The decision to move is not one that should be taken lightly. Obviously, there are a lot of pros and cons to consider – your needs, your wish list, your finances, and your busy schedule.  Not to mention all of the memories that are attached to the property. As you consider the topic of family moving, take a look at these four questions. They’ll help you determine whether or not you’re ready to take the plunge.

Family Moving: Is Your Family Ready for a New Home?

Does Your Home Still Meet Your Needs?

While it’s true that every property is going to come with a certain amount of compromise, when you are happy in a property, these seem like small sacrifices when compared to a largely positive experience. However, if you start to notice spending more and more time griping over how there isn’t enough space to store the kid’s toys or how you spend so much money heating rooms that no one uses, it may be time to make a move. Sit down and write out a list of all the features that you absolutely require from a property. Then, compare your home against it.

Do You Have a Plan for Your Future?

Whether you’re buying or renting, once your family has settled into a property, you’re bound to be there for the foreseeable future. Before you make the decision to move, you should have a solid idea of what your life will look like for the next year or two. Will you be working at the same job? Are you planning on making any additions to your family? Do your best to take your future into account as you weigh the decision and plan accordingly.

Are Your Financials in Order?

Moving is a huge financial commitment. On one hand there are the obvious costs like a mortgage and monthly rent, and utilities. But, there are also costs associated with the moving process that you may not have thought to consider: repair costs and infusions of curb appeal,  initial deposits, inspection fees for your new property, as well as supplemental costs like hiring movers and furnishing the new house. How do your financials look? Do you have the work history and credit score needed to be granted a mortgage? Do you have enough savings to cover these extra costs? If you’re not sure, you may want to stay in your current property until you have a chance to build up your reserves.

Do You Have Time For The Buying Process?

As much as moving requires you to invest a significant portion of your money, it also requires a large portion of your time. On the selling end, you’ll have to vacate the property – sometimes with little notice – so that potential buyers can get a feel for the space. As a buyer, you’ll have to spend time on your evenings and weekends looking at potential properties of your own. While there’s never a truly great time to add all of this extra hassle into your schedule, if you’re having trouble juggling responsibilities as is, you may want to wait on moving until things calm down a bit.

The issue of family moving is one that requires a lot of consideration. Only you can determine if this is the right time for you to look for a new property. But, hopefully, we can help make your decision a little bit clearer. Take a look at these questions and consider them as you weigh the possibilities. For now, just take a deep breath. The right answer will come to you when you are ready.

What help you make the decision of whether or not to move? Do you have any advice to offer? Share it with us in the comments.

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