What age did you buy the 'forever' house?
Discussion
I was 34 and a first time buyer. The stress and expense of buying was the most stressful thing in life to that point in life. Extending and renovating is now the most expensive and stressful thing in life to date.
I think I'd move again if I had the money to comfortably do what I wanted to do. Otherwise this house will be more than fine as a forever home and was intended as such when bought.
I think I'd move again if I had the money to comfortably do what I wanted to do. Otherwise this house will be more than fine as a forever home and was intended as such when bought.
We haven’t bought / built our forever home yet - that’ll be our next place. This will happen in the coming years, when our last remaining parent’s time is up… harsh perhaps, but that’s our reality.
We have been in our current place for 21 years - it is big enough at around 200 sq meters, but the layout and location are not ideal, just the best available for work. It has too many bedrooms, so we are using one as a music room, one as an office, and another as a hobbies room. Can you tell that we don’t have kids?
We have been in our current place for 21 years - it is big enough at around 200 sq meters, but the layout and location are not ideal, just the best available for work. It has too many bedrooms, so we are using one as a music room, one as an office, and another as a hobbies room. Can you tell that we don’t have kids?
Edited by dobly on Friday 24th March 04:44
Like anything you buy what you think is your best option on the day you make the decision, beyond that, circumstances change and you react to that by means of extending/upsizing or downsizing.
First House - 26 - 1000 Sq/Ft.
Second House - 36 - 1900 Sq/Ft (Re-location)
Third House - 41 - 2600 Sq/Ft (In the process of moving, 2 miles from #2 but much better suited for us as we now have twins)
First House - 26 - 1000 Sq/Ft.
Second House - 36 - 1900 Sq/Ft (Re-location)
Third House - 41 - 2600 Sq/Ft (In the process of moving, 2 miles from #2 but much better suited for us as we now have twins)
At age 39, now been here 18 years and no intention of moving. Not a particularly large house but it's in a nice area, down a private track and we have a bit of land, so it'll do us.
Will probably have to move to something with less land when I'm too old and knackered to look after it.
Will probably have to move to something with less land when I'm too old and knackered to look after it.
We moved into our second house at 35. It’s been a hell of a job renovating and extending, but we’re nearly there.
The wife sees it that we’ve put so much in she wants to stay forever, I’d happily move. The biggest issue is the jump from here to my ‘perfect’ home means a mortgage four times our current one. We could manage it, but I’m not sure we need to.
The wife sees it that we’ve put so much in she wants to stay forever, I’d happily move. The biggest issue is the jump from here to my ‘perfect’ home means a mortgage four times our current one. We could manage it, but I’m not sure we need to.
okgo said:
Me and my wife both work from home nearly all the time aside from client meetings which can of course be travelled to from anywhere, it is what has brought the question into more focus of late.
Have friends who did the usual move out down the Waterloo line thing - how they felt vindicated not having to do the 1 1/2 hour commute during lockdowns, £6k saved on train fees etc. Now they’re being expected to actually turn up at work more than once a fortnight, not so much.
NomduJour said:
Have friends who did the usual move out down the Waterloo line thing - how they felt vindicated not having to do the 1 1/2 hour commute during lockdowns, £6k saved on train fees etc. Now they’re being expected to actually turn up at work more than once a fortnight, not so much.
There’s none of that expectation at either of our current companies and the sector more widely isn’t so focussed on ‘bums on seats’ really. NomduJour said:
Have friends who did the usual move out down the Waterloo line thing - how they felt vindicated not having to do the 1 1/2 hour commute during lockdowns, £6k saved on train fees etc. Now they’re being expected to actually turn up at work more than once a fortnight, not so much.
Long may that continue, I hope for an influx of people moving back to the city so that I can move out of ours and into the countryside. I am remote based, and was pre COVID
Purchased at 35, our kids grew up from 6 to leaving home at 19 and 20. Fostered teens for 8 years until we finish last year. Moved from Kent to Norfolk and loving it here. Once all the young people had gone it was a hollow shell with 2 of us rattling about in it. Loved it when full and being used as it should be but happy to not have it around our necks now. Now in a house half the size and looking forward to the next 20 years here.
In terms of bought not rented, as a home, I've had 7 houses over the years in 3 countries, and now looking for what will be my 8th move.
The last two have been mortgage-free and so will the next but I'm hesitant to call it my 'forever' house' because both the last two were supposed to be that.
If I think about all the homes and apartments I've ever lived in since being around on this wonderful planet, it's 21 so far!
The last two have been mortgage-free and so will the next but I'm hesitant to call it my 'forever' house' because both the last two were supposed to be that.
If I think about all the homes and apartments I've ever lived in since being around on this wonderful planet, it's 21 so far!
Seventyseven7 said:
The people who’s forever home is purchased when still relatively young, or is their second home etc, I assume the majority of these people are not motivated by career/money/progress etc and just happy to settle.
I can’t imagine most people start off with aspirations to live in in an end of terrace/semi detached 2 up 2 down.
I think that most people posting are answering a different question to the one posed by the OP.I can’t imagine most people start off with aspirations to live in in an end of terrace/semi detached 2 up 2 down.
What age did you buy the “forever house”? Past tense. Most people seem to be responding with how many steps on the housing ladder have they already made.
My reading of the OP sort of implies that - when you finished climbing the housing ladder, then at what age did you manage to buy / build your forever home? Presumably, both retired and mortgage free.
In my case it turns out 25.
Bought our current house with my now wife. Its a 5 bedroom Edwardian semi which we've poured a lot of time, effort and money into over the years. When our 2 kids eventually came along it was splwnrt big enough. We never contemplated moving until covid times but decided against it as to get an equivalent sized detached house with a bigger garden etc meant starting out a again with a whopping mortgage.
We owned it outright for a short time before getting a small mortgage to fund some renovations and extension.
Bought our current house with my now wife. Its a 5 bedroom Edwardian semi which we've poured a lot of time, effort and money into over the years. When our 2 kids eventually came along it was splwnrt big enough. We never contemplated moving until covid times but decided against it as to get an equivalent sized detached house with a bigger garden etc meant starting out a again with a whopping mortgage.
We owned it outright for a short time before getting a small mortgage to fund some renovations and extension.
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