The housing market is blowing up, and there’s no sign it’s stopping anytime soon. I should know. Redfin says the house I bought in March is already up nearly $50,000 in value, just two months after purchasing it. For many active seniors, this is a tempting time to sell—to downsize the family home and move to a senior or active living community. The question: should they?

The decision to move into a senior housing community is always a personal one to be discussed with your partner, children, friends, and even extended family. Your financial adviser or estate planner may also want to weigh in. And while I don’t wish to encourage either choice, I’d like to share some issues to consider before making your decision.

Do the Math
If you have an inkling that you may wish to downsize or move to an active senior community within the next few years, it makes sense to sell in a “seller’s market.” That doesn’t have to be today. Just keep in mind that selling on the upward curve could significantly benefit how much senior housing you can afford. For instance, the value of my home today is $487,000. At this time two years ago, it was valued at just $422,000. Five years ago: $290,000! The monthly cost of an independent living community can range from $1,500 to $6,000 per month. Thus, riding the wave of a seller’s market today could land me nearly three more years of rent in an upscale community than it would just five years ago. That’s no chump change.

A couple more pertinent questions: Do you still owe money on your mortgage? Do you fully understand the tax implications of selling your home right now? You’ll need to factor those numbers into your equation.

Factor in Emotional Value
When my grandfather died, I wanted so badly to buy his home from my father, who had inherited it. Unfortunately, at the time, I couldn’t afford it, so it went into the hands of a stranger who doesn’t understand the memories and love stored there. For me: heart-breaking. All this to say: if you think your children or grandchildren may be interested in purchasing the home, take time to talk to them about a plan for keeping it. Even if you feel this is the right time to move to independent living, you may be able to forge a plan to keep the home in the family in the meantime. Trust me: your children—and grandchildren—will thank you for it.

Consider Your Personal Needs
About 70 percent of people over age 65 will require at least some type of long-term care services, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. As an active adult, you may feel completely confident that you’ll be able to stay in your home for the rest of your life. However, it’s possible that you’re dealing with some other health conditions you know may worsen in the next few years. Depending on your situation, it may make sense to move into an independent community where continuum-of-care services are available if your health declines.

A Note on Locking Rates
Understanding the pressure that the cost of senior housing is putting on many families, some senior communities are offering potential residents the chance to “lock in” today’s rate—a type of rent control for senior community residents. While this might seem like a good reason to sell your home now, my gut says: don’t let lock-ins sway your decision. For one thing, by locking in rental income, senior communities may be boxing themselves into a corner. If their income stays the same while the cost of labor and services rise, chances are good they’ll need to cut the quality of care they are providing at some point in the future to compensate for the loss. Secondly, the cost of senior housing will likely increase at every “increase” in care, regardless of which rate you lock in at the start of your contract. If you move from independent living to assisted living, for instance, your monthly fees will increase anyway.

Long story short: there is no way to guarantee a locked rate will help you financially, so I don’t recommend it as a sole reason to sell your home now.

Today’s senior communities have more amenities than ever before, so it’s understandable that many older Americans are downsizing earlier than ever, as well. None of us have a crystal ball to help us decide the best time to sell, or when downsizing or moving to an independent living or assisted living community will make the most sense. I believe that factoring in the above issues will go a long way in helping you make this important decision with confidence.

Jess Stonefield is a contributing writer on aging, technology, mental health and the greater longevity economy for publications such as Changing Aging, The Mighty and Next Avenue. She is passionate about impact investing and the greater concept of “equitable equity” — spreading wealth to all levels of our society. She is a communications expert for Senior Living Fund.