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A single-level home with glowing windows at dusk, fading into a fine-line drawing of a larger home and a smaller one joined by a red arrow

New Jersey Homes For Downsizing

Selling the bigger home and buying the right-sized next one, with one plan for both.

Areas We Serve

MonmouthOceanMiddlesexBurlingtonMercerSomersetCamdenGloucesterBergenEssex counties, New Jersey

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Right-Sizing

The Next Home Should Fit The Next Chapter

A smaller home can mean fewer rooms to heat and clean, less yard to keep up, and fewer stairs. Single-level living, a smaller lot, a condo or townhouse, a home in a 55+ community: there's a wide range of right-sized homes across Monmouth and Ocean County.

Getting there usually means selling the home you've been in for years and buying the next one, often at the same time. The first thing I usually hear is "We haven't done this in a while." That's fine. That's my job.

I'm Dennis Mark Interdonato, REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty Ocean Living. I get you the most for the home you're leaving and line up the next one without a gap. By the time we're done, you're not going to have any questions left.

Two Moves, One Plan

The Sale

Get The Most For It

The first two weeks on the market set the price. We launch at the right number, with the home ready and the marketing working from day one.

Updates

Fix What Pays

You get two game plans: sell as-is, or make a few strategic updates first. I show you what each one should bring, and you decide.

The Order

Sell First Or Buy First

Sell first, buy first, or line them up? We decide together, with your lender and any advisors you work with, based on your finances and timing.

The Next Home

Describe It, I'll Find It

One floor, a smaller yard, less upkeep, a garage, a shorter drive to the water: tell me what the next home needs, and what it doesn't.

Timing

No Gap Between Homes

We plan both closings together, and we plan for the what-ifs, so you know where you're sleeping on moving day.

Construction

A Builder's Read

I'm a former New Jersey home builder and residential remodeler. On the next home, I'm reading the roof, the mechanicals and the renovation work, so the upkeep you're leaving behind doesn't follow you.

A fan deck of paint and color swatches spread out in a full spectrum

A Real Sale

$15,000 In Updates. $75,000 More

A couple in Beachwood was selling and buying at the same time. I gave them two game plans: list as-is, or make a few strategic updates first.

They chose the updates. I picked every product and color, they did the work, and I supervised. The updates cost under $15,000. The list price came in $30,000 higher than the as-is plan, and they had an offer $45,000 over list on day one: $75,000 more in total.

That's why you get both plans from me. Read which upgrades add value in New Jersey.

Results from one sale. Every home and every market is different, which is why you see both plans for your home before you decide.

AnneMarie S.

"I would like to express my wholehearted gratitude to Dennis Mark Interdonato for his exceptional dedication, professionalism, and unwavering support throughout both the sale of our previous home and the purchase of our new one."

Google review

Ceasar C.

"When it became clear that we were stuck and with no place to stay, Dennis stepped in and set us up with temporary lodging near the new house."

Google review, after a closing fell through on the seller's side

First Know What You Have

A real market evaluation of your current home, backed by data and a full marketing plan, before you sign anything. Your next budget starts with an accurate number.

What's My Home Worth?: First Know What You Have

Selling The Home You've Had For Years

After years in one home, it's hard to see it the way a buyer will. That's where I come in. We decide together what's worth doing before it goes on the market, and staging help is available. See home staging and how I sell homes.

What doesn't come with you has to go somewhere. I got a guy for everything, from clean-outs to the trades for last-minute repairs.

Looking for the next home somewhere new? I cover every town in Monmouth and Ocean County. See where we work.

Photo: Dennis Mark Interdonato

Downsizing Questions

What people ask me before they move to a smaller home, and what people search for most. Tax and legal questions belong with your tax professional and attorney.

Should I sell first or buy first?

It depends on your finances and your timing, and there's no single right answer. We work it out together with your lender before anything goes on the market, and we plan both closings so you aren't left between homes.

What kinds of smaller homes are there in Monmouth and Ocean County?

Single-level homes, condos, townhouses, homes on smaller lots, and homes in 55+ communities, among others. Tell me what the next home needs and I'll show you what fits.

Is it worth updating my home before I sell?

Sometimes. I give you two plans, as-is and with a few strategic updates, and show you what each one should bring. A couple in Beachwood spent under $15,000 on updates, and the sale brought $75,000 more in total. The right call depends on the house.

What will my home sell for?

Start with a free home value, then I'll walk the house and give you a market evaluation backed by data before you sign anything.

Can you help with everything that won't fit in the next home?

Yes. I got a guy for everything, including clean-outs, and I'll help you plan it around the move.

Will I owe capital gains tax when I downsize?

Not necessarily. If you owned the home and lived in it as your main home for at least 24 months of the 60 months before the sale, you may be able to exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly (IRS Publication 523). New Jersey follows the federal rules for that exclusion (NJ Division of Taxation). Your tax professional runs the numbers for your sale.

Can part of the realty transfer fee be waived when I sell?

In some cases. New Jersey's Form RTF-1 lists a partial exemption for a one- or two-family home that the seller owns and lives in at the time of the sale, when the seller is a New Jersey resident who is 62 or older, legally blind, or permanently and totally disabled, plus a separate one for qualifying low- and moderate-income housing. For a married couple or civil union partners who own the home as tenants by the entirety, only one of them needs to qualify (NJ Division of Taxation, Form RTF-1). The form is filed with the deed, so tell your attorney early if you think it applies.

Will moving affect my New Jersey property tax relief?

It can, so check before you set a closing date. ANCHOR applies only to the qualifying home you owned or rented and lived in on October 1 (NJ Division of Taxation). Stay NJ asks whether you owned and lived in a home for the full 12 months of the benefit year (Stay NJ). Stay NJ and the Senior Freeze each have their own rules, so ask the Division of Taxation or your tax professional how a move and your closing dates affect them.

Do condo and co-op owners qualify for ANCHOR?

They can. The NJ Division of Taxation says that if you owned a condominium and paid property taxes on the unit, or were a resident shareholder of a cooperative housing complex, you're considered a homeowner for ANCHOR, as long as you meet the other rules, including New Jersey gross income of no more than $250,000 (NJ Division of Taxation).

What is a 55+ community?

It's a community designated as housing for older persons. The U.S. Department of Justice explains that housing meeting the standards of the federal Housing for Older Persons Act of 1995 may operate as age-restricted housing (U.S. Department of Justice). Each community sets its own rules, fees and amenities, so read the association documents before you make an offer. You can browse the adult communities across Ocean and Monmouth County on this site.

If I've already moved out of New Jersey when the house closes, will money be held back?

Possibly. A seller who isn't a New Jersey resident generally makes an estimated income tax payment at closing: the gain on the sale times 10.75%, and not less than 2% of the sale price. A home used only as your principal residence under the federal home sale rules (Section 121) can qualify for an exemption on the state's GIT/REP-3 form. When the gain is more than the federal exclusion, the Division's FAQ and the form's own instructions read differently, so your attorney confirms which applies to your sale. An overpayment can be refunded or credited when you file (NJ Division of Taxation FAQ, GIT/REP-3). Your attorney and tax professional confirm what applies to you.

Is downsizing worth it?

It comes down to whether the home still fits how you live: the stairs, the yard, the rooms nobody uses, the upkeep. I put what your home could sell for next to what the right smaller home costs, including taxes, association fees and the move, so you decide with real numbers instead of a feeling.

How much are HOA fees?

They vary from one community to the next, and so does what they cover. Before you make an offer, get the association's budget, the current fee, what it includes and the rules, and have your attorney review them.

This page describes my general approach to selling one home and buying the next. It is not legal, tax or lending advice. Please speak with your lender, attorney or tax professional about your own situation. Tax, fee and property tax relief information on this page comes from the IRS, the NJ Division of Taxation and the U.S. Department of Justice, checked October 2026, and can change.

Insider Insights

Selling and buying at once, using your equity, updates that pay, and taxes on a sale.

Success Stories

Real stories from the people we've helped buy and sell their homes.

I would 10/10 recommend him to anyone!!!

Dennis helped us buy our current house and has both professional work ethic and is extrememly knowledgeable. He was always there to answer any questions we had and was very patient with us in the process. I would 10/10 recommend him to anyone and he will continue to be our agent for any future needs.

SPENCER & SARAH RAITT-FOREST

57 Google reviews as of October 2026. Read them all on Dennis Mark’s Google Business Profile.

Start With The Number

Find Out What Your Home Is Worth

What's My Home Worth?

Have Questions About Downsizing? Contact Us Below

Tell me about the home you have and what the next one needs, and I'll send you a plan. Want to read more first? See the Downsizing Guide, how I sell homes, or the contact page.

Have a question? Get your answers right now.Dennis Mark’s AI Concierge answers your questions without you having to commit to anything up front.

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