Got A Growing Family & Need A Bigger Home? Before You Move, Read This!

Regardless of whether you are in love with your home, sometimes circumstances change, meaning that you are no longer able to comfortably live there. The chances are that when you first moved into your home, you loved it and thought that it would make the most incredible family home. Fast forward a few years to now, and things have changed - perhaps there’s not as much space as you thought or maybe your family has grown larger than you thought it would.

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Whatever the reason, if your family has started to outgrow your home, you need to think about finding somewhere new to live. After all, there’s nothing worse than living like sardines, is there? When it comes to finding a new, larger home, there’s a lot that needs to be considered and taken into account. So, to help you ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible, below are a few pointers to take note of.

Start with your finances

The first place to start when it comes to moving should always be with your finances. Can you afford to move - the cost of moving can be high, especially if you need to hire movers to help you. Then there’s the question of whether you have the money to buy a bigger place, or whether you could get the money through a loan or mortgage. If you are considering taking out a loan to pay for the increase in property size, it’s a good idea to speak to a home loan advisor, so that you can get a better understanding of the application process and whether you are likely to be successful. Obviously, if you’ve already got a mortgage in place, this could impact your ability to take out another loan - it all depends on whether you’ve kept up with your repayments and have a good credit score.

View some suitable properties to see what you can get for your money

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Once you’ve dealt with the financial side of things, the next step is to start viewing some properties. These don’t necessarily have to be properties that you want to buy, just ones within your price range. You see, it’s a good idea to get an idea of what you can get for your money, so viewing a selection of properties within your price range is something that’s worth doing. Looking at the size of the properties that you are able to afford, will give you a good idea of whether moving is the right choice for your family. If your budget will allow you to get a house of the perfect size, that’s ideal. If not, then it could be a case of rethinking your options - there’s no point moving from a house that’s too small to one that’s only a tiny bit larger and still too cramped, is there?

Could extending your current property be a better option?

Another option, if moving isn’t going to allow you to get the perfect sized property, could be extending the house that you already have. Perhaps, instead of getting a home loan, you could apply for a loan to extend your current property, making it larger. One option for this is building an extension - to be able to do this you will need a large enough garden and planning permission from your local council. If you don’t have a large enough garden to extend your home, another option could be to convert your attic or basement into an additional living space. You would still need planning permission for this, but not a large garden as the additional space would be converted from areas already within your home. If moving isn’t the right option for you, converting an unused area of your home or building an extension could be the answer. That’s why it’s worth looking at both options - moving and extending, just in case.

Be clear about what you want to do, then tell the kids

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When it comes to change, kids can get incredibly upset and stressed out, especially when it comes to big changes like moving house. So, before you tell them what’s happening, make sure that you’re clear about it. There’s no point telling them that you are moving house before it’s been decided, as you will only upset them. Wait until you’ve got any loans that you need in place, have looked at what you can get for your money, and are sure that you want to move instead of extending, before you tell them about it. When you do tell them, be prepared for all sorts of reactions, from excitement to tears and tantrums. All kids respond differently to change, and it’s important to understand that.

Don’t rush into making an offer, wait until you find the perfect place

One of the biggest mistakes that you can make when buying a new home is rushing into making an offer. Just because you see somewhere that you like the look of, that doesn’t mean you should go for it. Before making an offer on any property, it’s important to view it at least three times, so that you’re able to take it in properly and ensure that there aren’t any serious problems with it, such as damp, for instance. The last thing you want is to rush into buying a property, only to find out that it’s got a serious issue, such as damp or mold. So, it’s important to take your time viewing a property before making an offer, to make sure that it’s exactly what you want and need it to be.

So, there you have it, everything that you need to know about buying a larger home because your family has started to outgrow your current property. The most important thing when it comes to moving is to ensure that you find that perfect place, or if there isn’t one, you look into extending your home to make it larger. Whatever you do, don’t rush into making a decision, take the time to think things through carefully.