Are you struggling to decide whether you want to move house? It’s a very tough decision, and probably a life-changing one at that. It’s not like buying a new T.V or booking a holiday, this is where you choose to live, so we understand that this can be a very daunting decision. Here are 4 quick questions that will help you be certain that moving house is the right decision for you.
Is moving house the best thing for your children?
You may love the idea of moving to a nicer new area with trees lining the roads and a big back garden, but if you’re children aren’t ready or aren’t going to benefit from the move it may not be right for your family. Typically moving with younger children is more common as they haven’t settled into schools yet or made meaningful friendships that will be hard to adjust from. Moreover, if you’re children are 14 – 17 years old, they will be gearing up for exams. Between the ages of 15 & 16, teenagers sit their GCSEs, then after that they have another two years of A Levels and exams or college. Either way they will not finish studying till they’re 18 by law, so it’s not fair to make such emotional changes and move them away from a setting which they are comfortable and settled in. Moving during this period will only put unnecessary stress on them and could affect their studies. Obviously your decision is final, but if you talk to your children and ask them how they feel about the move, you may save yourself a lot of grief in the long run.
Are you set to make money on your move?
Moving house can be a great opportunity to advance yourself up the property ladder. If you bought your original house anytime in the last 10 or 15 years, then it will almost certainly have accumulated a higher value. Property prices are at a record-high in the UK at the moment and the property market is especially attractive for homeowners and buyers as mortgage interest rates are fairly low. Decent housing is in short supply and demand is through the roof in most areas, so if you are considering moving, then now is a great time. You will be able to cash-in on any extra value you have gained over the years and potentially afford a bigger house or move to a nicer area. Alternatively, if you are considering downsizing you may be able to draw out the equity on your home when selling for a sizeable cash boost.
Why are you moving?
Essentially this is the crux of any house move, the why. This one can be quite obvious for many people, but if you haven’t asked yourself this yet then you’re probably not ready to move home. People move for all kinds of reasons, from noisy neighbours, to better schools and new job opportunities. Just make sure you know you’re ‘why’ and that you’re moving for the right reasons. This helpful house buying guide may be American but a lot of the principals relate and could help you decide.
Where do you want to move to?
Once you’ve figured out why you will be moving, then where may simply fall into place. For example, if you’re moving for a specific job opportunity then the location of your relocation will be set already. If why you are moving doesn’t dictate where, then this is your next consideration. This is potentially the most fun you can have when considering moving house. House viewings are brilliant for nosing around people’s homes. There are plenty of online guides to help you decide where in the world you’d like to live. Yes we said world, as we offer removals both nationally and in Europe. Illustreets.co.uk is a great free website with loads of interactive maps to show average prices and rents, as well as standard of living and schooling all in one place. And the Telegraph release regular indexes of the best places to live in England, their most recent is Britain’s top 20 places to raise a family.
