Many ways to “eat your house” in retirement

  • Take in boarders or flatmates
  • Sublet part of home — permanently or Airbnb (wttch tax and insurance)
  • Subdivide — easier now
  • Sell your house and buy smaller or in a cheaper place
  • Sell your house and become a renter
  • Reverse mortgages

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Mary Holm, ONZM, is a freelance journalist, a seminar presenter and a bestselling author on personal finance. She is a director of Financial Services Complaints Ltd (FSCL) and a former director of the Financial Markets Authority. Her opinions are personal, and do not reflect the position of any organisation in which she holds office. Mary’s advice is of a general nature, and she is not responsible for any loss that any reader may suffer from following it. Send questions to [email protected] or click here. Letters should not exceed 200 words. We won’t publish your name. Please provide a (preferably daytime) phone number. Unfortunately, Mary cannot answer all questions, correspond directly with readers, or give financial advice.