Telltale signs you’re ready to move

Are you feeling a little twitch when you walk into or around your home? Has the passion gone out of your relationship with your abode? Maybe it’s not the feng shui, but the home itself. You might be ready for a new home.

Here are some telltale signs you’re ready to move.

#1. You look at other places and wonder what it would be like to live there. Do you find yourself driving at night and looking at the lit windows of other homes, wondering what they look like? Are you spending more time analyzing the homes on your favorite shows than the story lines? That daydreaming is a sign that you’re not completely fulfilled in your current home.

#2. You fear your closets. Does the theme from “Jaws” pound in your head when you reach for the closet door knob, fearing what lies beyond? If you’re tight—really tight—on space, it might be time to move to a larger place. Cramped is never fun or healthy.

#3. The echo bothers you. Maybe the kids have grown and gone on their own. The echo of the empty nest is unsettling for you. Think about downsizing to a new home that better fits your lifestyle today.

#4. Your DIY is DI-Done. You’ve spent years fixing up all those spaces that needed help. Are you tired of using your weekend for DIY projects? Imagine the freedom of living in a new home where DIY becomes fun again—like planting flowers in your garden, trying new recipes in your new kitchen, or taking up a hobby that doesn’t disrupt your living space.

#5. You refuse to look at the weather forecast. Did that last snowstorm send you over the edge? Do rainy days destroy your mood? Does another day of hot and humid make you want to crank up the air conditioning and layer on some winter clothes? Maybe a change for the weather is a change for the better.

#6. The cost of living there doesn’t make sense. Your rent went up again—even though everything else has stayed the same, including your income. Look at your finances and decide if clinging to your current living space is cramping your budget. Remember that a fixed mortgage never increases, unlike rent, and a monthly mortgage payment is probably less than rent.

#7. The neighborhood isn’t what it used to be. Have your favorite neighbors moved out, replaced by the loud, annoying, or sloppy people who are driving down your quality of life (and maybe property value)? Has the vision of the up-and-coming area never arrived? Maybe you still love your home, but not the neighborhood—a very good reason to look for a new home.

#8. You’ve exhausted your audio library on your commute. If you’ve changed jobs since moving to this home, you might have tolerated a longer commute, just to stay where you are. Ask yourself which is stronger, your love of home or hatred of commute. A shorter commute means more available time for yourself and your family.

Still not sure? Apartment Therapy offers this simple equation:

New place > Old place + Moving hassle and expense

Is it really that simple? Lifehacker expands on the basic math by incorporating more variables:

New place + location – distance from friends > Old place + Moving hassle and expense + location – distance away from friends

You can revise the variables to your own situation. For example, “Quality of schools”, “Commute”, and “Finances”.

Pay attention to that little voice in your head that says it’s time to look for a new place to live. Change can be great!