Life Transitions

Upsizing and
Downsizing.

Manhattan does not stand still, and neither do the people who live in it. The studio that was perfect at 28 becomes the one-bedroom that was perfect at 35 becomes the family apartment on the Upper West Side becomes — eventually — the smaller, smarter residence that fits the next chapter.

Each of these transitions is more consequential than buying a single home, because it involves two transactions running in parallel. The Ruth Reffkin Team has spent four decades getting that parallel right.

“ Mission Before Commission. ”
Beautifully packed moving boxes in an elegant apartment
What We Do

Two Transactions,
One Plan.

An upsize or downsize is not one move. It is two — and the way you sequence, time, and structure them shapes everything from the price you get for the current home to the rate you lock in on the next one. Most clients underestimate this. They focus on finding the new home or selling the old one, and the other side of the transaction becomes an afterthought. By the time the second side gets the attention it deserves, options have narrowed and leverage has shifted.

Our approach is built around handling both sides at once. We help clients think through whether to sell first, buy first, or run them in parallel — and the answer is genuinely different for different families. A buyer with strong post-closing reserves and a high tolerance for moving twice may have the luxury of selling first. A family that cannot move twice and cannot carry two homes may need to time the transactions to within days of each other.

Each path has tradeoffs. We help clients see them clearly before they commit.

Ruth's hands-on experience with renovating multiple homes adds a particular dimension when clients are weighing a property that needs work. She has been on the buyer's side of a renovation. She has been the one writing the checks, supervising the contractor, living through the dust. When she tells a client whether a property's projected renovation cost is realistic, she is speaking from experience, not just from contractor estimates.

How We Work

Our
Process.

Upsizing and downsizing follow a similar arc, but the details vary significantly by family. Our process is designed to make the parallel transactions manageable and the decisions clear.

Having an honest conversation about life changes
Phase 01

The Honest Conversation About What Is Changing

We start with what is actually happening in your life — the new baby, the empty nest, the divorce, the new job, the relative moving in. The right next home flows from understanding what the next chapter actually looks like. We do not start with square footage. We start with the life the home needs to support.

Reviewing financial numbers and planning
Phase 02

The Numbers That Matter

We give clients a clear picture of both sides of the trade: realistic expectations for what your current home will sell for, realistic expectations for what the next home will cost, and what the gap means for your monthly carrying costs, your post-closing reserves, and the financing options that are actually available to you.

Strategic planning and sequencing
Phase 03

Sequencing the Move

We work through the strategic question that anchors every upsize and downsize: sell first, buy first, or run them in parallel. We have helped clients navigate every version of this decision. We talk through what each path looks like in practice, what the risks are, and which one fits your specific situation.

Beautifully staged and marketed home
Phase 04

Preparing and Marketing the Current Home

We position the current home for the strongest possible sale — pricing strategy, presentation, Compass Concierge for pre-sale improvements where they will pay off, and the team's full marketing reach. Simultaneously, we are scouting the next home, getting you in front of properties early, and managing the dual track.

Coordinated closing and finalized paperwork
Phase 05

Coordinated Closings

The closings rarely land on the same day, but they need to land in the right order, with the right cushion, and without the kind of timing surprises that can undo months of work. We coordinate with attorneys, lenders, movers, and the buyer's and seller's sides on both transactions to ensure the move actually happens the way the plan intended.

Why This Team

Why This Team for
Upsizing or Downsizing.

An upsize or downsize is one of the highest-stakes transitions in a real estate life because the two transactions are linked — and most teams handle one side and refer the other. We handle both, and we coordinate them.

01

Both Sides of the Move, From the Same Team

We represent clients on the sale of the current home and the purchase of the next, and we coordinate them. That gives us a unified view of timing, financing, and risk that you simply cannot get when one team handles the sale and a different team handles the purchase. The two transactions talk to each other through us.

02

Renovation Experience That Saves Money

Manhattan apartments at every price point come with renovation questions. Ruth has personally bought and renovated multiple homes herself — she has lived through the budgets, the contractors, the timelines. When she tells a client whether a particular renovation is an opportunity or a money pit, she is speaking from direct experience. That perspective routinely saves clients from expensive mistakes.

03

Strategic Sequencing Expertise

Sell first, buy first, or run them in parallel — this is one of the most consequential decisions in an upsize or downsize, and most clients have never made it before. We have helped hundreds of families work through this decision and structure the move to fit their financial picture, their tolerance for risk, and the realities of the market they are navigating.

The Inquiries

Frequently Asked Questions

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There is no universal right answer — only the right answer for your situation. Selling first gives you certainty about your budget and removes the risk of carrying two homes, but it can put you under time pressure to find the next home. Buying first gives you the time and selectivity to find the right next home, but it exposes you to the carrying cost of two homes if your sale takes longer than expected. We talk through the variables that matter for your situation — financial cushion, market conditions, willingness to move twice, family timing — and help you make the call with clear eyes. Then we structure the move accordingly.

Compass Concierge fronts the cost of pre-sale improvements — painting, staging, light renovation, refinishing floors — and is repaid at closing from the proceeds of the sale. There is no interest on the funds and no out-of-pocket cost to the seller. Whether it is worth using depends on the property. For some homes, $20,000 in targeted improvements adds $80,000 to the sale price and shortens days on market. For others, the marginal cost of improvement does not return at closing. We are honest about which category a particular home falls into.

It happens regularly. Most lenders offer bridge financing or other solutions that let you buy before you sell, and we have relationships with the lenders who handle these structures well in New York. We help clients evaluate whether a bridge makes sense for their situation, what the cost actually is, and how to manage the risk of carrying two homes briefly. Sometimes the right answer is to move on the property; sometimes it is to wait. We give honest counsel either way.

From the first conversation to closing on both sides, most clients move through the process in three to six months. Faster is possible when the right next home appears quickly; slower is normal when the search is more selective or the current home requires more preparation. We plan around your timeline rather than impose ours.

Yes — and given that most Manhattan upsizes and downsizes involve co-ops on at least one side, board approval expertise is part of why this work needs an experienced team. We prepare clients thoroughly for the application, the financial review, and the board interview itself. Most of our buyers are approved on the first attempt.

New York City skyline
Start The Conversation

Let’s Talk About
Your Family’s Next Move.

Whether you are starting to think about a senior transition or already navigating one, we welcome a confidential conversation. There is no obligation. The first conversation often clarifies the path forward — even when the move itself is months or years away.

Click To Schedule Consultation
Phone 516-903-9097
Email ruth.reffkin@compass.com
susan.hirschorn@compass.com
Office 110 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
Hours 8am to 9pm, seven days a week
Compass Real Estate · New York City