3 signs it’s time to move out

Finding your forever home takes time. For most people, circumstances in any given home will eventually align in such a way that it's time to start looking for a new Gold Coast property to move into. In fact, 90 per cent of people living in young households without children report moving at least once in five years, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data.

However, some of us may be reluctant to dive into the moving process until it's absolutely necessary. After all, it's widely agreed that moving houses is one of the most stressful common life events. So how can you know if it's really time to bite the bullet?

1. You've outgrown your current place

Falling in love, having children or running a small business out of our homes are all wonderful things that can bring us joy or success, but we need to have enough space to do that in.

If you're living in a two-bedroom apartment, you can probably get away with having more than one child while they're still willing to share bunk-beds. However, once your kids start to outgrow those beds and need rooms of their own, it's time to move out and up.

The same goes for a business. You might be able to run your startup from your living room, but when it comes time to bring others on board you'll either need to find a property with a dedicated home-office space, or move your business into a commercial property.

2. Your commute is killing you

New job? Congratulations!

However, now that you're working further from home, how are you managing that commute? Australians definitely prefer shorter commutes, with almost half of us allowing 15 minutes or less to get to work, according to the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics. That makes sense, considering 15 minutes each way over the 251 working days in 2018 adds up to about 125.5 hours a year stuck on the roads.

Any longer than 15 minutes commute and you might find you regret the job change. Don't squander your career for a shorter commute – start looking at nearby apartments.

3. You're ready for more independence

Renting has a long list of benefits, including lower costs, fewer maintenance obligations and ease of exit.

That said, you probably won't want to rent forever. Rental agreements can often limit what you're allowed to do with your home in terms of renovations and aesthetics. For this reason, it's possible you'll never really get to make your rental feel like home.

If you're itching to knock down walls or paint the ceiling, it's always worth asking your property manager if the landlord is amenable. In the cases it's not an option however, it could be time to contact a Ray White Surfers Paradise representative to start the hunt for your first home.