Contributed by Duncan Fremlin. People like to move, often for unnecessary reasons. Maybe a family doesn’t really have to move but personal circumstances, often financial, dictate that this option should be seriously considered. I encounter this in my business dealings with homeowners looking to leave the hustle and bustle of Toronto. It’s a fairly common conversation when I sit down with clients to appraise their house or plan for a sale.
Putting the financial imperatives aside, the prospect of leaving family, friends, theatres and all that is familiar, is frightening as hell. Developing meaningful relationships in a new community might be exciting for some, but for others, it’s terrifying. Having family nearby takes some of the sting out of the move. But we do take the crowded city for granted, lots of people on the streets and in the stores, pretty much all the time. Not so much outside the city.
Most look for a favourable compromise. There’s Stratford for the arts and good restaurants, Guelph for the vibrant university community, Midland for the ski hills in the winter and the beaches in the summer. Stouffville for the short 40-minute drive to the city. Peterborough also enjoys easy access to the city. One isn’t any better than the other. They all offer opportunities to create a more fulfilling life.
The caveat is the cost of buying in the new community. Once the sale of their city home complete, is there enough cash left over to make the move worthwhile? That’s usually the big question.
By Duncan Fremlin, Broker
RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd.
www.morethanahome.ca
