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Original poster

How long did you stay in your first house?

102 replies

Shurl · 30/03/2022 12:26

As a ftb I'm just wondering what other people's experiences are/were? And what prompted the move? There is so much talk about a housing ladder that it almost seems expected that people move out of their first house quite quickly

For me (I'm not a journalist!)
I bought my property just after I met my dp, we both own places, so will probably pick one to move into together as a trial at some point and then sell both to fund a family home. I expect to be in my house under 5 years, but still think it was better to buy than stay renting, as my monthly costs are so much lower

OP posts:

Hebeee · 01/04/2022 11:03

Lol @SD25....you'd have thought not, but yep and we have/had more than a reasonable amount of stuff too!

Those first couple of short stays were 1) because DS was born and we were in a one bed (almost a studio) flat and 2) the opportunity came along to upsize from a terraced house to a detached with huge garden earlier than planned.

More recently, when we sold our family home in 2007, we relocated to a different part of the UK some 200 miles away. It was a big mistake as my mum was in the early stages of Alzheimer's and went rapidly downhill soon after we'd also realised the area we'd moved to - but not the house - was hideous. So another move was on the cards. We lost money on that one and bought in haste in order to be closer to family. The project house we purchased was DH's dream home but not mine and whilst we lived there, our dads - who both succumbed to vascular dementia whilst we lived there - died. It was an awful time - our three remaining parents with dementia of one kind or another and a virtually uninhabitable house - and once the house was finished we sold it, intending to make a fresh start with my mum nearby so we could care for her in her final years. Before we'd had the chance to settle in to what was meant to be my dream home, my mum passed away, just a few months after my dad. I couldn't stay in the house so we auctioned it after two years, two months....

Hopefully we're here for the long haul in our current home, although it's taking rather longer than planned to renovate!

Summersdreaming · 01/04/2022 12:04

I've just bought my first house age 30, and done it backwards and bought a large 5 bed that needs completely renovating. It will take years and no plans to move again unless I need to downsize in old age. The house was 40k more than a modernised 2/3 bed semi due to covid craziness so I went for it.

romatheroamer · 02/04/2022 07:10

Two and a half years....a flat. Lucky to get on the housing ladder but noisy and unfriendly neighbours said time to move on.

userxx · 02/04/2022 15:51

@Summersdreaming

Amazing!!

NeedleNoodle3 · 02/04/2022 15:53

16 months. It was a nice house but I realised I wanted a new area. It went up 20% in that time.

Neverreturntoathread · 02/04/2022 15:56

5 yrs. same as most of my friends.

whoruntheworldgirls · 02/04/2022 16:00

6 years in our first house, currently in our second and moved here last summer, envisage being here 10-15 years unless something major happens such as we have to move for work.
Don't want to leave this village if i can help it!

rhowton · 02/04/2022 17:10

4.5 years and it flew by.

Webbedlife · 02/04/2022 18:12

2 years then 22 years. Ironically I liked the first house far more but it wasn't right for our circumstances in terms of travelling to work at the time so practicality won out. If it was during the WFH era we'd probably still be there.... With this house I've thought about moving again a few times but this is the first time I've taken concrete steps beyond getting a valuation.

Blimecory · 02/04/2022 18:20

It was a flat. No way could I have afforded a house. I was there for four/five years. DH and I then bought together. Been here 24 years. Probably won’t move again.

A580Hojas · 02/04/2022 18:26

9 years. Bought in 1988 (in London) sold in 1997. Was in negative equity for 7 or 8 of those years and still sold at a loss. It's why I give the "boomer" accusations a slight side eye.

FurierTransform · 02/04/2022 18:51

6 years

Madre123 · 02/04/2022 18:59

11yrs

Mum2jenny · 02/04/2022 18:59

Less than 1 year.

jesusmaryjosephandtheweedonkey · 02/04/2022 19:30

Bought when I was 19 and I'm 50 now and have never moved.
The goal was to be mortgage free as soon as possible

NeedleNoodle3 · 02/04/2022 19:31

Interesting thread.

FurbleSocks · 02/04/2022 19:40

18 months because his new job meant that location wasn't practical. Next house has been over 15 years.

Leggingslife · 02/04/2022 19:42

6 years

sunshineandshowers40 · 02/04/2022 19:47

5 years

LoganberryJam · 02/04/2022 19:50

5 years

ChicCroissant · 02/04/2022 19:53

7 years. DH had always planned to move at some point although where he got that idea from I'm not sure as his parents bought one house when they married and stayed there for their entire lives.

ShakespearesSisters · 02/04/2022 19:54

11 years. Started as a singleton in a small house, managed to fit the husband in but realised it was a bit tight when DD arrived. We have been in the current house 9.5 years.

RandomUsernameHere · 02/04/2022 20:00

Five years. Put it on the market when I got pregnant (it was a one bed flat).

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 02/04/2022 20:12

1990 ....still here
We bought a 3 bedroom mid terrace ( 2 decent size and a small bedroom) type
Had single storey extension.
2 DC , now adults .

I keep saying I'll leave this house in a box

SD25 · 02/04/2022 20:36

@A580Hojas if only you'd stayed a few more you'd have been laughing!

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