From the time you’re born, life is constantly in flux. You grow, develop, and experience changes both good and bad. One of the best and most reliable parts of the journey is going through varied relationships, environments, jobs, and living spaces.
Whether you’ve lived in your apartment for six months or 16 years, it’s likely that one morning you’ll wake up and decide it’s time to move out. While it may seem like an out-of-the-blue zen moment, there are probably multiple reasons why you’ve come to that conclusion.
If you’re on the fence about moving to a new apartment, you may want to factor these things into your decision:
The Commute is Awful
Commuting to work can be taxing. It may be the same as it was when you started your job, but over time, you will start to dread it. And as your community grows, there are only going to be more people on the roads, which means more congestion for everyone. For that reason, sitting in traffic day after day usually leads to dreams of 10-minute commutes or better access to the convenience of public transportation. If your job is secure and enjoyable, moving to a new apartment closer to work could be a great choice for you.
There’s No Parking
On-street parking is challenging even in a sparsely populated neighborhood. Neighbors can add a car to their household, or city ordinances can change hours and restrictions on nearby streets that make parking more difficult. Alternatively, you may have a new car that attracts thieves and vandals and makes street parking more perilous. And if you live in an area with seasons of heavy snow and rain, your car will definitely deteriorate faster if left in the street. Moving to a new apartment with off-street parking could make life a lot easier.
The Rent Just Went Up
Not only has the housing crunch made finding an apartment more difficult across most parts of America, the increases in rent costs permitted by law have also jumped from two to three and even 10 percent in many places. And with so many people waiting to take your place, negotiating with landlords and apartment managers is generally unsuccessful. When rent increases don’t match cost-of-living wage increases — which they rarely do — it’s a strong indicator it’s time to find a better apartment and take a lot of financial stress off your shoulders.
You Have Bad Neighbors
When you first moved into your apartment, your neighbors may have become your good friends (or at least people you trusted, respected, and felt safe living next to). Over time, however, that dynamic can drastically change. Even if socializing with neighbors isn’t a priority for you, it can still become uncomfortable pretty quickly. If you start feeling like an outsider and find those living around you cold and distant, it’s probably time to seek out a community that feels more like family.
The Management Stinks
Landlords and managers who don’t do their jobs can make their tenants lives’ a living hell. They ignore requests for repairs, don’t maintain common areas, and are generally unavailable to answer questions or give you packages they’ve intercepted. Life is too short to be shabbily treated by anyone, so take this as a sign to move on and find a manager who understands the responsibilities of their position. If possible, always chat with some current tenants before signing a new lease.
Your Roommate Gets on Your Nerves
That roommate whose habits you used to find amusingly eccentric may someday drive you crazy. Changing roommates can be traumatic, especially if they think everything is perfect and are eager to sign a new lease with you each and every year. You can always ask them to leave, but it’s often less stressful for both of you to just make a clean break using a believable excuse and find a new place to live.
There’s No Storage
Often without realizing it, some people simply outgrow their apartments. Maybe its new and larger furniture, new countertop appliances crowding the kitchen, or a wardrobe/closet space that always seems to be shrinking. Whatever the cause, when you feel cramped in your living space, it’s time to seek out more square footage.
You Fear for Your Safety
Neighborhoods change. Your apartment may have been a cozy retreat in a cul de sac when you moved in, but it only takes a couple years to transform into a block full of all-night parties, vandalism, and sketchy characters. Instead of sneaking into your space early every night for your own safety, find a place that gives you the peace of mind and the ambiance you crave all the time.
Change
Sometimes you just need a change. Your apartment may be flawless, secure, and managed by an ideal, conscientious landlord. You might even love your neighbors and roommate, feel completely secure, have no commute, and plenty of parking options. But if your inner voice has been whispering a need for change, sometimes it pays to listen. Fresh starts are exciting, risky, and full of adventure, after all – and wasn’t it exactly those things that made your last move so gratifying?
