A Moving Experience

 

There is nothing quite as exciting as moving day - not. Boxes here and there, all life's precious possessions crammed carefully into overstuffed containers. And then there's the big ticket items, namely, beds and bedroom suites, major appliances, and living room furniture. Thank the Lord above for dollies and strong-backed sons.

People move for a variety of reasons, and not all of them good. Work-related issues factor in here. Some lose their jobs and can no longer afford the mortgage or rent. Others, still on the job theme, get transferred, or possibly need to get closer to a new job that they have chosen. Cutting down on the commute makes a lot of sense. Some may even need to change the configuration of their house as they embrace a rapidly growing trend, namely, working from home.

Family matters come into play here also. Lots of people my age are down-sizing. That means the house and the toys within the house are not as necessary as they once were, so they need to get rid of the space and the things that fill up that space. Four bedrooms become two bedrooms, three living areas can be reduced to two. The kitchen and dining room could be a lot smaller.

There is often an economic advantage here: When larger is reduced to smaller, the financial difference is realized, though that's not always the case.

The most painful reasons for moving would be the other family affairs – divorce, death, and desertion. Parents split, but the one remaining with the kids cannot afford to hold on to the house. Death could produce the same dilemma, though there may be a life insurance policy to help smooth things out. And desertion is possibly the ugliest of the three "D's" because there is so much uncertainty and loose ends.

On the positive side of the ledger, people move because they are able to sell the house for more than they bought it, and purchase a different one at an affordable price. Or at least that's how it should work. They somehow got a foot inside the housing market, then monitored house sales, mortgage rates, and their financial stability. The general order is condominium, bungalow, and then on to the acreage or just a bigger house in the 'burbs.

Too many people have gotten themselves into deep, deep financial woes because they have extended themselves too much. That was clearly one reason why the recent and on-going American recession kicked in. It is a vicious circle: The couple sees a house they want, but they can't quite afford it, but they can afford it with both parents working. With both parents working, there are then other ramifications, what with latch-key kids, chores, holidays, work demands and simple daily exhaustion.

I suggest that no house is worth that toll on the family.

A healthy economic strategy would aim to be mortgage-free, or as close to it as possible. The word "mortgage" has in its root form the word "mortal," and inherent in that word is the thought of death or doomed to die; the Spanish link also has to do with death. In other words, a mortgage is really a death grip on the financial throat of every family.

It may be wise stewardship to down-size even before retirement, getting down to a lifestyle and mortgage that is reasonable. Renting, while not a great option at the best of times, may be a stop-gap measure to get one's financial house in order. In other words, sell the house, lock away the proceeds, rent for a year or so, all the while trying to re-align one's money matters.

So "Moving Day" conjures up all sorts of images in the mind, some good, some not so good. While I am no financial adviser at the best of times, I have moved a few times, and the two are connected. I suggest move when necessary only, and do it to your economic advantage. But also think in terms of family life, beyond the almighty dollar. Think of all the trauma that may be inflicted on the marriage and the kids, weighing all the pros and cons.

If it looks good from every angle, go for it. Then you could say that it will be, indeed, a moving experience.