A lot of people ask me this question and I always have this one saying I tell them when they ask how to find the best place to live.
No matter where you live there is always a better place that costs less and has more features than where you’re living now.
And for the most part this is always going to be a true statement. No matter where you live because things change. Your neighborhood could change, your needs could change, the values of property will normally change and you might find a deal thats just much better than you got where you live now.
Someone told me a long time ago from the day you start a job you should be looking for a new job and I think that is probably the best advice I ever got. Whether you are looking within your own company or outside of it and whether you are looking in the field you are in or in one you are better suited for the best thing is to always have your eyes open and then take that chance because no one is going to do it for you.
The same thing is true whether you are renting an apartment or if you own a huge estate. Where ever you live there is normally a better place that costs less and fits your needs more exactly.
If you are young you can look into buying a fixer home. Purchase a home that is the worst looking run down home in the best neighborhood you can afford and then calculate the amount you need to put in it on top of the asking price and if you make a profit then you already have money for your next place.
If you are in your 30’s and 40’s you should seriously plan for your retirement. Honestly this is something that you should start when you are very young but no one really wants to take this seriously until it really means something. The thing is you don’t want to wait until serious becomes dramatic. When you get older you won’t have time to deal with tending your yard or caring for a large home. It may come with a little heart break to move into a smaller place but it will bring you so much more freedom and it might be in a place you really love like a place that you normally vacation. Some people might vacation at a beach in Florida and others in Vermont at a cabin but where ever you move as a senior you need to have amenities that are very close including your supermarkets, doctors and other professional services. You also want a home in an area where property taxes are low as are other taxes because that will normally be your biggest problem as a senior.
If you are living in an apartment I normally suggest that you find a place that you can own and condos are most likely not a great choice because they come with home owner associations that like to screw with you and added fees. Some condominiums that I have seen have association dues that are as high as rent. Your initial purchase price just seems to be a buy in to the building and then you are paying almost normal rent every month in a fee to live there.
Honestly the best situation is where you have a detached home with some distance between you and your neighbors for privacy and quiet. If you have a dog you don’t want to have your neighbors complaining and if you don’t you don’t want to listen to your neighbors dog even if its the nicest thing in the world it will drive you nuts after a while.
Car Traffic and good streets are a concern. Do you have a home on a busy road or what care do the neighbors take when driving in the neighborhood? Could you let your kids go out and ride their bikes without a fool racing up the street?
All of these considerations come into play when you are considering what home is best for you and the saying the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence is something to consider. You don’t want to make changes out of haste or you could end up in a situation that is worse than what you have now.
Like they said in in Joe Dirt .. home is where the heart is and if you feel happy where you are and don’t feel the need for a change then that is a consideration however you should never close your eyes to something better if you find it.
Final Note
No matter where you grew up that will be your home for life. You will always look back and compare where you lived and how you lived to where you are today. Even if you make a good way in life and you improve your living conditions economically there will still be things you miss. However you can never go back to where you once lived because it is a memory. People you grew up with no longer live there, Homes and things have changed and thats what life is .. a constant change.
You may love the place you are right now but if you don’t keep your eyes open for something better you will never know about it.