If you want to live in the city, you likely will find yourself living in an apartment. For many that means conserving space, getting really creative with your patio, and if you’re a parent, teaching your child to be aware of your neighbors. Apartment life can be perfectly wonderful — cheaper rent, someone else takes care of the maintenance and yard work, and so on — until it’s not. If you’ve started to wonder if it’s time to upsize, here are some of the telltale signs that it’s time to move.
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Your family is expanding
You might be just starting your family, and wondering just how long you can raise your baby in a one-bedroom apartment. Let’s just get that question out of the way: not very long. Raising one child in a small, two-bedroom apartment is manageable. Maybe two. But unless you have a really large floor plan, having multiple children requires space. A fair amount of it, for everyone’s wellbeing. At a certain point the kids will likely want their own bedrooms to avoid sibling quarrels, and when the toy truck races commence, you’ll be wishing for somewhere to find solace. Add the luxury of having your own laundry facilities at home, and the reasons to move to a house you call your own might just become overpowering.
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You want outdoor space
Having a yard isn’t a big deal when you’re busy and barely have a moment to spend enjoying it, but for many, there does come a time when a little plot of land beckons. Maybe you want to garden, have friends over to barbeque, or you’re looking to adopt a dog into your family. Give yourself (and your new pet) some breathing room and green space, and watch just how quickly your quality of life improves.
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You know that paying rent is a never-ending game
By now you’re well aware that making solid financial investments will help you later in life, and your rent money is essentially just… going away, never to be seen again. A mortgage on a home, on the other hand, is an investment that will pay off in the long run. Is it cheaper to live in an apartment or a house? If you’re happy living in your current area and feel ready to sign on the dotted line, you may, in fact, save money month to month by getting a good mortgage rate — even when you throw in the cost of moving.
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You can customize your home to your tastes
You’re a well-established adult, and as such you have cultivated your tastes and aesthetic for your living space. This is one of the differences between an apartment and a house that many enjoy: paint it, break down walls, change the lighting fixtures, create a home gym, it’s all up to you. With your own house, you have permission and creative license to turn it into the home you’ve always wanted.
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You need more room to entertain
When you were 21, having your friends sleep on the couch was acceptable — but there comes an age limit where couches and air mattresses just don’t work. Moving to your own house can give you the extra space to create a guest room where you can welcome family and friends in comfort. You could have the space double as a home office or craft room too, depending on your desires and needs.
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You want to work from home
Unless you have a two bedroom apartment and no children, it may be difficult for you to really be effective working from home in an apartment. First, there is the noise issue, when there is nowhere for you to hide as the kids come home from school. Then there is the issue of focus space. Most people require a designated space in the home where they sit to work, and without it, can feel easily distracted by dishes in the sink, something on the television, or even their spouse puttering about. Moving to a new home can give you a dedicated office space to really get down to work.
Read to make the leap? After you’ve contacted your real estate agent, start getting moving estimates so you can choose the best house movers for the job.
