We hope everyone is doing well. We would like to give very special thanks to medical personnel and first responders in our area and throughout the world who are out there on the front lines of this fight against COVID-19. There are still plenty of people out there working in essential service jobs. The rest of us are doing our part to stay at home as much as we can under self-quarantine.
Throughout all of this, The Cyr Team is still here to help with all of your local real estate questions and needs. We are running our business remotely as discussed in last week’s blog article. For those of you working and schooling from home, we recommend you check out our tips for adapting to a more remote lifestyle.
This week, we want to talk about another constructive way you can be using your time at home. This is an opportune time to reevaluate your housing needs.
The more time you spend at home, the more you might realize you are not in your ideal living situation. We’re presented with a unique situation right now. However, maybe it’s a unique opportunity to rethink where you want to be living when this all blows over and we get back to a more normal life.
Let’s look at some examples of what we are talking about:
Do You Have the Space You Need?
Many families are feeling a lot more cramped in their home space right now. People are working from home. Kids are out of school and taking classes online. What are your ideal housing needs? Do you need a bigger house? Is it time to move up from your small apartment to your first home? Are you thinking about growing your family? These are all good questions to ask yourself when you have a little extra time to think about it.
Renting vs. Owning
There is always an age-old argument for why it’s better to own property rather than renting. Then again, ownership is not for everyone and it may depend on where you are at in life—in terms of both family life and finances. Maybe you’re ready to buy your first home. Perhaps you are ready to move up into a larger family home. Or, you might be in an empty-nest situation and it makes sense to downsize. These factors are all worth considering when deciding to buy or sell real estate, or if renting is more practical and affordable at this point.
Home Features
It’s safe to say that a lot of people right now wish their home had a private office or a personal gym, among other convenient features. Reevaluating your current housing needs will help you determine what your ideal housing situation looks like when it ultimately comes time to move. Other options may be to build an addition on your current house or make renovations that allow you to restructure the space inside.
Location is Everything
As the old saying goes, the three most important words in real estate are “location, location, location.” Beyond just the living space of your home, where you live can really make a difference in your overall happiness. Urban, suburban and more isolated rural settings are options you can consider, and thankfully we live in an area that offers a wide variety of lifestyles. Maybe you want to live closer to the city for your career or it’s time to move out to the country for a more peaceful lifestyle. A suburban home may be a happy medium, depending on where you look.
Work Flexibility
Even before the coronavirus forced us to stay home, more and more people have been able to work from home in recent years as technology continues to advance. Some may only have to go into the office a few days a week while others can work full-time from a home office. There’s a good chance that what’s happening with COVID-19 forever changes the way many businesses operate as they see how productive employees can be when telecommuting. We will likely see even more remote working opportunities as time goes on. If you able to work from home, it gives you a lot of options in terms of where you choose to live. Maybe you can move farther away from the city or to a different state entirely—one that might offer lower state taxes or allow you to be closer to family members.
Adjusting Your Current Living Situation
Many people are using the extra home time they have right now to clean up their homes. Get rid of junk you don’t need and declutter your space. Make repairs and upgrades that will enhance your lifestyle. Plant a garden and get the whole family involved in sprucing up the property. This activity can benefit you in multiple ways. First, it helps you feel more productive, which is better than sitting around the house bored, anxious and depressed. Second, it will help you get the home ready if you actually decide it is time to sell it and make a move elsewhere. Lastly, you might just be surprised at how much of a difference a little cleaning and decluttering can make. You may fall in love with your place all over again and make the adjustments that you needed to feel perfectly content with your current living situation.
However you choose to use this time is up to you. Be productive. Be proactive. Reevaluate where you are. Redefine where you want to be.
We hope you find this article about reevaluating your housing needs helpful. If you are thinking about buying or selling a home in the near future, give us a call and let us know what questions you have. We’re happy to help you get better prepared for your move.
For all your real estate needs in Southeastern Pennsylvania, Northern Delaware and Southwestern New Jersey, contact The Cyr Team today.