Are you in your ‘Forever House’?

[NorthernLiner]

Do you think you’ll move again?
Are you happy with that decision, either way?

DH thinks we’ve got another move in us, I think not.
Together, we have moved houses four times in 30 years. That’s more than enough for me.

Yes but it probably wouldn't be your dh's idea of a forever home. Really happy here, can't see me moving.

Yes were we live now, a bungalow, we will probably stay, as it is suitable for my needs as my disability progresses. Our last house, we thought “would be our forever home” we were their 18yrs, but it was too big, too many stairs, obviously when we moved there, I didn’t dream I would be diagnosed with MS. So I take the forever home with a pinch of salt, sometimes life will change that forces a move.

This is our forever house, in that we won’t move to another family house. We like the area, there’s enough space for everyone and the mortgage is paid off. If we found our selves in possession of a large lottery win I’d buy a ski chalet rather than upsize! We plan to downsize to a flat when we retire though- I’d like a view and facilities, a lift and concierge will be handy in old age and we’ll probably need to pull some of the equity out to fund retirement.

I thought we were in our “until the kids move out/we retire” home but after a lot of consideration we’ve decided to stay until one of us is dead and the other ready for a retirement flat.

This gives us 15-20 years and means we can suit ourselves 100% when it comes to decor, bathrooms, garden etc.

Just about to move there at 49.. I feel like it's taken us a long time but my dh is very risk averse ..

This will be our 4 th house and that will be it until we need to downsize again .

Its are For Now home. We just don't know what For Now means! We are committed to this area for at least another 8 years (until DD2 finishes secondary school). After that, the wanderlust might kick in again... as an Army family we moved all over. We have lived here nearly 3 years now and it still feels wierd!

I don't really believe in the idea of a Forever house, I'm not really sure why. The current house is where I've lived longest as an adult and we've been here 9 years (in my 50s now). No plans to move yet but definite plans to move at some point. Surely you have different needs at different stages of life? We have a large family home which will definitely be way too big once the children have left home.

I wish we were. We bought it thinking it would be but after a year of living here have realised it’s not :(

I hope so.

Spacious first floor flat with a balcony, in a quiet area with public transport & a supermarket a few minutes walk away, & Central London about an hour door to door. So well insulated that I’ve had my heating on maybe twice this winter. I’m not going anywhere!

No, we're in a small 2 bed flat in South West London. We only purchased in order to get on the ladder and out of the horrible rental cycle. Our rent was being increased by £300pm and we worked out it would be cheaper to buy.

We're going to sell in a couple of years and buy a nice 4-5 bedroom house in the South West. Absolutely ridiculous what half a million gets you in London compared with SW England...

No not in forever home. However this year we only have 3 years left on the mortgage. It would be nice to be mortgage free. So wherever we buy next, I want a very low mortgage if any at all.

Yes. It's not the most beautiful house in the best area but we have made it the best we can and, for the area we are in, it is in a wonderful place.

We future-proofed ours a few years ago, we have solar panels, upgraded double glazing, put in a downstairs shower room, did up the kitchen etc. We have a room downstairs which could be made into a bedroom if required. We have parking on our own driveway right outside the house and we are surrounded by trees and wildlife, while still being close to a bus route and a local shop.

If we won the lottery we would probably move - but it would be quite a long search to find somewhere better than we already have. There is a very expensive retirement village that would be nice (proper houses and fantastic facilities) but there just aren't any houses available there and it would very definitely take a lottery win to be able to afford it.

Nope, as we'll relocate for sure

I thought so when we bought it, but now I'm not so sure.

It's a 4 bed house with two bathrooms so plenty of space for us and our two DDs as they grow and get older. It's in a good location on the edge of a town so a 20 minute walk to shops, restaurants, cinema, rail station but five minutes from countryside.

It's got everything we need, and if we stay in this location we won't move but I'm yearning for a relocation and to be closer to the sea. If we don't do it in the next few years while DDs are at home I don't think we'll do it until retirement.

Yes.. specifically bought this house because it's bottom-heavy - most of the space is downstairs (including the spare bedroom with ensuite) so I can stay in it when I'm too old to get up the stairs!!

Yes been in it 20 years . Ideal location mortgage paid of. The thought of loving fills me with dread

I was in my ‘forever’ home - then my husband died and now I am not. I will never again use the term ‘forever’ home and I would strongly advise anybody and everybody to avoid doing that too. You have no idea what life could throw at you.

Never thought it’d be the forever house when we bought it decades ago - did try to move a couple of times when dds were still at home but it never happened. It’s now perfect for me and dh, small garden, everything more or less on the doorstep, excellent public transport, still plenty of room for family when they want to stay.

I can imagine myself moving only if and when I’m a) even older than I am now, and b) - being realistic - finally on my own. Otherwise I’m only leaving in a box.

Yes, I’m in the forever home, or at least we are in theory. It’s nothing special, 3 bed mid-terrace with no off street parking but it’s in a great spot close to the beach and town centre (I can see both from my front door), close to the kids school and close to both our jobs. It’s got a large garden and a bedroom and the main bathroom are both on the ground floor, as we get older and the kids have left home we’ll have everything we need on the ground floor.

My husband likes the idea of buying his parents house if they ever need to sell, it’s a lovely bungalow in a quiet cul-de-sac. However I’m not totally convinced having a driveway and an even bigger garden is worth adding at least 20 years on to our mortgage when ours is due to be paid off in 11 years. But that’s a bridge we’ll cross if we ever come to it.

No, we are in our first house which we bought 18 months ago. It’s lovely and we like the area, but definitely small and only 2 beds so we will need something bigger as the kids grow. We’re thinking we will move in 4-5 years

We've no plans to move but if circumsances changed I see no reason why we wouldn't, but then I don't believe in the idea of a "forever home" (unless its one that's been in the family for generations).

A compromise. "Forever for now"!

It's a bit too small for 4 (2 adults and 2 teens - both teens now bigger than me and I'm 5'7!) though will be perfect when the teens move out.

I'm anticipating them bouncing back after Uni.

Our neighbours have the same house as us and in 70s so liveable long term.

Love the area.

It might depend where the DC end up. Perhaps we'll move to be closer to them? Maybe they'll stay close to us? Who knows.

It's difficult to know what the future holds so our home is "forever for now"

Maybe not forever, but at least until retirement, and then we'll see what the situation is with where DC live, how we feel, finances etc.

In the meantime we have A LOT to do on the house!

No but we’re only mid 30s. We’re in our 3rd house and mid-extension. Will stay here probably another 10/15 years as it’s great for the schools and I’m not uprooting the kids from school if I can possibly help it.

But I don’t really believe in a forever home, well unless you’re about 80+. We’ll probably stay in the same area for decades but don’t want to hem myself in for the rest of my life! Who knows what could happen. We could become millionaires! My parents and most of my aunts and uncles have moved recently, all age 60s ish. My grandparents built the house they’re in now while they were mid-70s.

I never would use that phrase. Can’t imagine moving somewhere and thinking it’s my last move. How depressing. I like to think I could go anywhere at anytime ( even though I’ve been in this house for 23 years!😂)