How much equity will I free up by downsizing?

Equity freed up by downsizing depends on the gap between what your current home sells for, after paying off any remaining mortgage, and what the smaller replacement actually costs to buy, a number that needs a real valuation on both sides rather than a rule of thumb. Two owners with similar-looking homes can free up very different amounts depending on how long they have owned and what they still owe. Brian Beatty runs that comparison against real listings so you see an actual figure before deciding to move.