Does the novelty of living in a nice house ever wear off?

[Havanna1]

Before I start, I promise this isn’t a stealth boast, and actually, to a lot of people, our house won’t even be that nice.

We moved 2 years ago to a decent sized house with a big garden in a ‘chocolate box’ rural village. I feel so lucky every day when I drive home to live where we do.

However, I was sitting in the garden just now with a glass of wine, looking at the pretty (field) views, it was so peaceful, silent apart from birdsong and I just felt this overwhelming sense of gratitude.

I get it every time I drive into the drive and after 2 years I’d have thought the novelty would’ve worn off by now. DH said the same, that he feels so happy every time he gets into the drive, when he’s sitting in the back garden etc.

For those that live in pretty much their dream home in their dream location, does the novelty ever wear off? In 10 years time will we be pretty apathetic towards it all?

I worry so much that it’s all going to come crashing down so I’m really trying to enjoy it as I know I might not always feel as fortunate as I do now.

PaperMonster sometimes "functional" houses are underrated.
Owning botha city Georgian villa and a 300 year old idyllic cottage in the past both came with huge and expensive problems.
Maintainance in a period home is ££££, and complicated, whether repointing stonework, having to have bespoke iron guttering made, even decorating is hard to DIY because of ceiling heights. Finding specialist tradesman to re- rope sash windows can all mount up cost wise.
I love the fact that my unattractive yet large home costs very little to maintain and heat, and also set in an idyllic location.

I live in a rental property. First time landlord rented to us for way below market price as he was oblivious. It’s not in perfect condition but it’s huge. I have 4 bedrooms, huge utility room, big open plan kitchen diner. Enough space for my American fridge, 2 bathrooms, walk in wardrobe. At least once a week I think of how lucky we are living here and every year at contract renewal I dread the thought of my landlord not renewing.
If we had to move we would be looking at £1000 more a month for a house this size especially in this location.

Been here 7 years and never want to leave!

My house is ok...I loved it when we moved here but the stairs are getting difficult (knees trashed hill walking) and I'd love a bungalow.....but my garden......aaaaah my garden

I am not sure my house is "nice" as it is a bit tatty round the edges, but it has loads of character and I love it and will never take it for granted.

Godmum I have only taken to gardening in the last two or thee years and have a long way to go, but the pleasure my garden already gives me, I can't describe. I just spent a happy ripping ivy away - found an old raised flower bed hiding underneath it all!

happy afternoon!

I like my house. I've lived in a few places I didn't like much, but this small house is very much mine and it has a nice feel to it. Quite neighbours helps I think. They are reasonable people. I think a bigger place would just mean more housework.
I'm not into gardening , but it's tidy and not too much work. I think people assume we should love gardening, but it's just not my bag as long as the grass is cut and the patio bit is swept , that's about all I worry about there. I like other peoples gardens.

Savour every scenic, stress-free moment. Almost every patch of open countryside around me is threatened with development with greedy landowners selling for mega millions! And house owners sticking ugly dwellings in their gardens to sell as separate plots, overshadowing and devaluing neighbouring homes. All proposals get challenged, most approved and it gets really tiresome! I hope you continue to feel thankful and appreciative for many years!

I hope not! I’ve recently moved into my dream house with perfect location in a wonderful country. Every morning I wake up and I’m thankful. I hope I never lose that!

I feel the same way about our “forever house” which we bought nearly 4 years ago having lived in a tiny shared ownership flat for 8 years. Like you I am also fearful of losing it... after all we have another 20+ years left on the mortgage... however, I try not to think on that but instead find joy in the good moments that come from sitting in our garden listening to the birds sing and watching squirrels chasing each other through the trees. I am so grateful for what we have.

I love the house we live in while I have 4 teens. It's in a good school area and it has plenty of space and it's comfy and peaceful.

Once my youngest leaves school in 2 years I'll be moving on. At that point I'd like a smaller house, more rural, by a lake. But I also fancy a city apartment, so I might get one of those instead. Or maybe both. Or something else. Who knows?

I've been here over 13 years and I'll be quite happy to move elsewhere one day. I'm very grateful that we had this house when we needed it. I've never had any desire for a 'forever' home. In fact the idea of living in the same place for the next 50+ years makes me feel quite panicky.

I love my house. Been here 12 years. It’s big, quirky, has amazing views all round and is in a place I love.

I’m so grateful.

My late MIL had a nice house in the cotswolds for 50 years and never fell out of love with it.

@speakout absolutely! We’re in social housing in an area where people love to buy but due to how far away we are from anywhere the HA struggles to rent out the houses. But we’re happy here, so that’s OK!!

45 years in and I still love it

I have very fond memories of living in my dream home in very quiet area around lovely neighbours however..... Due to circumstances outwith my control everything changed and I lost my beautiful home in a flash.
Oh how I long for a garden and a washing line 😂 I live in hope that things will one day change for me.
So nice to read all the stories of appreciation from people in their dream home.

I live in a big house with a lake. I still am amazed that I actually own a lake, complete with geese, ducks, moorhens and fish

@Whycantibeapuppy

I hope not! I’ve recently moved into my dream house with perfect location in a wonderful country. Every morning I wake up and I’m thankful. I hope I never lose that!

Snap! We still can't believe we've done it until we wake up and see the sea every morning

Ten years in here and it’s improved because of outdoor facilities we added recently. Literally love it and have been totally content in lockdown because of the home we have.

Moved into my council house and bought it with the right to buy as I needed to start again from scratch.

It's a terraced, 3 bed.

I've spent five years renovating the inside. Everything needed doing and now I'm working on my space which is the garden.

We've built a garden room/gazebo that backs off the kitchen snd it's my area. I have a corner couch and a patio area. It's wooden walled and has one open side.

I love it.

It's where I read, drink wine, sit with my friends. If we close the curtains it heats up with the patio heater.

I'm currently building the same thing but bigger at the back of my garden for a hot tub and a bar with some outside seating.

It's taken so much time and hard work.

I love being outside, this house is now my sanctuary.

I'd love to live in the country but I don't want to move away from my parents who are now getting on so for me, even though we have outgrown this house, we've been fortunate enough to be able to add extra space in a way.

We’ve moved every 3 -5 years for 23 years now. Have lived in this one for 5 years but just put an offer in today for our next home. I love a new house, love getting it how I like it but we do get bored quickly. The next one we have lots of extension plans for then we’ll move in 4/5 years.
I do love a fresh start.

I've lived in my house for 6 years. Reasonable sized detached in a friendly village. Not huge garden but enough for us.

I'm grateful every day. Very aware how lucky we are. It's not "perfect" even to me but I love it and just feel at home.

Yeh, my house is fine. I wouldn't say 'the dream' but I own it. I do sometimes have pangs of 'what could have been'. I work damned hard in a very pressured public sector job and I do look at similar in the private sector and wonder why I don't have the luxury houses they have...but you know I do ok.

Renovated fairly recently in the style of holiday homes we've stayed in, really wanted that uncluttered, immaculate luxury..except now we've completed it I've realised that what I really like about holiday homes is they are clean ...and that doesn't happen without effort....😂☺️😉

That's so nice OP

I live in a two bed Victorian terrace in a small hamlet with fields to the front and rear. Every single time I drove down the lane to our house I would look forward to getting home because I loved it so much,

During the pandemic I felt even more grateful of the open fields and walks on our door step (although we had been on all the local walks already with our dog)

After so many lockdowns and isolation here with my 10 week old baby, I feel desperate to get out of this house and I don't love it as much as I did at the moment.

This isn't THE perfect house but it's definitely something special... we would need a lot more money to get something like what you have which sounds beautiful

@RaeRaeMama

That's so nice OP

I live in a two bed Victorian terrace in a small hamlet with fields to the front and rear. Every single time I drove down the lane to our house I would look forward to getting home because I loved it so much,

During the pandemic I felt even more grateful of the open fields and walks on our door step (although we had been on all the local walks already with our dog)

After so many lockdowns and isolation here with my 10 week old baby, I feel desperate to get out of this house and I don't love it as much as I did at the moment.

This isn't THE perfect house but it's definitely something special... we would need a lot more money to get something like what you have which sounds beautiful

Yes, lockdown has put me off my house. So sick of the same walls. What felt like home before lockdown now feels like a prison! The lines have been too blurred with home working, home schooling, looking after a baby (now toddler) here full time for months that it’s not a sanctuary anymore.

I absolutely love my humble abode, as tired and worn as it is, l am so grateful for it. A roof over my head, a safe place for me and my sons and my pets.
It's my favourite place to be. I am happy and content here. It is so calm and peaceful. I buy lots of quirky things from Etsy etc and decorate it my own way, my garden is full of plants and flowers that l grow from seed. I have just brought a new wooden sign " You belong among the wild flowers , wild and free" Sums me up.

I live in a tatty looking ex council house which needs loads of work doing to it. But, it’s on a lovely rural road and on a sunny day with the sun streaming through the windows and the washing up done I feel like the luckiest person in the world.
More than one person have told me that my house is grotty looking but I just cover up my houses ears and tell it not to listen and that I will always love it.