7 checklist items you must tick when shifting house

Have you caught the moving bug yet? Is the thought of shifting houses itching in the back of your brain so bad, but you’re not sure whether you should scratch it? If so, you have a lot of thinking to do! Moving is a stressful and comprehensive task. Nonetheless, nothing is as exhilarating and terrifying at the same time as moving to a new home. But before you jump the gun, there are certain factors you need to consider before you shift houses.

We can help you ease the stress of moving houses by ticking these items on the checklist. After each tick you’ll feel a little bit safer and confident you’re making the right move, at the right time. Time to put your thinking cap on!

1.   You Have Enough Resources

If you’ve been doing great at your job, have stashed some money away, and got that dream promotion you’ve been wanting for a long time, you have a one of the major assets it takes to consider a new home. If your financial situation, on the other hand, doesn’t support your dream home just yet, than hold off ticking this one off your checklist. However, if you are secure enough and your financial flow seems steady enough to support your new cost of living, it’s the right time to shift houses. Here’s something you should take into consideration to know your financial liquidity.

• Outstanding mortgage loans with banks or the Housing Development Board(HDB)
• Renovations cost for your new home
• Outstanding loans/credit card debts/overdraft accounts
• Available cash at home in times of unexpected request of down payments needed for anything involving your new home

2.   You Can’t Expand Anymore

As time moves on, the needs of household members change. Families grow, people move in together, and before you know it, you’ll need a space that fits you better. You might not grow in number, but as your family gets older, your children will need more privacy and space, which is where your quaint, old house won’t cut it anymore. Here are some other reasons that are direct signs you can’t improve on your house anymore and it’s time for a change:

• You’ve done all space-expanding possible, removed all the excess furniture, but your house stills seems like a box that’s about to burst.
• You’re waiting in line to get to the bathroom.
• You’re bumping hips in the kitchen.
• Someone is sleeping on the couch, because there’s no space anymore.

These are all clear signs you can’t do anything to improve the living-space for your family, and you just need to get out of there and go on a hunt for a house that will be the right fit for all the members of the household.

3.   You Don’t Fit in the Neighbourhood

Maybe you were quite comfortable living in a busy environment, right smack down in the centre of the city, but it might not be the ideal neighbourhood if you’re looking to expand your family. Think in terms of neighbourhood, amenities and the social environment .What is the best neighbourhood environment you’re going to want to be in, in your near future?

• Are you planning on having kids, and want them to have green spaces and playground to run on?
• Is the neighbourhood you’re currently in a healthy environment to bring up your children in?
• Does the neighbourhood you’re currently in have all the necessary institutions for the entire family?

4.   Location Is Not Strategic

A major reason to change homes would be its current proximity to your full-time job. Now if you’re an online florist, and your job is portable, you won’t give this a time of day. But for those whose job is more conventional, this is an essential factor. Whether you’re living alone, or with a partner, the time it takes for you to travel to your job can have a lot of influence on the quality of your lifestyle. A home closer to your workplace, means a lot of time saved to spend with your dearest. Now, tick this one off, if you have a full-time job and you’re tired of hours of click-clacking to the workplace and back home.

5.   You’ve Done the Investigation

Before deciding to change homes, you have to do a lot of homework in advance. You need to research the market, either on your own, or by relying on a professional who will consider all your needs and assess the market and present you with the best of options. Get some opinions from your local and trusted real estate agents or better, friends are more acquainted with the real estate trends and all things in between. If you haven’t yet found an area that’s looking better than where you are right now, then perhaps it’s not quite time to consider packing up and moving.

6.   Your Current Residence Is Restricting You

Your living area can be restrictive in the sense that you can’t find the right job, transportation, activities, schools or anything that’s necessary to lead a happy and healthy life. If everything is far away, and the area you’re in is pulling you back from living the life you want, then it’s time to say goodbye to the old neighbourhood, and find a new one that’s going to give you more opportunities to improve your lifestyle. Don’t let yourself feel excluded from life.

7.   You’ve Found a Better Deal

One of the most obvious items on the checklist, but definitely one that, ticked off, will have its own echo! If you’ve ticked off all of the previous items on our list, and managed to somehow, find a home that’s more affordable and fits in with your idea of a better home, than it’s about to put a tick on it. There’s no good reason to avoid switching homes if you’ve found something closer to work, bigger and comes at a price that’s too good to be true! It’s always good to keep a lookout on real estate property website or advertisements on the newspapers. If you’re lucky, you might walk away with the dream house of yours at a steal!

How many items have you ticked off of this list? Or do you have anything to add for the future home-shifters? Feel free to share with us!