The “Forever” Home Myth
The “Forever” Home Myth
If you’ve ever dreamed of finding your “forever” home you’re not alone. It’s a concept that many of us cling to - buying that one perfect house where you’ll settle down, grow your family, see your kids off to University, and only then, will you think about downsizing. But I’m here to share a little secret: for most people, the much sought-after “forever” home is just a myth… and here’s why.
First and foremost, life happens - it is full of changes. But let’s start by diving into the most basic of reasons for wanting to move: SPACE. Maybe you have more kids than you planned on having, or maybe you start working from home and suddenly need a home office, or maybe you got a dog who needs a bigger backyard to play in (ahem, don’t judge! That’s the reason my husband and I started thinking about moving seven years ago…). Essentially, the space you thought you needed in a home five years ago will most likely no longer fit your needs today - or another five years from now for that matter.
Another common reason to move is LOCATION. Though you may not be able to fathom the idea of needing to relocate now, there are so many reasons that force people to change locations. The most common reason is for a new job - that once in a lifetime opportunity to take on your dream job just came up, but it’s in a different city… so what do you do? You seriously consider the idea of moving because when an opportunity like that comes up, you consider it. A less obvious reason to relocate is because of how a neighbourhood or area can change. What may have been the perfect spot for you when you first moved in can drastically change in a small amount of time. For example, schools improve (or don’t), businesses come and go, more development in the area causes more and more traffic. Suddenly, your idealistic neighbourhood has become totally different from what it was, and so you start looking to move your family elsewhere.
Now, this last reason isn’t necessarily the first thing on your mind, especially when we’re talking about such a subjective topic like the idea of your “forever” home, but I can’t not talk about the MONEY of it all. Your home at its core is an investment, and being a real estate agent, I know better than most that good market conditions can turn your “forever” home into a “for now” or “right now” home if the opportunity comes up. Sometimes it will just boil down to the market working in your favour, in which case selling may just make more financial sense than staying put. Maybe you’ll want to take advantage of a hot market to pocket some extra cash for a rainy day, or move to an area where you simply get more bang for your buck.
So yes, I’m sure it’s clear by now that I am of the opinion that the “forever” home, in many ways, is just a myth. And that’s not a bad thing! Instead of focusing on finding the perfect home you’ll live in forever, focus on finding the right home for your current stage in life - the “right now” home. Remember that homes are meant to fit your life, not the other way around. So, if your life changes (which it probably will), it’s okay for your home to change too.
