New Year, New Home

Finding A New Place To Land

The beginning of each new year brings a fresh perspective on life, and for some, the desire for new beginnings. Each year we make a list of habits we want to adopt and places we want to travel, and sometimes the dreams of our future take us away from the homes we've known and loved for years. Sometimes, to move fully into the next phase in our lives, we have to let go of the things that keep us rooted in the past. The older we get, the less time we want to spend cleaning our spare bedrooms and trekking up and down staircases with folded laundry, so it only makes sense that adults all over the world mark the new year as the perfect opportunity to find a new place to call home.

Packing up and waving goodbye to your home is rarely as easy as some make it sound. Your family home holds precious memories. It's the place you may have raised your children and snuggled your grandchildren. Perhaps you hosted a weekly card game or worked for years to create a beautiful garden. Saying goodbye to your home may feel like letting go of some of those things. But really, all of those feelings and precious memories travel with you wherever you go. You may not be able to bring the fireplace hearth with you where you sat and read Christmas stories to your children, but you'll find the perfect cozy nook for reading in your new home. Perhaps a comfy chair with a beautiful view or a big sofa with enough room for all of your grandkids. Of course, you already know all of this intellectually. You're smart, and the years have made you wise. But sometimes, it's difficult to convince your heart that it's time to go.

The simple fact that you're here, reading this article, is evidence that you may be ready to make a move. As with any significant change, the decision to move should be made with consideration for the years to come. Your life will continue to evolve and change, and you may need or want different things in five years than you do today. Make a list of all the things you want and don't want in your next home. For example, you may want to live in a community with a pool or to have enough space to host your children for holidays and birthdays. Check! Conversely, you may wish to avoid houses with stairs or that have a lawn you need to mow. Check! You can narrow down your real estate needs in reasonably specific terms when you know what you want your life to look and feel like.

I'd guess that in your lifetime, you've spent a fair amount of time worrying about other people and making big choices based upon their needs. You've brought joy to your family, worked hard, and helped them when you could. Perhaps it's your turn? It's time for you to set your needs first as you go into this next journey of your life. Let your comfort and dreams for your future sit front seat as you search for the place you want to land. One thing you might consider about your future is how much care you'll need as you age. If you suspect you'll need more support from your family and medical team in the coming years, it may not be wise to move far away from your support system. While a move to the Blue Ridge Mountains sounds ideal now, it may be problematic if you end up with an injury or illness and are far away from your family. For many, retirement communities offer the perfect combination of independence and support. Packed with amenities, activities, and a built-in community, they're a one-stop shop for all your retirement needs.

As you say goodbye to your home from years past and hello to your home of tomorrow, you may find yourself having to let go of some treasured objects. It's never easy to let go of the items you've collected over the decades, and chances are your children may not be as interested in your collections as you have been. People often get stuck at this stage. They cling to what had been and what was beautiful in the past and drag it into the future with them. Many of your belongings may make the cut, but others may not. This new home you're moving to isn't just a new place to store your things, it's a home, and it will have a life and a spirit of its own. Paring down may sound scary, but once you get into it, you may find it feels like freedom.

As you move through the process, determining what type of home you want and choosing the items you'll bring along with you, it's easy to get wrapped up in the myth that you must wait to purchase a home until the market is perfect. The truth is, when you're selling a house to buy a new one, you're bound to be on the right side of the equation at one point or another—buying when prices are high means you've also sold when prices are high and have hopefully made good money off the sale of your home. And, of course, the same works in reverse. Before you panic, sit down with trusted advisors and get your finances in order. You deserve a beautiful, safe place to live and the confidence of knowing that you made a great financial decision.

If this is your year to make a move, congratulations! Whether you're sizing up or sizing down, moving into a retirement community, or onto a farm, we hope your new home brings you all the joy your old home did and more. After all, we know with great certainty that home isn't a building or a town; it's a feeling. Home is a spirit that appears when you gather with people you love. Journalist Ellen Goodman once said, "We spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives ... not looking for flaws but for potential." This year, no matter where you find yourself, may you be surrounded by love, and may you find endless potential.

Adrienne Freeland is a freelance writer who specializes in helping business owners communicate more clearly. Using skills developed in her former career as a professional fundraiser, Adrienne collaborates with her clients to craft engaging, targeted content.