Storage and layout matter more to a downsizer than a first-time buyer typically thinks to ask about. A condo or bungalow that looks fine on a walkthrough can turn out to have no real storage for decades of furniture and belongings, which is a problem a first-time buyer starting from empty never faces.
Condo and strata fees deserve real scrutiny from a downsizer, since a buyer moving from a house with no such fee needs to see two years of the corporation's financial statements and reserve fund study, not just the monthly number quoted on the listing.
Timeline coordination between selling the house and buying the smaller home is the piece a first-time buyer skips entirely and a downsizer cannot, and a home inspection on the new place, typically $400 to $600, is worth booking even on a smaller property. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.