It’s Time To Move When You Don’t Feel It’s Home

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

How do you know when it’s time to make a move? Other than the need to relocate for financial, family, or lifestyle reasons, there are many situations that may lead you to decide that maybe it’s time to move. Listed below are the most common reasons, as cited by MSN, why people decide to move.

THE HOUSE
The house itself is often the reason because what was needed in the past may no longer be desired. Similarly, as lifestyle and health changes occur, what was once overlooked may now be a need. Difficulty in climbing stairs, yard work, wanting a first-floor laundry area, a need for more storage space, or simply a desire to upgrade or downsize are all reasons why approximately 17% of people changed households.

THE JOB
The average commute keeps rising every year and accounts for nearly 30 minutes one way, so it’s no surprise that people may wish to move if the commute gets too long. Whether it’s a new job nearby or in a different state, a change in the job situation or too long of a commute, a total of  13% of all moves were related to people’s jobs. 

THE AUTONOMY
With increasing rental rates and the desire to start a life of their own, only 14% of all 25-34-year-olds lived with their parents as of December of 2022, while 56% of 18-24-year-olds still lived with their parents, a huge drop from one millennial subset to their slightly older counterparts. While the pandemic forced a lot of young adults to move back home and percentages do vary from state to state, the trend has clearly reversed. Many young adults also cited rising rents as a motivating factor, along with a desire to build their wealth and have more affordable housing. In total, almost 11% of moves were due to the desire to create a new household.


THE FINANCES
According to Architectural Digest, 29% of all Americans plan to move to a new home in 2023 to lower their cost of living. Their income may have changed, their household expenses like utilities and repairs have increased, or they have simply felt the pressure to change their housing situation because of the past couple of years’ inflation. There are lots of other reasons, but 29% is a hard number to ignore.

THE FAMILY & FRIENDS
Coming in at 8.7% of the reasons to move was some type of change in a relationship, with almost 5% as a result of a change in marital status. A growing family, a significant other, wanting to be closer to extended family and friends, or a death were the remaining reasons for people deciding to move.

THE COMMUNITY
What people do like about their homes may not compensate for what they don’t like about their community or neighborhood. Safety concerns, traffic, amenities (or lack thereof), schools, noise, and even some neighbors could be enough to create a desire to move. While a much higher percentage would be willing to move for these reasons, a better or safer neighborhood still only represents approximately 6% of the moves that took place.

THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
About 3% of the moves nationwide were related to educational opportunities. Moving closer to or away from a college or institute of higher learning was a consideration for almost 825,000 moves.

THE ACTIVITIES
Physical activities such as hiking, biking, golfing, or walking trails, along with social groups, clubs, and proximity to hobbies, may also be a consideration for making a move.

THE PETS
Having a welcoming place for beloved pets can be another reason for finding a new home. Rentals often limit the types of number of pets, and sometimes a particular home, yard, street, or neighborhood is simply not ideal for a pet.



THE CONNECTIONS
Some prefer the bustle of city life with cafes and stores on the corners, while others need the solitude of a country road, and their preferences may change over time. Whether some people feel too isolated and need social interaction or prefer more privacy, the right amount of daily human interaction can be a factor in deciding to live in another geographic location. 

All of the above are valid reasons why some homeowners may not feel as comfortable in their house as they previously did, and perhaps you can think of other reasons as well.  If you decide that where you live is not working for you anymore or if your house no longer feels like your home, you may wish to consider a move yourself. Regardless of the reason, let me know! I’d love to listen to your priorities and goals and then help you find your new home.