Moving: Your Story Changes Scenes and the Plot Thickens

As a Realtor, I get to play a role in people’s life stories. I am a witness and an agent to transformation. It is always exciting to help a family along as they end one chapter in their lives and begin another. It is a very rewarding role that I honour and treasure. I feel a great responsibility, an obligation, to use my knowledge and experience to help my clients make the best change possible.

Moving is a big deal. Home determines so much of your life story. Your past and present homes are the settings of major events in your life and anchor the chapters. The place you call home, the country, town or city, neighbourhood, the house you live in, has a great influence on your life. It is not just background scenery; it shapes you.

Sometimes, a life event is the catalyst. Your youngest has finally gotten married and left the nest. Your partner landed a great job in another city. You just discovered that you are expecting a third child, and you are already feeling like sardines in your starter home, or apartment. You need a new home.

When we moved out of our little starter home into our bigger house, I remember how excited my daughters were at the thought that now, when they were sent to their rooms, they would have a dramatic walk up the stairs, like on TV! Halloween treats in the new neighbourhood were fancier and more plentiful. The school was closer, and so was the playground. We did not have our little backyard swings anymore, but we had the big, schoolyard ones where my daughters had hours of fun and independent time together to bond. When they disagreed, they could each go their own rooms to be alone. Moving to a bigger house, in a new neighbourhood will change all kinds of things!

My biggest move was over 30 years ago, when I came to Canada as a student. The plan was to go back home, but it didn’t end up that way. Plot twist! Plans change; life changes, and your story moves along. In my story, I end up in beautiful Newmarket, with a wonderful family, a big brick house in a good neighbourhood, a minivan and an SUV in the (4-car) driveway, a dog on the couch (Get down!), and I’m loving this chapter of my life! My beautiful home- this country, this town, this house- plays a huge role in what is happening in this story and shapes the characters too.

Location? Price? Size? What's most important?

There's that old Real Estate story that everyone knows: When asked to state the top 3 factors in determining the value of Real Estate, a British tycoon said: "Location, location, location!"

I think it might be different when you're in the market for a family home. Sure, it's an investment. But, it's your home. Home is a powerful thing. Home is a powerful word. It conjures up all kinds of feelings, emotions, memories, associations that have nothing to do with dollar value. Location is a big factor, but I don't think that it's related to dollar value when it's considered. It's more likely to be in relation to other family members or work or school. If it's thought of in terms of cost, then it's likely about cost of travel to work.

Here is one possible list of Top 3 Factors in Home Buying

Price:
What can you afford? What are you willing to pay? This is where you have to start, really. How much do you have and how much of that are you willing to pay for your home? Will spending more on a home mean fewer holidays? Will spending less on a home mean more travel time, or will it just mean more travel-to-work time, commuting? You'll have to look at your finances and you'll have to talk to your family to see what they value. First, you have to determine the bottom line.

Location: 
Where would you like to live? What has value for you? Do you want to be close to or far away from family, parks and schools, work, nature, urban amenities, fishing holes? How far are you willing to go from your workplace? How far from Mom do you want to be? You'll need to think about the cost of your commute in terms of time and dollars. It might be a question of space vs time. In any case, the bottom line will be the determining factor.

Size/ Fit:
How much space do you need? Is your family growing or shrinking? Do you need an in-law suite, rooms for the grand kids, a fenced-in yard for your dogs, spaces for entertaining, space for your car, space for storing your boat, a wine cellar or a man-cave? When you consider how much room you need, the easy measures are the number of bedrooms and parking spaces, lot-size, and square feet (or metres). The numbers alone can't measure how your family will fit into those spaces. You'll have to walk through and visualize yourselves using the space. In the end, the cost might make you change your mind about what you "need."

You can use these 3 factors, Price, Location, and Size, in your preliminary home search, on my website. You can indicate a price range, a location, and the number of bedrooms or square feet, for example.

Other variables available on the property search are: garage spaces, bathrooms, acres, year built, and number of stories. Variables you can't type in: style, colours, smell, landscaping, does it feel warm and homey, will you fall in love with it?

You don't have to do an online home search at all. You can call me (416-716-3112) or email me (harrynaghavi@gmail.com).

Call me and I'll make it easier for you. We'll meet and discuss your needs and your desires. We'll talk about all the things your family has to consider in your specific circumstances. And, then I will search for you and provide you with lists of possibilities. I'll send you emails of listings, and we can meet and look at listings too if you prefer. I'll make appointments to go and see the houses you like. When you choose, I'll get you the best deal possible!

I will save you time and money.

And, buying a home will be as stress-free as possible. 

We'll find you a house you'll love, a house to call  home.