Selling a Home After Age 65 in San Diego: What Seniors Need to Know

What do you need to know about selling a home after age 65 in San Diego?
Selling a home after age 65 in San Diego involves understanding taxes, timing, housing options, and how the sale fits into your long-term plans. The goal is to sell your home in a way that protects your equity, supports your lifestyle, and avoids unnecessary stress.

If you’re a senior thinking about selling a home in San Diego, you’re far from alone. Many homeowners reach this stage after decades in the same property and want clear answers before making a major decision. Selling a home later in life should feel informed and intentional.

As a Certified Senior Advisor with over 20 years of experience in this market, Melina Rissone works with seniors throughout San Diego who want straightforward guidance and a plan that reflects real-life pressures and complexities.

How the San Diego Real Estate Market Impacts Seniors Selling a Home

Selling in San Diego means navigating a market with strong long-term demand and limited inventory. In recent years, median home prices across San Diego County have remained near or above the $900,000 range, with many central neighborhoods pricing far higher. This matters for seniors because home equity often plays a major role in retirement planning.

Homes in areas such as Bankers Hill, Clairemont, and North Park continue to attract buyers looking for established neighborhoods and long-term value. For seniors, this can create flexibility when selling a home, but pricing and preparation are still huge factors that can make or break a sale.

Melina helps you understand how your specific neighborhood fits into the broader San Diego market so you can sell your home with realistic expectations.

Why Selling a Home After 65 Requires a Different Approach

Selling a home after age 65 is rarely just a cold, impersonal transaction. For many seniors, the home represents stability, memories, and independence. At the same time, maintaining a larger property may no longer align with your needs or energy level. You may be thinking about reducing upkeep, or planning ahead for health or mobility changes. You may also want to free up equity without rushing into a decision.

Melina approaches senior real estate with an understanding that selling a home is part of a larger life transition. The process should respect both the financial and emotional sides of the decision.

Before you sell, it helps to step back and look at the full picture. This includes understanding your current home value, your monthly expenses, and how the sale fits into your long-term plans.

Many seniors assume they need to decide everything at once, but that’s simply not true. Selling a home works best when you understand your options first, then move forward at a pace that feels comfortable.

California Property Tax Rules That Affect Seniors Who Sell a Home

Property taxes are one of the biggest concerns for seniors selling a home in San Diego. Many long-time homeowners benefit from low taxes under Proposition 13, which can make selling feel risky if you plan to buy another home.

Under Proposition 19, eligible homeowners aged 55 and older may be able to transfer their existing property tax base to a replacement home anywhere in California, subject to certain rules. This can make downsizing or relocating more realistic, but the details matter.

Because property tax rules are complex and situation-specific, you should confirm details with a qualified tax professional before selling a home.

Proposition 19 can be a powerful tool for seniors, but it’s often misunderstood. The benefit isn’t automatic, and the replacement home value and timing requirements must be met.

If you are considering selling a home and buying another property in San Diego or elsewhere in California, understanding how Proposition 19 applies to you can influence both timing and price decisions.

Melina Rissone helps seniors coordinate real estate planning with tax and financial professionals so the sale supports your overall strategy.

Capital Gains Tax Considerations When Seniors Sell a Home

Capital gains taxes are another key issue when selling a home after age 65. If the home has been your primary residence for at least two of the last five years, you may qualify for a capital gains exclusion. Individuals may exclude up to $250,000, while married couples filing jointly may exclude up to $500,000, assuming IRS requirements are met.

In San Diego, where home values have risen significantly, it’s very common for seniors to exceed these thresholds. Planning ahead allows you to understand potential tax exposure and avoid surprises after the sale. Melina Rissone works alongside CPAs and financial advisors so her clients can make informed decisions before listing their home.

Relocating After Selling a Home in San Diego

After you sell your home, the next question is where you’ll live. Some seniors downsize into a smaller single-family home or condo in San Diego. Others relocate closer to family or explore age-qualified or independent living communities.

There is no single right answer: What matters is how your home equity supports your lifestyle, monthly costs, and long-term flexibility. Melina has the expertise to help you compare selling scenarios so you can see how different housing choices affect your finances and daily life.

Preparing a Long-Owned Home for Sale as a Senior

A home you’ve owned for decades may need a different approach when it comes time to sell. Deferred maintenance, older systems, and years of accumulated belongings are common, and it’s completely normal for the process to feel overwhelming.

But know this: You do not need to renovate everything to sell! Many seniors worry they must complete major repairs before selling a home, but in many cases, this is not necessary. Strategic preparation focused on safety, cleanliness, and clear presentation often delivers better results than expensive upgrades.

Buyers often focus more on location, layout, and overall condition than cosmetic updates. The key is knowing what matters in your specific neighborhood. Understanding buyer expectations in your area allows you to avoid over-improving and protect your equity. And Melina can recommend trusted local professionals to help make repairs and preparation manageable.

Timing the Sale When Seniors Sell a Home in San Diego

While spring and early summer often bring more buyers, seniors benefit most from timing a sale around personal needs rather than market speculation. Health, family coordination, and housing availability often matter more than seasonality.

Selling a home after age 65 may involve coordinating multiple moving parts. Planning ahead gives you more control and reduces stress. That’s why Melina helps her clients create a timeline that reflects these real-life obstacles.

Why Seniors Choose Melina Rissone When Selling a Home in San Diego

As a Certified Senior Advisor and a Seniors Real Estate Specialist, Melina understands how real estate decisions intersect with aging, finances, and family dynamics. She has extensive experience and deep market knowledge that help seniors sell their homes throughout San Diego. Her approach is calm, practical, and pressure-free… which is exactly why seniors love to work with her.

Selling a home after age 65 is a major decision, but it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With the right planning and local guidance, selling a home can support your goals and give you options.

If you’re considering selling a home and want to understand what makes sense for you, start with a conversation. Melina helps seniors across San Diego explore their options and move forward knowing they’re making a smart decision.

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Melina Rissone

Having sold properties for more than 20 years and earning various prestigious awards throughout the course of her career, Melina Rissone has more than earned her reputation as one of San Diego's most skilled and trustworthy real estate brokers selling homes and luxury condominiums. Her loyal clientele would share that Melina brings structure and planning to chaos. She specializes in supporting her clients and their referrals; families and individuals going through divorce and seniors and active adults planning their moves and financial decisions during their retirement years.

Coldwell Banker Global Luxury and Institute of Luxury Home Marketing certified.

Certified Senior Advisor by the Society of Certified Senior Advisors
RCS-D Designation, a Real Estate Collaboration Specialist for Divorce.
SRES Certification through NAR is a Seniors Real Estate Specialist certification.
Melina is bilingual in English and German.
Recognized as the Top 4% of all real estate brokers in San Diego County in 2021 and the Top 3% of Coldwell Banker International.
Coldwell Banker Presidents Elite Award.
Recognize as the Top 2% of Coldwell Banker West in 2024.
Coldwell Banker Global Luxury and Institute of Luxury Home Marketing Certified.

Melina is on point, extremely resourceful and well connected. She has a very versatile knowledgebase so was able to help guide us in many areas I was not even expecting from an agent. I've referred her to several friends who all reported great experiences. She takes her role in representing her client very seriously so its not like some kind of half time gig thing. She gets it done.

-Dan C.