Most people who sell one home and buy another do so after a major life event: A first baby is born, a job is lost or a better one is found, a marriage shatters, or a couple — their kids grown and gone — find themselves empty nesters.
But some courageous souls don’t need a life-altering event to make a bold housing move in search of a wholly new life.
This trend has become more pronounced in the last decade, says Kathy Zimmerman, the broker-owner of a Re/Max Realty office who’s sold homes for 24 years. Whether they’re in their 30s, 40s, 50s or 60s, an increasing number of people feel the need for a respite from the hubbub of heavily developed suburbs.
“More people are seeking tranquility now,” Zimmerman says. “They’re tired of the rush-rush-rush of their lives. They want to live in a place with a slower pace — the peace and quiet of the country or of a smaller town.”
At the opposite end are people restless for other reasons. They’ve put down roots in a suburban or rural area, yet crave the pulse of a city that doesn’t shut down at 8 p.m. Many are 20-somethings who enjoy the restaurant and club scenes, as well as downtown sporting venues.
“They’re bored with the very peace and quiet that older people, and those with small children, find so comforting,” Zimmerman says.
Whether you’re seeking more excitement or quiet, real estate specialists say you shouldn’t embark on a significant housing shift without first investigating your “dream” location.
Here are several pointers for community-changers:
*Visit the new area several times before committing to live there. Eric Tyson, co-author of “Home Buying for Dummies,” says your odds of success when making a major shift in communities are greatly enhanced if you gain an in-depth familiarity with the new area.
Tyson tells the true story of a bank officer who felt the urge to leave a crowded New York City suburb for a resort area in Florida, where he planned to launch his own consulting company. He made the move with alacrity, after vacationing in the new town just once. His company was an immediate success. But the former banker loathed living in Florida.
“The part of Florida he picked was a lot more crowded, complicated, and expensive than he ever anticipated,” Tyson recalls. “It was still a rat race, just a different one. Moreover, he missed his friends, most of whom still lived around New York.”
But other community-switchers find themselves very satisfied with their change — usually because their visceral attraction to the new area was grounded in facts and realities.
“It’s not enough to just make a superficial visit to the new community,” Tyson says. “Particularly if it’s out of state, you’d better go there more than once, and talk extensively to people living in the area about its pros and cons.”
*Recognize that moving to your dream setting can extract a price. As Zimmerman says, many who choose to make a major lifestyle move are drawn to life near a lake, river or ocean. Others are attracted to a magnificent view and imagine themselves living on a mountainside or overlooking a dazzling city.
Keep in mind, however, that such extraordinary locations typically carry a premium price tag. Only you can decide if the trade-offs are worth it.
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*Rule out short-term housing shifts. Perhaps you’re a 20-something who — with the financial help of your parents — bought your first house in a family neighborhood within the town where you grew up and your folks still reside.
But after living there a few years, you find the town too subdued for your liking. Both you and your spouse pine for life in a large city — a place where Shakespeare is performed and major art exhibitions are held.
Would it be imprudent to consider selling your three- bedroom family-style house and purchasing a condo in the heart of the metropolis — a place worth roughly the same as the property you now own, but much smaller? Not necessarily, Zimmerman says. But she recommends you consider all the ramifications of such a move before making a firm decision.
Key questions to ask yourself are: Could you accept the inconveniences that come with city living? Will you have enough parking for your own vehicles, as well as those of your friends who come for visits or parties? Are you comfortable driving some distance just to reach a shopping mall or supermarket?
Still more important is the question of how long you expect to reside in the city condo. Maybe you’re thinking of starting a family in just a few years. If so, would you be willing to remain in the downtown condo after your baby is born?
*Don’t dawdle if you’ve made a firm decision to move to a new area. As Zimmerman says, home sellers typically underestimate the time it takes to prepare one home for sale and then move to another. Obviously, you’ll want to clean, repair and de-clutter your present property before putting it on the market. Plus you’ll need extra time to rid yourself of superfluous accumulations if you’re moving to a smaller place.