Moving house is up there as one of the most stressful situations we face in modern life, alongside divorce and bereavement, so why put yourself through it? Instead of selling and packing up, there are plenty of benefits for staying put and creating your dream home exactly where you are, as we uncover…
Improving isn’t as stressful as moving
Moving house is considered the third most stressful life event – and for good reason too; when buying and selling, life can feel in limbo, with making sure your home looks perfect at all times in case of an impromptu viewing, worries about others in the chain and ensuring your family feels settled in an uncertain situation. While extending or renovating your home may be a little disruptive, this is usually just for a few weeks, rather than the average of the two to three months it takes to
sell.
Moving home is expensive
As we all know, buying and selling property is pricey. Not only are property prices increasing – so much so, Lloyds Bank have found that three in five homeowners feel moving house has become more difficult, especially with being able to afford the next ‘step’ up the ladder – but there are plenty of other ‘forgettable’ charges too. This includes stamp duty, plus estate agent fees (between 0.75% and 3.5%) and solicitor’s fees, along with hiring moving professionals to help you on the big day and not forgetting any DIY to give your home a spruce up for selling. These costs can easily add thousands when selling your property – money which could have been spent perfecting it for your family instead!
Improving your home adds value
Over recent years, it’s been widely reported that more and more homeowners are deciding to improve rather than move –not only because of the stress that moving brings and costly fees, but because improving your home can add considerable value. So much so that a recent YouGov survey found that 44% of property owners questioned would now rather invest in home maintenance on their existing property than move. The same survey discovered that 63% believed that there is more
value in home improvement than in moving. Britain’s biggest mortgage lender, Halifax, has reported that planning applications for extensions have surged over the last few years, with demand being up 183% for basement conversions since 2012. They’ve also seen a 42% increase in planning applications for loft conversions. With basement and loft conversions adding 20-30% to property values, these are great options for increasing space and value!
You can create your dream space – without compromise
One of the most popular reasons for improving rather than moving is being able to make your dream home a reality. We all love our homes but sometimes a space just isn’t working as much as it could, however this can be easier to sort out, without the need for sale signs, time-consuming viewings and moving vans. Whether you want to extend your kitchen, add a new bedroom or would love a new bathroom, it’s possible to do this in your very own home – subject to planning approval. After all, home is where the heart is!