
Did you know there is a private Facebook group called Leaving California? I’m not sure how I ran across it, but before we made the move, I signed up. I was surprised to find out there are more than 30,000 members!
Scrolling through the posts made me feel sad in the beginning. I wasn’t convinced I wanted to leave. I loved our home downtown Palm Springs. We were two blocks from restaurants, shops and our views were breathtaking.
To add to my uncertainty, my “adult children” were beyond furious. That was the only home they’ve known prior to moving away for college and their adult lives. They both believe we made the biggest mistake in our lives by selling our home. It does have “location, location, location.” It is beautiful. But it also had its downsides. It was rustic without many modern amenities like closet space or a roomy kitchen. I was always freezing and my fingers went numb. It was big on charm, though. It was also big on expense. For some reason — partly because it’s located in California and also that it was built in the 1930s — it was terribly expensive to keep up.

The kids were so angry with us that they didn’t speak to my husband or me for a bit. This made me more sad. We invited them to come home to say good-by. We also asked the buyers if we could stay for one last Christmas. They said, sure, no problem — $8,000 and Christmas was ours. We passed and decided to bite the bullet. We left our home close to 30 days of selling.
I bring this up about my kids because I noticed this week on the Facebook Leaving California page, that a lot of people are going through the same thing with their adult children. The latest post garnered close to 400 comments. Most said “Tell them to buy it if they want it.” Others were a little more understanding to the kids’ feelings.

I understand how my kids feel. My mom had to sell our childhood home, which was gorgeous with stunning views, too. Unfortunately, she had to sell after she and my dad divorced and she could no longer afford the expenses. I can tell you, that was an extremely upsetting way to lose my childhood home — and my nuclear family. I felt like my world turned upside down and there was no gravity to keep me on the planet.
My husband felt our kids were acting spoiled. They weren’t entitled to the house. He said he’d been working since age 13 and didn’t want to work until the day he died to pay to live in our home. Although, he’s still working now in our new home, there will come a day in a couple years where he won’t have to.
My kids are coming to accept our new reality. I’m looking forward to COVID-19 vaccines and their visits to our new home. I can’t wait to show them the hiking trails we’re discovering, the quail running through our backyard and the sunsets and sunrises.
Nothing can take away all the great memories we had of 28 years living there. I truly believe that home is not a structure, but is with the people who love you.

What are your thoughts about selling a childhood home? Would your kids understand? How did you feel when your parents did the same?
I am not sentimental. I was ok when my parents sold their home. I think my daughter will be ok too
I think being sentimental is one of the reasons I get exhausted trying to make decisions on what to throw out. I wish I had more of your outlook.
Oh no…you don’t want to think like me!!
Ha!
I was happy for my parents to sell their home in the Catskills with the acreage. My father offered it to my brothers who are older than I at a good price and they passed. My stepchildren and grandchildren are happily settled in Georgia and Oklahoma. Will one of them inherit our Florida home? Most likely, I don’t know. We have put a lot of work into this home. Mostly, everyone loves our location. We shall see.
Selling the home is a good idea when you get older. Moving to a less expensive place helps give you extra money to live and enjoy in your golden year. My fiancé retired in Florida because it was so much less expensive than Mass. The northeast and the west coast are just to expensive to live there for what you get.
Exactly right! That’s why we left CA for four hours east in AZ. It’s close to friends and my dad, same climate yet so much more affordable. When we retire, we actually can without worry.