For many Sydney homeowners, there comes a point when the family home no longer reflects the way they live. The children have moved out and weekends are increasingly spent travelling or catching up with family and friends. Time is spent enjoying hobbies rather than cleaning and maintaining a large house and garden. Rooms that were once full of life now sit largely unused, while the ongoing upkeep of the home demands more time and effort.
How to downsize from a house to an apartment
Firstly, downsizing isn’t about sacrificing space. It’s about creating more freedom, more convenience and more time to enjoy the things that matter most. For many buyers, it’s less about downsizing and more about rightsizing. Rather than asking, “What am I giving up?” they’re asking, “What will I gain?”
For many, apartment living offers the opportunity to simplify without sacrificing quality. Less maintenance means more time for travel, family, fitness and socialising.
Well-connected neighbourhoods provide cafés, restaurants, parks, public transport and essential services close to home, reducing the need to spend time travelling across Sydney for services, socialising and recreation.
To start planning your move from a house to a unit, think about the lifestyle that you’re looking to obtain. Often, those downsizing are looking for a lifestyle centred around convenience, connection and enjoying everyday life.
What should you consider before buying an apartment in Sydney?
Every buyer will have different priorities, but there are several important factors when considering how to downsize from a house to an apartment. Location remains one of the biggest influences on long-term satisfaction.
Look beyond the apartment itself and think about how you’ll spend your days. Are parks, cafés, transport, healthcare and shopping all within easy reach? Does the neighbourhood support the lifestyle you’re looking for?
Apartment design is extremely important too. Functional floorplans, natural light, storage, quality finishes and shared amenities all contribute to making everyday living more enjoyable. It’s also wise to choose a development built by an experienced developer with a reputation for quality construction and thoughtful design.
As Paul Shaw, Executive General Manager, Development & Construction at TOGA explains:
“A successful apartment community starts long before residents move in — it starts with choosing the right location. That’s why we built The Kensington where we did. With Centennial Parklands on the doorstep, the Light Rail into the city, and a suburb where nearly a third of the land is parkland, residents don’t have to trade the space and community for convenience — they get both. At TOGA, that’s the standard we hold every development to: thoughtful design paired with a location people won’t outgrow.”
What are the benefits of apartment living?
Apartment living has evolved significantly over recent years. Today’s developments are designed to support modern lifestyles, combining beautifully designed private residences with thoughtfully curated shared spaces that extend the home beyond the front door.
This is an important tip for downsizing to an apartment. If you are trading a spacious family home for an apartment, you’ll want to ensure that not only do you have a well-designed and well-appointed apartment, but that the development offers options on site for relaxation, health, fitness and entertaining.
For downsizers, one of the greatest advantages is freedom. Rather than spending weekends maintaining a large property, residents can enjoy rooftop terraces, landscaped gardens and resident lounges, or simply head out to explore everything their neighbourhood has to offer. Luxury apartment living in Sydney offers all this and more in thriving neighbourhoods such as Kensington.
As Sam Murray, Senior Development Manager at The Kensington, says:
“Many of the people we’re speaking with at The Kensington have lived for years in the area. They tell us they want to keep what they love about their current lifestyle — being close to Centennial Park, the golf courses, the stadiums and the Eastern beaches nearby — just without the upkeep of a large house. That’s exactly what we’ve designed for here: rooftop spaces and resident amenities that extend the home beyond the front door, in a neighbourhood they already know.”
Why location matters when downsizing
One of the biggest concerns many homeowners have when moving from a family home is leaving behind the community and amenity that they’ve enjoyed for years. That’s where location becomes just as important as the apartment itself.
Run clubs in Centennial Parklands, Swans fans walking to games at the SCG, fast pain-free commutes to the city, ocean swims at Coogee and proximity to UNSW are all reasons people have chosen Kensington to call home. It’s the ability to have it all within reach, rather than picking one over the other.
Why choose The Kensington by TOGA?
The Kensington has been thoughtfully designed for buyers looking to embrace this next chapter with confidence. Architecturally designed apartments combine premium finishes with shared resident amenities including rooftop spaces, work areas and places to relax or connect with neighbours.
The Kensington is backed by two companies with a long, proven history in the Sydney market.
TOGA is a family-owned property group that has been developing in Sydney since 1963, with nearly 60 years behind award-winning projects including Harbourfront Balmain, Bondi Boheme and the Jones Bay Wharf rejuvenation. As a fully integrated developer, TOGA oversees every stage of a project, from site selection through to delivery and beyond, giving buyers confidence that the same team accountable for the vision is accountable for the outcome.
Construction is being delivered by DASCO, a builder with more than 30 years’ experience and a portfolio of over 6,000 completed dwellings across Sydney. DASCO holds a 4.5-star iCIRT rating, placing it among the highest-rated builders in NSW on the industry’s independent measure of financial capability, character and construction track record.
Together, an experienced developer and a highly-rated builder mean buyers at The Kensington aren’t just buying an apartment. They’re buying into a project delivered by two companies with decades of runs on the board in Sydney’s property market.
At a glance
Why downsizers are choosing apartment living in Kensington
- 21 parks make up almost 30% of Kensington’s land area, with Centennial Parklands on the doorstep
- Light Rail runs directly into the Sydney CBD, with UNSW, the SCG and Coogee’s beaches all close by
- Delivered by TOGA, developing in Sydney since 1963, and built by DASCO, a 4.5-star iCIRT-rated builder
- Rooftop terraces, resident lounges and landscaped gardens extend the home beyond the front door
- Sydney unit values grew 1.1% over the past year while house values were flat, and units are selling faster than the decade average (Cotality, June 2026)
- Lock-up-and-leave convenience close to Sydney Airport, ideal for travel and flexibility
- Stamp duty rebate* currently available on selected SOHO Terrace, 2BR+Study and 3BR residences
*Terms and conditions:
1. This offer applies only to new purchases of units where the contract for sale is exchanged between 1 July 2026 and 31 August 2026 inclusive.
2. It does not apply to any contract exchanged before this date and cannot be applied retrospectively to an existing purchaser or an existing contract of sale.
3. Stamp duty promotion applies only to selected SOHO Terrace Apartments, 2 Bedroom + Study Apartments and all 3 Bedroom Apartment types.
4. The rebate applies only to standard NSW transfer duty and excludes any foreign purchaser surcharge, penalties, interest or other government charges.
5. Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotional offer unless approved by the vendor.
6. Purchasers should obtain independent legal and financial advice before entering into a contract.
7. Offer may be withdrawn, extended, or amended at any time without notice.