It happens to most of us eventually.
You’ve been somewhere a while. Made it your own. Everything is exactly how you want it. The living room lampshade compliments the curtains. The TV sits a centimetre perfect distance from the sofa. The hallway strikes just the right balance between minimalist classy and student casual. It’s great. It’s perfect. It’s yours.
And then…you up sticks and leave.
Why?…Just…Why?
Think of all those things you’ve got to do now that you’ve decided that it’s time to “move on”! Now you’ve got to organise a moving van. You’ve got to notify X,Y and Z about your change of address. You’ve got to catch that dratted cat and put it in its dratted box and get cut to dratted shreds again!….That’s right! You never thought about that, did you?
Of course, the truth is, there are lots of reasons a person might move. Life is complicated. Things change. Tastes develop. Ideas spring…Pandemics happen.
2020 has seen many of us reassess our housing situations and wonder how we might best live our lives in the future. But what are people thinking? What are the reasons people are deciding to shift from one property to another? Why do we do it?
Let’s have a look
Too Big/Too Small: A common reason for moving has got to do with the size of the property. During the pandemic, a lot of people have come to realise that they simply need more space in order to work from home and exist over a long period of time, comfortably, with other people. The arrival of children into the picture also, inevitably, prompts the pursuit of a property of a larger size or, quite simply, desiring some sort of an upgrade. The picture isn’t always about an increase in size, however. When the kids move out, the extra room is sometimes just too much and a scaling down is required. And a larger property does require larger costs. Getting a smaller property is sometimes the best option.
Work: Sometimes the best jobs are not in the best locations. This might not be a big problem for you but, in the long run, many people find it a lot easier to find a property that is within a sensible distance from work. It makes life a whole lot easier and you can spend a lot more time doing the things you want to do and less time on road, rail or air. There are always a lot more factors to consider, particularly if you have a family. But, if the option is there and it is a good move for all, then it is an option frequently taken up.
Family & Friends: There are many important things in life, but few are as important as being able to be close to those whom we love. During this pandemic, many of us have come to take advantage of such video communication services such as Zoom and Skype, which have been saviours for many of us in uncomfortable moments. But, as wonderful as such technological advances are, there is nothing quite as beautiful and reassuring and right as being geographically close to family and friends. Being around such a support network is a natural human desire and, now more than ever, something which we are all craving. Packing up and finding a home closer to those you care about is a popular reason for changing property and place. And quite right too.
Schools: If you have children, you want them to have the best experiences in the best school possible. Where you’re living, you may be nowhere near a school. Perhaps you’ve only recently had the little ones and the subject of schooling has only recently caught up with you. Of course, we will all do anything for our children and moving home in order to get them closer to schools, clubs and friends is simply a no brainer.
Change Of Lifestyle: Things change. Tastes develop. Ideas spring…Pandemics happen. Sometimes you wake up after many years of contentment to realise that you are no longer where you are supposed to be. You’ve changed as a person. Your situation has changed. The world has changed. It is in such moments that we realise that, just maybe, it is time to move on and start afresh somewhere new. It might not seem as vital as some of the points made above and, perhaps, there is some truth in that. But do not neglect your instincts. Do not ignore those itchy feet. Sometimes you just need to move on.
There are many, many reasons why people move property. It can be stressful. It can even be painful. But with every move you gain a wealth of experience and, hopefully, a step further to where you really want to be.
Have you moved recently? Are you thinking of moving soon? What are your reasons? We’d love to know!
We at Belvoir Edinburgh hope that you are all doing well. It’s tough times for us all, but there is a light at the end of this tunnel.
Take care. Stay safe. And happy housekeeping.
