Davis · Downsizing
Downsizing in Davis: A Smaller Home, Still Near Campus and Downtown
Move to something smaller on your schedule, with repairs, estate sales, movers and the money all coordinated for you.
Downsizing in Davis on Your Own Schedule
Right-sizing in Davis often means leaving a home you have owned for decades in a town you have no wish to leave. The yard takes more weekends than it used to, or the stairs have become a problem. The question is not whether to stay in Davis but which home makes daily life lighter here.
What you want is to sell this home and settle into the next one on one plan, without managing five vendors alone. If you are an adult child helping a parent make this move from out of town, we keep you informed at every step. There are no placement fees from any community or care provider, ever.
Why Davis Downsizers Choose Surroundings
Maggie B. Hopkins is a Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES®) and a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS). She is the broker at Surroundings and also a mortgage broker, so your sale, your next home and any financing sit on one plan with one team. As a mortgage broker, she compares loans across a network of approved lenders. A reverse mortgage (HECM) is one option some right-sizers discuss for buying the next home, and we walk through whether it fits, with no promises. Give yourself options. Your own lender is always welcome.
- Buy first or sell first. We compare both using your equity so you can move once.
- A lifetime of belongings. We handle sorting, estate sales, donations and movers on the same timeline as the sale.
- Property taxes. Proposition 19 may let eligible owners 55 and older carry their tax base to the next home. Read our Prop 19 guide and confirm with a tax advisor.
Our downsizing page explains the full approach.
Our Downsizing Process in Davis
- A planning visit. We walk your home and list what the next one needs: one level, less yard, close to services or close to family.
- The numbers. We cover your home's likely sale price, your net proceeds and what that buys.
- Belongings. We schedule sorting, the estate sale, donations and movers.
- Prepare and list. We handle worthwhile repairs, cleaning and photos. Our listing compensation is set by written agreement and is negotiable.
- Find the next home. We tour smaller homes and communities with you.
- Two closings, one move. We line up the dates so you move once.
Local Context: Where Davis Downsizers Land
University Retirement Community at Davis. URC is the city's life plan community, with independent living, assisted living, memory support and skilled nursing on one campus and about 205 independent living apartments. As of 2026, entrance fees started at $127,500 for a one-bedroom, and monthly fees started at $5,121. Residents sign a continuing care contract and do not receive a deed. See our University Retirement Community at Davis guide for the full fee table.
Close to the train. The Davis Amtrak station on Second Street has about 15 weekday Capitol Corridor trains each way, per the schedule effective December 8, 2025. Visiting the Bay Area or Sacramento without driving is a real option from a home near downtown.
Smaller lots, shared space. Village Homes in West Davis puts about 245 residences on about 70 acres (UC Davis, January 2026), with shared garden strips and paths in place of big private yards. Wildhorse homes back onto a long greenbelt and the public Wildhorse Golf Club.
Your current home's equity. The Census Bureau's 2020-2024 survey put the median owner estimate of a Davis home at $866,100. A long-held home may carry a large gain, so talk with a tax advisor before you list.
See our 55+ communities guide or compare downsizing in Sacramento.
When Staying Put Is the Right Answer
"What if my parent changes their mind or wants to age in place?" We hear that question often, and it deserves a real answer. Right-sizing is one path. Staying in the Davis home with the right changes is another.
As a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist, Maggie can walk the house with you and point out the changes that make it work longer. Grab bars, a bedroom on the main floor or a walk-in shower may cost far less than a move. If a move still makes more sense, you will know why.
For adult children managing this from the Bay Area, the Davis station helps. Westbound Capitol Corridor trains reach Emeryville in about 85 minutes on the current weekday schedule, so a visit to look at homes or meet movers can be a day trip.
Whatever you decide, we keep everyone informed with the same updates, and nobody is pushed toward a community that pays us. We do not take placement fees from any community or care provider.
Take the First Step Toward Downsizing in Davis
Right-sizing in Davis gets lighter the moment there is a plan on paper. Start with one planning visit and one timeline. Contact us to schedule your planning visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does University Retirement Community in Davis cost?
As of 2026, URC listed entrance fees starting at $127,500 for a one-bedroom, $451,300 for a two-bedroom and $531,300 for a three-bedroom. Monthly fees started at $5,121, $5,882 and $6,950. Confirm current fees and refund terms with URC in writing.
Do you charge a fee for helping my parent move to a senior community?
No. We do not take placement or referral fees from senior communities, ever. Our only interest is the right move for your parent.
Can I keep my low property tax if I downsize in Davis?
You may be able to. Proposition 19 lets eligible California homeowners 55 and older transfer their property tax base to a replacement home, with limits. Confirm your situation with a tax advisor before you sell.
Can a reverse mortgage help me buy my next home?
Sometimes it can. A HECM for Purchase is one option some right-sizers consider, and whether it fits depends on your age, your equity and your goals. We walk through it with no pressure and no promises.
Davis
What downsizing looks like in Davis
The university town west of Sacramento: bike paths, the Farmers Market and UC Davis.
Davis is a university city in Yolo County, about 15 miles west of Sacramento on Interstate 80, home to UC Davis.
Downsizing: keep exploring
Ready to make your move with Surroundings?