Do you like your home?

By Shawn Lackie

That’s a question which seems pretty easy on the surface. However, once you start peeling back the layers like an onion, it might not be so straight forward. Most people start out in a simple way, renting an apartment or room, in the early stages of career advancement. There will be all sorts of exceptions to the rule, especially for those who are privileged to start out with more.

I’m just talking in general terms here. I think many people never take the time to really dig down a little deeper. They either can’t be bothered or it might just be too painful.

The home we now inhabit has been our abode for almost 20 years; and THAT is amazing. Up until this point, the longest we were in any one home was ten years. This was not necessarily by design it was just the way things worked out along the way. I have mentioned previously, we have owned six different homes and lived in close to 20 different places over the years. Every one was unique, interesting, fun, challenging, and an experience. In fact, they ALL have been an experience.

A variety of factors will influence your changing life patterns: a new job, addition or subtraction to the family, death, divorce, new neighbours who are difficult, a general vibe in the area or just curiosity about what if? As in “What if we moved there?” I asked a family, whom I've mentioned was a client, in previous articles, why they moved four times in the same town. They just looked at me like I had two heads. The best response they could muster was, they were bored and wanted a new outlook. Okay.

According to a new Ipsos survey, conducted for one of Canada’s leading Real Estate brands, more than half of Canadians (55 percent) say they are not living in their ideal home. Space is a major factor. Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of respondents said they would prefer a larger home. The average ideal size desired came in at about 2,098 square feet, roughly 600 square feet bigger than what many currently have. Three bedrooms and 2.5 baths top the want list for most Canadians.

I have had clients in past who wanted 3-4 baths, and they were only a 4-person family. Go figure, more toilets to scrub. Detached homes are the preferred choice and that seems really obvious, with the decline of sales in the condo market. After all, who wouldn’t want a yard for the kids or pets. It just gives more options.

For those who always say bigger is better, such might not always be the case. Thirteen percent of Canadians live in a home under 500 square feet (aforementioned condo) and only 8 percent live in a home over 3,000 square feet. Here’s where it gets more precise, buyers are also thinking about livability. The condition of the home (40 percent), neighbourhood (38 percent), space for family or pets (32 percent) and access to a yard (29 percent) all ranked among the top priorities.

So, take a look around you. Maybe, write down the pluses and minuses of your home. Something tells me, you might be all right with what you find out.

Feel free to check out this story and more on my blog site, at https://slackie14.wixsite.com/buy-sell-and-more.