Downsizing From Your Large Property? I Handle Everything — Personally.
If you’re on a large, one-acre-plus property in Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, or Saratoga and it’s time for a smaller, simpler chapter, I specialize in making that move happen — from the first drawer you open to the last box that leaves the house. This isn’t a referral list. It’s me, personally, doing the work alongside you.
You’ve Outgrown the Big Yard. Let’s Make the Move Easy.
After years — sometimes decades — on a large estate property, the idea of downsizing can feel overwhelming before it even begins. It’s not just selling a house. It’s deciding what happens to a lifetime of belongings, a garden you’ve tended for years, a home full of memories in every closet and drawer. Most real estate agents show up after all of that is done. I specialize in helping you get there — hands-on, room by room, at your pace.
I work with homeowners throughout Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Saratoga who are ready to move from a large property into something smaller, simpler, and easier to live in. Downsizing is its own specialty, and it’s one I do personally, not through a hired-out checklist.
What Downsizing With Annette Actually Includes
Personal Item Sorting
I go through the home with you, item by item — deciding together what to keep, what to donate, what to gift to family, and what to sell through Facebook Marketplace and other channels.
Room-by-Room Cleanout
Every closet, garage, attic, and drawer sifted through personally — not rushed, not outsourced. I treat your belongings the way I’d want mine treated.
Antiques & Collectibles
I have a network of collectors and buyers who appreciate fine pieces. Rather than letting a treasured item go for pennies at an estate sale, I work to find it the right home — whether that means selling it to someone who values it or gifting it to someone who will treasure it.
Home Staging
Once the home is cleared and organized, I stage it to show beautifully for the market — making the transition from “lived in for 30 years” to “move-in ready” feel seamless.
Garden Refresh — No New Purchases
My gardener specializes in creating a “garden within a garden” — reshaping and beautifying what’s already there using existing plants and materials, not buying anything extra. We also bring in tree trimmers as needed to get the grounds market-ready.
Large Item Hauling
I have a trusted crew for the heavy lifting — furniture, appliances, and large hauls — so nothing sits around waiting to be dealt with.
A Personal, Hands-On Process — Not Just a Referral List
Plenty of agents will hand you a list of estate sale companies and organizers and step back. I don’t work that way. Downsizing is something I do myself, in the home, alongside you. When we go through a room together, I’m not rushing you past things that matter — I’m helping you find the right next home for each treasure, whether that’s a family member, a collector, a donation center, or a buyer online.
For the things that need extra hands — hauling large furniture, trimming overgrown trees, refreshing a garden that’s gotten away from you — I bring in a trusted crew I’ve worked with for years. But the sorting, the decisions, the care in how your belongings are handled? That’s me, personally, every time.
Where Your Things Go
Every item in a home tells a story, and every family’s downsizing needs are different. Depending on what makes sense for you and the item, we’ll:
Sell
Via Facebook Marketplace, direct-to-collector sales for antiques and fine pieces, or other appropriate channels — getting fair value for what you’re ready to part with.
Donate
Connecting with local charities and organizations so items in good condition go to people who need them.
Gift
Helping identify family members, friends, or collectors who would genuinely treasure a specific piece — especially for antiques and sentimental items that deserve more than a yard sale price tag.
Moving Into a Los Gatos Retirement Community? I Can Help With Both Ends of the Move.
Many downsizing moves lead right here in town — into one of Los Gatos’s own senior living communities. I work with residents and families considering:
Los Gatos Commons
445 Alberto Way — a gated 55+ independent living condominium community minutes from downtown Los Gatos, with a clubhouse, pool, and beautifully landscaped grounds.
Ivy Park at Los Gatos
400 Blossom Hill Road — the newest senior living community in town, adjacent to Vasona Lake County Park, offering assisted living and memory care.
The Terraces of Los Gatos
800 Blossom Hill Road — a well-established Life Plan Community (CCRC) in the heart of Los Gatos, offering independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing all on one campus.
Saratoga Retirement Community
14500 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga — a 37-acre Life Plan Community offering independent living apartments and cottages, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing.
Our Lady of Fatima Villa
20400 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road — a 55+ senior housing community on the Saratoga/Los Gatos border.
If you or a family member is considering a move to Los Gatos Commons, Ivy Park, The Terraces of Los Gatos, Saratoga Retirement Community, Our Lady of Fatima Villa, or another local senior community, I can help on both sides of that transition: preparing and selling the larger family home, and personally managing everything that needs to happen in between — sorting, staging, donating, gifting, and finding the right new home for the belongings that don’t make the move with you.
Serving Los Gatos, Monte Sereno & Saratoga
If you’re on a large, one-acre-plus property in Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, or Saratoga and thinking about what’s next, let’s have a conversation — no pressure, no obligation. I’ll walk the property with you, talk through what a realistic timeline looks like, and help you understand exactly what downsizing would involve for your specific home and situation.
Ready to Talk About Your Next Chapter?
Downsizing from a large property is a big decision, and it deserves someone who will handle it personally, with care. Reach out and let’s talk about what your move would look like.
(408) 859-5881 | aseaborn@cbnorcal.com
