Reverse Mortgage Vs. Downsizing [2025]: Explained and Compared

As seen in

Explore the benefits and drawbacks of Downsizing vs. a Reverse Mortgage.

Many retirees are unsure about

Hidden Fees

Impact on Lifestyle

Applications Processes

Long Term Effects On Estate

Rising living costs and changing lifestyle needs often lead seniors to consider new ways to unlock home equity. Two of the most effective solutions are Reverse Mortgages and Downsizing

Register To Learn:

Simple strategies to boost retirement income and ease financial pressure
The real differences between Downsizing and Reverse Mortgages
Pros and cons of each option—so you can decide with confidence
Key eligibility criteria, fees, and what the application process involves
Safe ways to release home equity while protecting your savings
Features of modern reverse mortgage products that help improve daily cash flow.

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Nice Things People Have Said

barry T.

22:45 24 Feb 26

Understanding, deciding, facilitating and processing an application for a reverse mortgage is not a simple process, however having a Broker who works closely with you step by step is an absolute must have. We choose Seniors First based on peer and industry reviews coupled with the explanatory telecasts they provided explaining what was involved. Having decided to explore further we linked up with our Broker, Angela Giokaris via a lengthy phone discussion. Throughout the following weeks as the application process progressed we were confident that we were in good hands. Angela remained in contact every step of the way, openly ensuring we understood the pros and cons of a reverse mortgage and facilitated every step of the journey. Importantly, there were a couple of conditions from Heartland, our chosen bank, that we had issues with. Angela negotiated with Heartland on our behalf and secured the conditions we were chasing. We found Angela to be highly professional, very knowledgeable of the reverse mortgage product and banking generally. Importantly also, friendly, patient, considerate of our needs, thorough in detail and overall an absolute pleasure to work with. We are very happy with the end result and being able to convert our asset value to a cash value and opening the door to the rest of our lives. We would wholeheartedly recommend Seniors First, and in particular Angela to anyone who is considering going down this track. Barry.

Bobby Y.

08:57 16 Feb 26

I found the consultant from Senior first Richard Chapman, was extremely helpful and also very knowledgeable regarding reverse mortgages. He was always available to assist with any of out questions and or concerns. We found this process very smooth and seamless. My wife and I had many questions during this process, which were always handled with patience and understanding. I would recommend Senior First for anyone thinking about a reverse mortgage they make it easy.
Thanks guys.
Bobby Yarbrough

Gina J.

06:58 02 Feb 26

Seema was very professional explaining everything thoroughly and she kept in contact with us throughout the whole process of our Reverse Mortgage. We would definitely recommend her. Thank you for making it happen for us Seema we are now able to do our renovations
Jason & Gina

Ian C.

00:56 02 Feb 26

I have just recently re-negotiated my mortgage with Seniors First. The whole process was made all the easier with Adam Oakley's assistance… always just a phone call away- if not an immediate answer he always called back. A great help - awesome service from Adam - thank you.

Peter de D.

06:16 30 Jan 26

Angela was incredibly helpful and meticulous, always ensuring that we fully understood the implications of our decisions. She was always available whenever we needed clarification, consistently attentive and caring throughout the process. In addition, her reassuring voice gave us confidence and peace of mind.

John J.

23:14 27 Jan 26

I was extremely impressed with Palka. She went above and beyond in providing excellent service. She even answered questions after hours and was always very helpful, getting our mortgage through in the shortest time frame possible. Well done Palka. !

Alan S.

21:48 20 Jan 26

I recently used the services of Seniors First to help me navigate the complex side of reverse mortgage. I found Seniors First to be very knowledgeable and were able to provide me with all the information I needed to make an informed decision. They allowed me the time to considered my options, and there was no pressure to make a decision until I was ready. Pulka provided excellent service. I would highly recommend these guys if you are considering a reverse mortgage.

trevor G.

00:47 20 Jan 26

After reading a lot of online information regarding a reverse mortgage we contacted Seniors First. Richard Chapman was in touch shortly after. He came to our house and spent a couple of hours explaining the process in detail and answered any questions we had. Richard was excellent from start to finish and we always felt comfortable going through the process with him.
Highly recommend this broker.

Josie S.

02:02 09 Jan 26

Seniors First provided plenty of information on the concept of reverse mortgages, also referring us to the government website, for calculators showing scenarios of how the loan and house value would progress. Richard Chapman answered all our quesions in a clear, easily-understandable way and guided us through the process, to ensure that we and our children fully understood how reverse mortgages operate. With Richard's experience we were able to find a lender that suited the kind of loan we would need. We could see that the reverse mortgage would allow us to remain in our own home, and have funds available if needed later for aged care, without selling our home of 25 years and moving away. All in all, a very satisfactory experience with Richard and Seniors First.
Gavin and Josie Swallow

mark T.

01:31 30 Dec 25

I am very happy to recommend Seniors First Reverse Mortgage Brokers, especially Palka as she has been very polite and efficient in all aspects of this process. Always ready to explain thoroughly any questions or doubts I may have had and always with a friendly /no trouble response. Cannot recommend these folk enough,

Cheryl M.

01:38 27 Dec 25

Negotiating a Reverse Mortgage with Adam Oakley was considerably easier than we expected.
Adam was quick to allay our hesitance in dealing with an interstate broker and subsequent technological challenges including biometric ID.
Adam provided sound advice on the product best suited to our circumstances and maintained regular contact with us ensuring we were comfortable with the process and updating us on the progress of our application.
We researched reverse mortgages before committing and were impressed with Seniors Firsts webinars, FAQs and online information.
We look forward to maintaining contact with Seniors First and Adam in forthcoming years in reviewing our loan to ensure that it meets our future requirements.

Ian Y.

02:16 25 Dec 25

I did quite a bit of research on reverse mortgages and also watched at least 6 webinars on line before contacting Seniors First. I was put in touch with one of their brokers (Palka Kumar). She was very professional and knowledgeable about the whole process of setting up the reverse mortgage. I live in Tasmania but this was not a problem and in a matter of weeks everything was approved - I had the ideal criteria for this product and my wife and I are extremely pleased with the entire way the business was conducted. Seniors First know what they are doing and we thank you for all your assistance.

Marg B.

04:51 17 Dec 25

My husband and i have recently used Seniors First for securing a loan for the purchase of a new car. We were lucky to be assisted by Palka who has been wonderful since we first made contact wirh Seniors First. Palka has been incredibly helpful, has explained very clearly what we need to do, and has "held my hand" on several occoasions. Grateful thanks to Palka for her dedication to her clients.

Christine T.

02:08 16 Dec 25

Very good company to deal with. The consultant Adam Oakley was excellent. He was transparent and informative, polite and attentive. Could not recommend highly enough. He made a difficult situation easy and helped us old guys through the technology.

Nigel C.

07:33 10 Dec 25

Thank you, Angela, for your great support in helping us secure a Reverse Mortgage.
You were professional and knowledgeable in all our dealings and kept us in the picture at every stage of the process to ensure a smooth Reverse Mortgage journey.
You also clearly communicated all the options available on Reverse Mortgages so we could make fully informed decisions.
Most importantly, you quickly responded to and answered all our questions ( and there were many ! )
We strongly recommend Angela at Seniors First to all potential clients.

Meet Your Hosts:

Darren Moffatt

Founder & Managing Director

Darren is the founder of Seniors First and has been the CEO since 2006, he is also an is an award-winning businessperson with almost two decades of lending experience.

Seema Baram

Reverse Mortgage Broker

Seema is a Sydney based Mortgage Broker and comes with over 15 years of experience in Mortgage and Lending.

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Seniors First is a licensed, finance broker specialising in Reverse Mortgage and equity release finance.