAL SECTION (2016): Don Alhart: 50 years on the air
Mary Alhart had been experiencing health problems of her own when the couple decided to downsize. After putting in two garden beds in their three-quarter-acre yard, she began having knee problems and could no longer take care of the gardens. Services to upkeep the yard are expensive, as are services for the general maintenance of a 3,800-square-foot home.
After looking at several options in town home living, they selected Greenpoint Trail by Morrell Builders in Pittsford which is near the Locust Hill Country Club and , where they are members, as well as the Jewish Community Center; they belong to both. The 2,200-square-foot unit will be completed in June and will have enough room for their visiting grandchildren during the holidays, which was important to the family.
They are staying temporarily at a long-term hotel while their unit is being completed to accommodate the buyers, who wanted an April move date.
To prepare for the move, Mary and Don Alhart gave themselves plenty of time and a deadline. They started in early January and began the process of sorting through more than two decades of goods. The rule was, if there were doubles or if it wasn't being used, it was gone, Mary Alhart said.
They gave away many things and even put free items out on the curb because they did not have enough to host an estate sale. Many of the collectibles went to donations as people just don't collect anymore. Mary Alhart said. But she couldn't part with her love of collecting Christmas ornaments as every one has a meaning. That entire collection is going to the new home.
► Video, story (2013): The Alhart Christmas tree tells family's story
When considering a move as a senior, one thing to think about is doing it while you're healthy, said Davide Salafia, a Realtor with ReMax Plus. When you physically can't any more, you are then reliant on family to help, he said.
There are situations in which the homeowners would rather stay in their home so they do not have to deal with the emotional stress of leaving their home, Salafia added.
Making that move to a new home as a senior is a very emotional situation, said Karen Menachof, owner of Caring Transitions and a Realtor at Nothnagle Realtors.
"It's very common for even the most pragmatic people to be emotional about downsizing," she said.
The move can be emotionally draining, Menachof said. She suggests doing the decluttering and packing in small chunks, only a few hours a day.
For the Alharts, the move did not net much in savings as building a new, smaller home cost as much as the large home they sold. They declined to reveal the sale price as the deal has not closed yet.
However, moving while they are both relatively healthy is being proactive, Mary Alhart said.
"We're doing it so our children won't have to," she said.
MCHAO@Gannett.com
Mary Chao is the real estate and retail reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle.Her weekly real estate features may be found in D&C Real Estate and Rental Saturdays and online at www.DemocratandChronicle.com.