Son C attends secondary school a good 30-minute drive from our house, and part of the trip takes us through a most gorgeous, older suburb. It’s smack dang in the middle between Son C’s school and my work, and it borders a state forest. I have fallen madly in love with it.
Truth is, it’s mostly out of our price range. There are million-dollar homes with city views within this suburb, conversely, there are small, post-war homes close to the freeway, which come back down towards the upper end of my price range. These are very few and far between, and as the market has started its trend upward again, I doubt they will stay in my price range, if indeed any more enter the market.
We are not without options though, and we (as in me, doing all the talking, interjected with the odd response from Son C) often discuss where we’d like to be, as a little family of two, for the next five years.
As I see it, our options are:
1. Do nothing
My Dad would most certainly subscribe to this plan of attack. An overly cautious baby-boomer, he has always gone against the grain and doesn't support home ownership as a the means to an Australian dream
2. Buy a unit/townhouse in the Suburb of my Dreams, whilst retaining our current townhouse
Worthy of consideration, but Son C and I have discussed it, and we don't see it as offering enough of the lifestyle advantages we are looking for.
Worthy of consideration, but Son C and I have discussed it, and we don't see it as offering enough of the lifestyle advantages we are looking for.
3. Save, save, save and maybe still never actually afford a house in this suburb
The concept of saving an extra $100,000 seems insurmountable. The longer it takes to save, the more the prices move out of our range.
The concept of saving an extra $100,000 seems insurmountable. The longer it takes to save, the more the prices move out of our range.
4. Put our townhouse on the market, and then look at buying
Probably the most realistic manner of achieving our dreams, but I guess I'm just not ready to say goodbye to our townhouse. Or to go through the trouble of having the house inspection-ready at all times. For a multitude of reasons, it's also not a good time to sell.
Probably the most realistic manner of achieving our dreams, but I guess I'm just not ready to say goodbye to our townhouse. Or to go through the trouble of having the house inspection-ready at all times. For a multitude of reasons, it's also not a good time to sell.
5. Buy a house in our current area
I could consider buying something that accommodates Miss M if necessary. There are also probably a multitude of reasons not to do this either.
I could consider buying something that accommodates Miss M if necessary. There are also probably a multitude of reasons not to do this either.
6. Rent a home in the Suburb of my Dreams, and retain my townhouse
Again, possibly another realistic option of achieving what we want - a home for 5 years in the location that we want, and I am not locked into it when I have no children at home and sitting alone, idly gazing at my navel wondering what to do with the rest of my life.
Again, possibly another realistic option of achieving what we want - a home for 5 years in the location that we want, and I am not locked into it when I have no children at home and sitting alone, idly gazing at my navel wondering what to do with the rest of my life.
The benefit of all of these options – is that we don’t HAVE to do anything!! I think I would give myself a year and a half to achieve Option 3, and if that doesn’t happen, there are several other plans to fall back on.
I really have work to do, I can't just sit here and chat all day, you know? :-) :-)
I really have work to do, I can't just sit here and chat all day, you know? :-) :-)
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