No matter what you want to achieve in 2018, you can’t do it without a place to call home. Somewhere to rest, re-energise, enjoy your hobbies, and be comfortable. So this year, why not consider what it is that would make your ‘dream house’ and work towards grabbing it with both hands.
Uncover your ‘vision of home’
Set aside some time to jot down what your ideal house would look like, where it would be and how it would allow you to live your life in a better way. Make sure you consider how your family or partner fit into that vision too, as they will obviously be a part of any decisions you make about your home.
Of course it is about compromise, but also allowing yourself to consider what you really want in life. Sometimes we can get so caught up in what we have right now, that it is difficult to imagine anything else.
Read more: Thinking about selling your home? Here's what you need to do first...
Is it just about a makeover?
Maybe you don’t need a new house, you just need to overhaul the one you have. Think about what lifestyle you would ideally like to maintain, and make some changes that will help to enhance it.
If you really enjoy cooking, make sure you have a well organised pantry and easy-to-use kitchen space. Or if you love to entertain family and friends, you could create an updated dining area inside and out, with plenty of comfortable seating and some thoughtful new decor pieces (think fairy lights, candles, artwork etc). This will help to create a reinvigorated ‘passion’ for the lifestyle you want to achieve, and encourage you to do it on a more regular basis in the home you already have.
Do you need to renovate?
If a splash of paint and some new furnishings won’t quite make the cut, it could be that a renovation is required in order to help you move towards your ‘vision of home’. Again, it is about going back to what your favourite things are to do in and around your property, and ensuring you don’t have anything holding you back from it (within reason of course).
Imagine that you have been wanting to expand your art hobby into a side-business, so perhaps you need to build a small studio, or extra bedroom, to give you the space to pursue it further. Or if cooking is your thing, then is a kitchen renovation in order to provide you with better appliances and accessibility. Remember, this is all about helping you to live your best life, by having a dream home that allows you to concentrate on things you enjoy.
How does your location work?
Perhaps it would be easier to live closer to work, so you spent less time commuting and could put the hour’s saved to better use. Or maybe you wouldn’t mind living further from the office, if it meant you were near a good surf spot so you could easily hit the beach all weekend.
Have a think about all the positives and negatives of where you currently live, and work out what you feel would be best for you and your family. It is about prioritising what you want most out of life, and finding out a way to achieve that.
Could it be time to move on?
Once you have had to really consider what a ‘dream home’ looks like to you and your family, it may be that you discover your current property is unable to provide that for you. And this is understandable - lives change and so does our perception of what it is important.
So could it be that it is time to put your current house on the market, so you can look to find one that better fulfills your needs and current lifestyle? Of course this isn’t about being frivolous and throwing caution to the wind - selling a property and buying a new one is a complicated process. But if it allows you to live your best life in 2018, won’t it be worth it?
Think your ready to sell up and move on? Make sure you download our eBook on how to prepare your home for the property market.
