Like many couples, my partner and I decided a few years ago that it was time to sell our current home and upgrade to something bigger and better. We had bought our first home shortly after we started working full time, it was small and humble and matched with our salaries. As life went on and we both climbed the career ladder a little, we decided that we were in a far better position financial and were able to sell our home and afford something bigger, in a better neighborhood.

We are now looking to do the same again and are looking at what will probably be a home for us for a good while to come. We recently checked out some Grand Homes reviews and have decided that a new, swanky home is for us. I wanted to just pen a short piece about how we arrived at our decision and considerations that you should make before deciding on upgrading your home.

The Market

Even if you are in good financial shape to go after a better home, it is vital that you understand the housing market and make your decision at the right time. We have been fortunate enough to profit on each home we have sold and I would suggest that before you take your decision, you should try to take advantage of any value in your home. Housing markets can be incredibly volatile and if your home is in negative equity then I’d suggest that you hang on in there for a while to see if it picks up.

Pragmatism

You may have dreams in your head of what your new home will look like, this is all well and good but you also need to be taking a pragmatic as well as emotional decision when it comes to purchasing your next home. My wife and I have chosen our next home with children in mind, as yet we have none but would like to have a couple of children in the next year or so. To that end we have decided on a place that not only matches our personal requirements, but also one that will be great for children.

Security

Buying a new house will not only cost you money in the purchasing process but it will also set you back when it comes to filling the house with decoration and furnishings. You may well be able to afford the outlay right now but a key consideration to make is how secure you are within your job. Nobody can predict the future but it is always worth analyzing your industry and trying to second guess whether you will still be able to earn the same as you are right now, in the future. If you think that there is any possibility of future redundancies or job cuts in your company then you need to ensure that you have a plan B to pay for your new home. Many people invest heavily in a new home and then run into problems on a work level, the cost of their large home puts even more pressure on them and the consequences can be dire.