Moving can be an emotional upheaval and with one in five property sales falling through, the whole process can prove to be very stressful.

The disruption caused by moving home can cause more pain than gain. Pared with legal fees, removal costs and stamp duty, the costs can mount up. In fact, for those who are considering funding some of their retirement by downsizing, the money may not stretch as far as they think. According to research from Standard Life, the average downsizer only generates around an extra £43.50 a week in retirement income.

A home is also more than just a property. It can be a place which holds fond memories of family celebrations or raising children, and being surrounded by this history can provide much needed comfort, particularly in later years.

Thanks to heavily inflated property prices over the last 25 years, many homeowners will find themselves cash poor but asset rich. For these homeowners, selling up and moving to a cheaper property may seem like the only way to benefit from the equity locked in their home.

Instead of going through the upheaval of downsizing, having to throw away belongings and move to unfamiliar areas, older homeowners should consider using equity release to unlock this capital to enjoy today, safe in the knowledge that they can stay in their home for the rest of their lives.

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In fact, one in five of our customers uses equity release to buy a new property – or even upsize. This can either be buying a larger property, or buying a property in a more prime location. This shuns the stereotype that all retirees want to move into a smaller property, which is unsurprising when you think that they will have time to enjoy their home and garden and may even want extra space for their children and grandchildren to stay.

For those who want to move because they’re carrying mortgage debt into retirement, it’s likely that this is because they are unaware of the other opportunities available to them. While the mainstream lenders may be shying away from lending in retirement, equity release has been designed with this customer in mind.

Innovative and flexible products can be tailored to suit individual needs and development in the sector means that many products available are now just like the traditional mortgages that homeowners will be used to having.

In previous years, many people were put off the idea of this because of fears over the impact of interest roll-up. However, flexible and innovative products allow routine or ad-hoc interest payments, so this can be reduced or even eliminated. In essence, this increased flexibility means that they can enjoy the money today – but also provide for future generations.

It’s more important than ever for advisers looking at retirement options to consider their client’s home alongside any investments and pension pots as part of a holistic approach, because as this shows, equity release could be a sensible solution for many.

Alice Watson is product and communications manager at Stonehaven