A Couple’s Journey to Downsize on Long Island’s North Shore

Introduction to the Toths

Maria and Pat Toth met while working at a home improvement store, Pergament Home Center, in Port Jefferson, the village on the North Shore of Long Island. It was 1978. “She was the wallpaper girl and I was the third man — there’s the manager and assistant manager and third man,” Mr. Toth said.

Their Life and Decision to Downsize

They married, bought a ranch in the South Shore hamlet of Shirley, N.Y., and later traded up to a raised ranch in Coram, a few miles south of Port Jefferson. By then, she was a special-education teacher and he was in sales.

Reasons for Downsizing

“As I was getting close to retirement, the discussion we had was: We can’t live in this house anymore,” said Ms. Toth, 68. “It was just too big.” The 13 stairs from the front door to the kitchen were fine when the Toths entered empty-handed, but not so great when they had groceries and cat litter to haul. They also were tired of maintaining the yard and the above-ground pool.

Desire for Community and Family Proximity

What’s more, Ms. Toth said, “I felt isolated from my family.” She longed to return to Port Jefferson, her hometown, which was closer to four of the couple’s five children and all nine grandchildren. And they knew that, if they lived in Port Jeff, as the locals call it, they could avail themselves of village amenities like free downtown parking and access to the two resident-only beaches.

The Search for the Perfect Condo

The Toths had a five-year plan to downsize. “But then she retired two years earlier, so it became a three-year plan,” said Mr. Toth, 69. They figured their Coram house would sell for around $700,000, so they set a budget of up to $650,000. They wanted to pay in cash. “We did not want any loans at this time in life,” Ms. Toth said.

Working with a Real Estate Agent

A year ago, she contacted Deniz Ozgur, an agent at OverSouth Real Estate, who was listing a Port Jefferson house and happened to know her son. The Toths told her they were open to a smaller ranch house with a little yard, or to a townhouse in a condominium or homeowners’ association, where most outdoor maintenance would be taken care of. They didn’t care much about community amenities like pools, but they knew their grandchildren would.

Specific Needs and Challenges

They wanted at least two bedrooms, plus space for Mr. Toth’s freelance martial arts photography business. “I took martial arts when I was younger and I was the father taking pictures of my daughter’s sports,” he said. When he realized there were no photographers for karate schools, he filled the void. He also holds two part-time retail jobs. On early tours, every place seemed to have a dealbreaker. One house had a scarily steep driveway. Another was near a siren-plagued hospital route. A three-bedroom had just one bathroom. “For me, it was almost buyer’s fatigue,” Mr. Toth said.

Finding the Right Fit

The Toths often envisioned how they might reconfigure a house to fit their needs, but Ms. Ozgur suggested they aim higher. “In a year or two, that house is going to start bothering you,” she said. “I told them: You need to find a house that works for you.”

Conclusion

In the end, the Toths’ journey to downsize into a condo on Long Island’s North Shore was about finding a place that fit their needs, allowed them to be closer to family, and provided them with a more manageable lifestyle. Their story highlights the importance of considering all aspects of a home, from location and size to maintenance and community amenities, when making a decision about where to live.

FAQs

• Q: What motivated the Toths to downsize their home?
  A: The Toths decided to downsize due to the size of their current home being too big for them after retirement, and the desire to be closer to their family in Port Jefferson.
• Q: What was their budget for the new home?
  A: The Toths set a budget of up to $650,000 and wanted to pay in cash.
• Q: What type of properties were they looking for?
  A: They were open to a smaller ranch house with a little yard or a townhouse in a condominium or homeowners’ association.
• Q: What specific needs did they have for their new home?
  A: They needed at least two bedrooms and space for Mr. Toth’s freelance martial arts photography business.