Moving a house can bring up an incredibly complex range of emotions, from fear and anxiety about the change to self-doubt about the decision, to grief and loss about the memories and the connections you have in the area. For this reason, it is always wise to proceed with caution in order to ensure that the process is made as smooth as possible.

Here are a few factors to keep in mind when moving to a new house; -

1. Evaluate your finances.

The price point is the primary determining factor for house hunting or home ownership. The key factors that help to determine your price range are your monthly income, available funds to cover your down payment/closing costs, your monthly expenses, and your credit profile.

Apportion the cost that you have planned to spend and set aside that amount. There will be various options that you will come across but the ones you choose from must align with your budget and what you can afford.

To calculate how much house rent you can afford, a good rule of thumb is using the 28%/36% rule, which states that you shouldn’t spend more than 28% of your gross monthly income on home-related costs and 36% on total debts, including your mortgage, credit cards, and other loans.

2. Size of the home/house

It’s important to consider the number of individuals likely to reside in the house, the number of rooms that you would actually need and whether you need a separate home office or would prefer to utilize part of the available space to set up a home office.

Another important consideration, that is often overlooked, is to determine whether the rooms are made in a more modern way to serve privacy requirements to the persons who are to reside in the home.

Moreover, it is also important to consider parking amenities and the security revolving around the available parking space.

3. Location

Having a firm idea of where you would like to live helps you get started on narrowing your home search. This majorly inclines to proximity to one’s place of work, security within the area, access to various social amenities or to suit one’s lifestyle requirement. Not every place is suitable for your relocation.

There are other factors that are to be in consideration, especially when making a choice of where you want your dream house to be. Does the location serve a long-term purpose? For instance, if it’s a retirement home, is the location suitable for long-term settlement? If considering a move that will enable farming activities, does the soil support the farming activities intended by the mover?

If a home is in a popular metropolitan area, you will likely see houses with high prices unlike homes just outside of city limits that can offer more for a lower price.

4. The family's financial future.

This could probably be in terms of whether one wants to live in rentals or own a home. If the mover intends to own a home, the cost of owning such a home could either be through mortgage financing or through asset financing.

All these require a plan since they involve large cash outflows that, if not properly planned, would end up denting the family’s future financial obligations.

5. The community to which you’re moving to

Relocating may require a mover to consider the surrounding community or the environment in general. For instance, an industrialized community setup with factories or warehouses in the surrounding may not be ideal for most people as one would be prone to pollution and health risks, if that is not well taken care of.

Local municipal rules and regulations could also help determine the neighborhood. Putting up a home in an area which is likely to be a commercial setting in the future may also be a determinant.

Other movers would want to know the street lighting within the area, whether there are proper sidewalks and any other public safety features and facilities.

6. Consider maintenance costs.

New and modern built houses may attract more people as the maintenance cost would be negligible or minimal as opposed to an old house.

If you are moving to your own compound, it would be essential to consider costs incidental to maintaining a garden or backyard or having a gardener.

7. Consider amenities

If you have kids or are planning to have kids, the quality of a school at close range may be one of the most important factors that determine the location of your next home.

One needs to do their research by getting started with an online search to look at schools available within the vicinity or even specific schools that could be far but accessible.

Below is a case study between Michael and Lydia, an engaged couple that is faced with the dilemma of finding the perfect home…….

Michael and Lydia’s wedding day seems to be fast approaching and as the days go by, more frustration seems to be kicking in. Among other things, Michael and Lydia cannot seem to agree on a proper location for their first home.

Michael is an accountant who is keen on expenditure and savings and more so, very keen on accomplishing his lifelong dream of owning a home.

Lydia on the other hand is a homemaker, an interior designer by profession, and is keen on making their first home a memorable chef d’oeuvre.

Because of this, arguments have spayed in more than usual as the houses that Lydia would typically go for in their quest to look for a home have been turned down by Michael in a huff.

 Michael simply feels that the price range is a little too unrealistic and would rather go for a home that is cheap enough to live in, instead of spending a fortune on a temporary structure. This has frustrated Lydia so much, that she feels defeated by Michael who is the chief financer.

Michael began to notice Lydia’s frustration and, in a bid to accommodate Lydia, opted to make a few exceptions.

They, therefore, agreed to come up with a list of a few things that they both did not want to compromise on. For Michael, his only major compromise was cost, and so they worked to find a good home that would accommodate Lydia’s wishes – a spacious house with a garden and an accessible and safe playpen for their children.

Lydia’s and Michael’s search was getting frustrating until one remarkable day, a house opened up.

It was beautiful and close to Michael and Lydia’s workplace. It was, however, a bit pricier than Michael had hoped.

However, due to the close proximity to their workplace, Michael realized that he would have to spend a lot less on fuel which would result in saving a lot more than he anticipated – the house was worth it after all! They closed the deal on the house and were both happy to move into their new home as newlyweds.

Lydia could have never been more excited to create new memories in their first home.

In the above case study, it is clear to note some of the considerations that Lydia and Michael had in place while they were moving to their first home.

In their set of circumstances, the family’s financial future played a role in inhabiting Michael’s outlook on cost and as per Lydia’s interests, amenities, location and the size of the home were crucial factors.

Eventually, they were able to find a home to accommodate their unique requirements.