When is the right time to move?
We've been in our house for six years as of next week... and while I really do love it here, I am always wondering if we will move, and when?
When I first found out I was pregnant with H, I was all in a panic as to what we were going to do in a measly 3 bedroom home. Of course, PC didn't see the problem, as we had a room for us, one for E, and one for the future baby, but for me it was borderline meltdown when I thought about having to clean out the spare room to move E into it so we would have a room for the baby.
It was right around then I had a real itch to buy and move, but when I actually found a house I was fairly interested in, we went and saw it, and I got cold feet. While it was nice, and had 4 good size bedrooms, its kitchen was less appealing than ours, the basement wasn't finished, and the top floor was all carpet, and the study/office I really want wasn't what I had pictured. Upon discovering these things, it didn't take me long to get quickly reacquainted with why I like our house so much.
When we first bought our house in 2005, I will admit, I didn't know anything about houses and what I wanted in a house. This house looked great on paper, came with a lot of upgrades, and was really well taken care of by its previous owners. But now having lived in a house for six years I can now say exactly what I want and don't want in my next house.
The thing about our house right now is that in six year's time we've done some things that have made me like it more than when we first bought it. You may recall PC's handywork in finishing the basement, and more recently the kitchen backsplash and countertop project. We've painted all of the bedrooms and decorated the entire house to our liking, and while there are still things I would totally change if I had an endless supply of money and a willing contractor, I am actually quite happy with the place... for now.
BUT, how long is 'for now' going to last? That's the real question.
It's just one of those things that is constantly on my mind... and when I think about packing up six years worth of our ever-expanding life, I cringe. Cringe at the thought of packing it up only to move it a few streets down or over, and then unpacking it again. The thing about moving is that, you know you're signing up for more painting and decorating before you consider the house a home - and I don't think I want to be in that hectic (not to mention money draining) business right now with two kids under two and half ... but then again, maybe I do?
Another problem with moving is that the grass isn't always going to be greener on the other side. What if the house we choose is a dud, or the neighbours are crazy... these are the things you can't control, they are just based on luck, and so far (knock on wood) we had fairly good luck here, so I don't want to jinx it.
I have always been one to surf MLS and Grapevine listings in and around the neighbourhood because A. I'm nosey like that and B. I like to see what's out there. Its kinda of the theory that when I least expect it, something is going to catch my eye. Lately... I haven't found anything worth a real look. The homes in our neighbourhood are going for a good chunk of change and we stand to make some decent cashola on a transaction of this magnitude, but at the same time, purchasing a home on this market is pretty pricey too and when I boil it down, we aren't getting much more than we already have, but we'll be spending a lot more to get those few little extra details I'd like to have. Slowly I have been compiling a list of must-haves for my next home... and frankly, its going to be hard to find it in this neighbourhood... but the great part about this ever-expanding community, is that new homes are always being built, and somewhere along the line, my affordable dream home is going to become available, I hope!
It's a constant back n' forth in my head... sell and move, or stay and laze?
Do any of you ever get the moving itch? How many times have you bought and sold? Was it worth it? Are you happy with your decision?
When I first found out I was pregnant with H, I was all in a panic as to what we were going to do in a measly 3 bedroom home. Of course, PC didn't see the problem, as we had a room for us, one for E, and one for the future baby, but for me it was borderline meltdown when I thought about having to clean out the spare room to move E into it so we would have a room for the baby.
It was right around then I had a real itch to buy and move, but when I actually found a house I was fairly interested in, we went and saw it, and I got cold feet. While it was nice, and had 4 good size bedrooms, its kitchen was less appealing than ours, the basement wasn't finished, and the top floor was all carpet, and the study/office I really want wasn't what I had pictured. Upon discovering these things, it didn't take me long to get quickly reacquainted with why I like our house so much.
When we first bought our house in 2005, I will admit, I didn't know anything about houses and what I wanted in a house. This house looked great on paper, came with a lot of upgrades, and was really well taken care of by its previous owners. But now having lived in a house for six years I can now say exactly what I want and don't want in my next house.
The thing about our house right now is that in six year's time we've done some things that have made me like it more than when we first bought it. You may recall PC's handywork in finishing the basement, and more recently the kitchen backsplash and countertop project. We've painted all of the bedrooms and decorated the entire house to our liking, and while there are still things I would totally change if I had an endless supply of money and a willing contractor, I am actually quite happy with the place... for now.
BUT, how long is 'for now' going to last? That's the real question.
It's just one of those things that is constantly on my mind... and when I think about packing up six years worth of our ever-expanding life, I cringe. Cringe at the thought of packing it up only to move it a few streets down or over, and then unpacking it again. The thing about moving is that, you know you're signing up for more painting and decorating before you consider the house a home - and I don't think I want to be in that hectic (not to mention money draining) business right now with two kids under two and half ... but then again, maybe I do?
Another problem with moving is that the grass isn't always going to be greener on the other side. What if the house we choose is a dud, or the neighbours are crazy... these are the things you can't control, they are just based on luck, and so far (knock on wood) we had fairly good luck here, so I don't want to jinx it.
I have always been one to surf MLS and Grapevine listings in and around the neighbourhood because A. I'm nosey like that and B. I like to see what's out there. Its kinda of the theory that when I least expect it, something is going to catch my eye. Lately... I haven't found anything worth a real look. The homes in our neighbourhood are going for a good chunk of change and we stand to make some decent cashola on a transaction of this magnitude, but at the same time, purchasing a home on this market is pretty pricey too and when I boil it down, we aren't getting much more than we already have, but we'll be spending a lot more to get those few little extra details I'd like to have. Slowly I have been compiling a list of must-haves for my next home... and frankly, its going to be hard to find it in this neighbourhood... but the great part about this ever-expanding community, is that new homes are always being built, and somewhere along the line, my affordable dream home is going to become available, I hope!
It's a constant back n' forth in my head... sell and move, or stay and laze?
Do any of you ever get the moving itch? How many times have you bought and sold? Was it worth it? Are you happy with your decision?
posted by SC at 10:44 AM
<< Home