How can you be sure your house is your forever home? You’ll know it’s your forever home by having a frank and honest discussion with yourself about the following things:
Your Forever Home’s Attributes
1. You can afford it: Being house poor, when all your discretionary income goes to pay the mortgage, property taxes, and utilities, is not fun. Your home should never cost you so much that paying your bills on time each month is a constant struggle. If you are spending more than 35 per cent of your income on housing, you’ll need to consider cutting back in other areas, or moving to a more affordable place.
2. It is big or small enough: Size matters. It’s easy to get stuck “loving” your home simply because you don’t want to move, but if that home was bought as a starter when it was just you and your partner, and now you have three kids and two dogs and a lifetime worth of sports equipment and knick knacks, it may be time to trade up. Likewise, if your roomy family home was ideal when the kids lived with you but now has an echo because the kids are gone, you may want to consider downsizing (and don’t worry – you can still have a guest room in your smaller home for when the kids pay a visit).
3. You love the neighbourhood: You can change many things about your home but you can’t change the location. If you have noisy neighbours, are close to a rail track, or the area has been in decline for some time, your property values could be affected as much as your mental health. If you dread coming home to your neighbourhood, it’s time to move on.
What happens when you love your house and want it to be your ideal home, but it isn’t suiting your needs? To make the home you have now your forever home, you can renovate. Let’s revisit those points above to see how a Calgary contractor can give you the forever home you’ve been looking for.
Creating Your Forever Home
1. Cutting utility costs and creating an income suite: If your forever home is outside of your price point, call a Calgary contractor to see what can be done to make the home more energy efficient. Often, older homes have drafty windows, whistling attic space, and sparse insulation. You’d be surprised how affordable it is to upgrade to cost-saving efficiencies that make the entire home more comfortable to live in too. If you have room in the basement, your Calgary contractor can create an income suite that you can rent out to help with the mortgage costs.
2. Down or upsize in place: A big home with unused rooms can be repurposed to fit the homeowner’s lifestyle. For example, a couple of side-by-side bedrooms could easily become an art studio, game room, writer’s nook or home gym. That basement could be made into an income suite to help with the retirement budget, or even something wild like an insulated room for a hobby band or a private sports pub. If the home is too small, your Calgary contractor will show you the huge difference something as simple as a mud room or sun room can make.
3. Block the view: While you can’t change the neighbourhood, if you are determined to stay, talk to your Calgary contractor about what upgrades you need to retain the home’s value. Carefully consider if the area warrants you going with high-end finishings or standard ones. Then ask your Calgary contractor what can be done about sound barriers, hedges, trees, frosted glass, etc. to give yourself some separation from the neighbourhood.
Welcome to Your Forever Home
In your heart, you know if you are already in your forever home. If that home needs some tweaks to make it truly perfect, contact us today. We are the Calgary contractor that can make any home the one you love for life.
