Moving to another house is a big decision and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. You might be thinking simply that the fact the thought even crossed your mind is proof enough that you’re ready to move, but sometimes obstacles in the road aren’t an indication that it’s quite time to pack up and leave. Relocating you, your partner and maybe your whole family to a brand new house in a brand new location is a decision which has to be made based on every potential factor involved with living anywhere, rather than simply one negative factor involved with the current place in which you live. If that thing would be no better elsewhere, then it’s not time to move.
So, when is it time to move? How many different things do you need to consider before you can truly say, with certainty, that you’re ready to move house and not only that, but move to a house in an entirely new location? If you’re struggling to consider everything and are nervous about the whole idea, you shouldn’t give up on it just yet; moving is scary, but there’s every chance it is the right decision for you and your family. Here you will find The Ultimate ‘Are You Ready To Relocate?’ Checklist. After browsing through this article, hopefully you’ll have more of an idea as to whether you’re truly ready to pack your bags and move to a brand new home.
You have no garden, and you want one.
The best way to determine whether or not you want to move is to think about the things you really want from a home that your current property could never give you. For example, if you’ve always wanted a garden but your current property is too small and has no outdoor space, then that’s a sign it might be time to move. That’s something which can’t be improved about your home and could only be found elsewhere. Of course, it all depends on how badly you want or need a garden as an addition to your home and whether you could find another property elsewhere which has all the benefits of your current home whilst having one additional positive. This is how you need to weigh up the decision whilst looking through the checklist.
The kids have moved out, and the house feels empty.
When you originally bought your house, you were probably thinking ahead to the future. You planned for children, so you bought a house with two or three extra bedrooms to accommodate for that in the future. Of course, houses with that many extra bedrooms often come with extra bathrooms, a bigger living room, kitchen and many other amenities. If you’ve reached the stage in your life at which your kids have moved out of home to start studying at college or they’ve found their first job, then you might find that the house feels a little empty now.
This happens to many parents when their kid moves out. What seemed like a cramped, chaotic house for years now feels like a huge, empty shell. If you’re living in a family home but it’s now housing two parents, then it might be time for you both to look for a house which better suits the needs of two people, rather than being built for four or five. You could downsize to not only a smaller house or apartment, but a much nicer one. The size of a property doesn’t determine its level of modernity or lavishness, and you could really upgrade if you’re moving to a much smaller home. If all of these ideas excite you, it’s likely time for you and your significant other to move out.
You’ve met someone.
Perhaps you’re not a family person and you’ve been living in a bachelor pad since getting your first job. Whilst you’re young and out partying with friends, a small flat in the city centre is perfect for you to spread your wings and simply have somewhere to crash out when you’re not out seeing the world or having fun. However, there comes a day for many people when they find that special someone and everything changes. Things get a little serious, and maybe now you want to live with that person, but your one-person flat just doesn’t quite offer enough space. This is essentially a no-brainer, and you should definitely consider moving if you both want to take the relationship to the next level and find an apartment or house which provides enough space for the two of you.
You keep fantasizing about your dream home.
Everybody fantasizes about improving their home. If you’re a dab hand with DIY, you might have decided in the past to renovate the garden with a modern patio or repaint the house when you didn’t like the color scheme. Still, sometimes these small changes don’t really address the real problem at hand. If you still find yourself fantasizing about your dream home no matter how many improvements you make to your current one, this just might not be the right home for you and your family.
You could check out companies such as Vision One Homes if you wanted to turn your idea in a real-life house, and this might give you inspiration regarding your decision to move. The point is that sometimes the problem may not be the location but the house itself. Rearranging furniture or reducing your possessions might not be a substantial enough change if the property feels too cramped to house everyone. If you keep imagining living in a place which looks entirely different to your current home, then it’s a sign you’re ready for a big change, rather than small interior design alterations. It’s a sign you’re ready to move.
The commute is killing you.
Sometimes there isn’t a problem with your house itself or even the location, but your job is vitally important and you can’t give that up. At the end of the day, only you know your situation best, and this is a decision you have to make. If the commute to work is long, tiring and stressful, then you’re not going to be able to enjoy your home or function effectively whilst you’re at the office. You’ll have to discuss the matter with your partner, family or whoever you may be sharing a house with, but the answer may be to move to somewhere closer to your workplace, unfortunately. You need to weigh up the importance of your work against where you live, but you could always search for new job opportunities if you really can’t bear to move out of your house (or afford to move).
Your neighborhood isn’t what it was.
Unfortunately, sometimes the problem with your home isn’t the location in itself, but the people with whom you share that location. You might have loved your property, street, school and the locals when you first moved to your home, but as soon as people who just don’t gel with you move into your neighborhood, it becomes an entirely different story. Again, you need to weigh up the pros and cons, but if you’re just not relaxed in the place you should be calling home, then it might be time to move into a new neighborhood, as the people with whom you surround yourself should be on the same level as you. Living near loud, young people who perhaps don’t respect family life or the need for bedtimes or perhaps simply living near people who are loud and argumentative isn’t going to foster a happy home environment for you or your family.
