Thinking of moving house? Not sure?

Thinking of moving house?  Not sure?  These 6 questions should help you make up your mind.

1. Am I in a fit state?

 Now is a good time to take a mental snap shot. . Are you generally feeling happy right now? Are you feeling healthy? Is your thinking clear? Do you feel like you’re in a good place to make a major change such as moving home? How happy are you in  your work life, with your key relationships?  Do you feel like you’ve got good support right now  for this type of  big decision? Is the motivation for moving house coming from a positive place? Have you a clear vision of what you’d like to achieve? 

2. Could some DIY and decluttering help clear my thinking?

If you’re not sure about how you are feeling, take a hint or two from your current home. Look around. Has clutter begun to build up in one or many areas? Are things broken? Are bulbs missing from lights?  Do certain things about the house frustrate you regularly such as broken taps,  inadequate storage space ?. Remember, if you go to sell, you’ll need to address many of these issues.  By spending a bit of time and energy on your current home now you’re likely to feel better and clearer in your thinking about life in general and specifically a move. . 

3. Does my home life run smoothly from an operational point of view?

Think through a typical day in the life of your house. Do things run smoothly?. For example do  is there enough space for every chair around the dinner table without moving the table and chairs in and out for every meal,  Is it easy or painful to put on, hang out and iron the washing?  Without trying to come up with a solution, simply make a note of all the things that frustrate you about day to day life.  If things all flowed a bit more easily, would you still want to move?  Do you think it’s possible to get these things working more smoothly? Would a few key improvements greatly enhance your day to day life?

4. Am I getting the most out of my house?

As an estate agent selling houses, I was often called out to houses where people are considering moving due to lack of space. I looked around these homes and saw conservatories that weren't used, converted garages that were acting as storage space, rooms that had been made into corridors by badly designed extensions,  and other spaces that had no clear functionl.  Do you recognise any of these symptons?  Do you think you are making the very most out of all the space in your home or  Is it possible that you could actually get the house you need by just taking a fresh look at how you are currently using each room?

5. Who could help me assess my house?

Do you know anyone who could help you take a fresh look at your house?  Do you have a friend whose house seems to work really well who could think through your own house and needs with you?  Maybe you know an interior designer or architect who you could pay to come over for an hour or two and make suggestions? If you’re not sure what these professionals would charge you, why not pick up the phone and ask them?  My experience is that architects and interior designers love the “ideas” bit of the job and are more than happy to be paid for an hour or two of their time just to think and talk. There is a huge amount of advice out there.  Before you decide to move, wouldn’t  it make sense to get some really good advice?   Then at least if you do decide to move, you're more likely to trust your decision and feel that it is based on sound thinking.

6. Have I enough energy to get all the financial end of things in place?

It can be very easy to let our thoughts go round in circles on the subject of moving house. It’s tempting to spend  time looking at myhome.ie,  and DAFT and even going out to view properties. Definitely this is all useful research and will need to be done should you decide to move. But maybe a better test of whether you truly are in the right frame of mind to move, is to see just how much energy you have for the more dreary financial end of things.  Are you ready to start digging out wage slips, P60s, mortgage and bank statements? Have you got what it takes right now to meet mortgage brokers, talk to your bank etc?  If you don't see yourself getting this paperwork together right now, then it makes sense not to go out viewing houses. You could wear yourself out with information about todays market, but prices and market conditions may have changed a lot by the time you get a loan and you'll need to start looking all over again. 

If you'd like to talk to me about moving and whether you'd find it useful to work with me as you house hunt, please contact me.

Breffnie Tel: 087 2574 573            E: breffnie@breffnieokelly.ie