Warning: This is the story how NOT to change houses

Finally hubby and I decided to downsize our PPOR. We have been looking on and off over 2 years and now we finally did it. But the process was less than ideal and hopefully someone learns something from our experiences.

First NO: Do not buy house first and then sell the existing PPOR :eek:

Because we are creazy people we bought the house first and then madly were slaving over our current PPOR to get it ready to the market. Advise: there are millions of things and details that has to be done before a house is ready for inspections and everything takes double the time than you initially think.

Second NO: Do not change jobs at the same time when buying and selling your PPOR :eek:

Immediately after we bought the new PPOR but before selling the current one both I and my hubby were offered new jobs, that were too good to be refused. Advise: Do not be greedy. Starting in a new workplace and new job is stressful period without added stress of getting your current house ready to the market and keeping it in tip top condition during the marketing campaign and inspections. Still wondering why do houses need to look like that no-one lives there...

Third NO: Do not accept settlement of your existing PPOR before settling the new one :eek:

We bought the new house in mid-June with approximately 6 months settlement, so this gave us time to spruce up our current house for sale and conduct sale process. In the end we received so good offer for our current house that we accepted the settlement date that is 1 month earlier than our new house and we were not successful to bring the settlement of the new house forward. Advise: Do not be greedy. Moving twice is extremely stressful and logistical nightmare and especially finding the place where to live with pets for a month is almost mission impossible.

Fourth NO: If you are hoarder and downsizing and have a lot of c##p to get rid of do not accept short settlement period. :eek:

Over the last 10 years we have managed to collect enormous amount stuff. Maybe because we had a lot of space and never have had a need to throw anything away. Advise: Do not be greedy and accept the highest offer with the shortest settlement. Sorting out, selling, donating and packing everything takes time and is stressful.

And we have not even moved yet...
 
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I am looking to downsize too, I just got a new puppy and I Have a business to move. The market is a bit silly looking to capitalize on it with current PPOR, but know will pay the price when I buy a new one.... Thanks for the tips guys!
 
Moving twice is extremely stressful and logistical nightmare and especially finding the place where to live with pets for a month is almost mission impossible.

Why dont you get a removalist to pack you up and store your stuff. Then you go and housesit for a month. Depending on your animals you may be able to take them, or alternatively find a friend to have them short term.
 
Thanks OP for your brutal honesty! Wishing you a smooth move!

You are welcome. Our brutaly honest friends are saying that either we like to live dangerously and under the constant stress or we are just plain stupid. I start thinking the latter... and greedy :(

Back to packing boxes... Is anyone else gathering a lot of useless stuff around them? Or is it just us? :confused: The second 4 cubic meter skip is almost full.
 
Why dont you get a removalist to pack you up and store your stuff. Then you go and housesit for a month. Depending on your animals you may be able to take them, or alternatively find a friend to have them short term.

Thanks for the good ideas. Highly appreciated. Should have asked them earlier :D

We will be using removalist and found a couple companies, that offers container storage solution. So we (read: they) will load everything to a container, store container and then bring it to the new house and unload.

Honestly we have so much c##p and we can not take everything with us and before even get to packing stage we have to go through everything and decide what to keep, sell, donate or throw away.

In the end we managed to secure pet friendly holiday house for a month. Luckily the house is located in commuting distance (just) to our workplaces.
 
Thanks for the good ideas. Highly appreciated. Should have asked them earlier :D

We will be using removalist and found a couple companies, that offers container storage solution. So we (read: they) will load everything to a container, store container and then bring it to the new house and unload.

Honestly we have so much c##p and we can not take everything with us and before even get to packing stage we have to go through everything and decide what to keep, sell, donate or throw away.

In the end we managed to secure pet friendly holiday house for a month. Luckily the house is located in commuting distance (just) to our workplaces.

Just changed up houses myself.Interest only loan on the new one but haven't sold the old one yet- and given the Brisbane market I'm thinking of hanging on to it for 6-12 months.
It is amazing how much junk accumulates over the years- I would never have been able to do it in a single shift.
My old house is a long way from rental or selling standard so I'll be getting a few tradies in (was going to do I myself but I think that's a false economy). Kicking myself for not getting work done it earlier. Oh well.

Thanks for sharing Tillie.
 
My old house is a long way from rental or selling standard so I'll be getting a few tradies in (was going to do I myself but I think that's a false economy). Kicking myself for not getting work done it earlier. Oh well.

Thanks for sharing Tillie.

Another big NO that I forgot from my original post: Do not sell your house while living in it with pets. Drives you mad. All the cleaning, staging, creating a warm and nice athmospere and lifestyle vision to the potential buyers that do not have imagination of their own... Much better solution to move out and stage the house for the selling process as cu@thetop are planning to do.
 
Back to packing boxes... Is anyone else gathering a lot of useless stuff around them? Or is it just us? :confused: The second 4 cubic meter skip is almost full.

We bought our new PPOR before selling as i knew we couldn't move all the stuff twice.
In the settlement period we were getting out old PPOR ready. Once we settled we had a FULL reno as the house we bought had had nothing done to it in 35 years.

We wanted to put a new kitchen in the old house which got held up. We were grouting the splashback as the agents arrived.:eek:

For 2 years prior I asked my hubby to get the garage sorted. I got "I can do it in a week if I have to". So we had a huge garage sale then the nature strip was full (7 metres by 1 metre by 1 metre high) for council pickup. Lorts of good stuff I took to Vinnies.
Well the keys had to be handed in at 4pm and at 3.30 I was helping hubby move stuff out. :rolleyes:

We have been in the new house nearly 2 years and I'm having another cleanout. I've decided we still have too much stuff. I'm on a mission. I want to pack up and travel for 2 years so lots of stuff going. Finally! It actually feels good to get rid of stuff. My kitchen is half empty. Wardrobes next. :D

Our first house we sold before buying. Thought I was going to have to stay with my mum. :eek:
 
Make me feeling better to notice that someone else is in the same boat ;)

:) I'm actually quite shocked how people manage to buy/sell/clean/research new property/fix existing house and stay sane. It's so time consuming, I've barely had a break in months.

Back in May my son and I were involved in a small car accident so we've both got whiplash - I'm at physio three times a week, son's at physio twice a week. We can still barely physically do much. Just what you need while selling and moving! Slowly getting there though.
 
:) I'm actually quite shocked how people manage to buy/sell/clean/research new property/fix existing house and stay sane. It's so time consuming, I've barely had a break in months.

Back in May my son and I were involved in a small car accident so we've both got whiplash - I'm at physio three times a week, son's at physio twice a week. We can still barely physically do much. Just what you need while selling and moving! Slowly getting there though.

There's the cost of your renos! Sue 'em all!
 
Tillie, I take it you had no debt on the new house?

Technically speaking we do not need to take debt on the new house. But we took this opportunity to refinance all investment properties and also take 'just in case mortgage' on the new house. Initially we put the proceeds of our existing house to offset accounts minimising interest and leave $300,- net balance just to keep loan alive.

We are planning to buy more investment properties in the future and figured out that might be a good idea to get loan approvals now when our borrowing capability is fantastic and restructure loans later when buying investment property. Never know when we need more excitement in our life and decide to downsize jobs as well...
 
Technically speaking we do not need to take debt on the new house. But we took this opportunity to refinance all investment properties and also take 'just in case mortgage' on the new house. Initially we put the proceeds of our existing house to offset accounts minimising interest and leave $300,- net balance just to keep loan alive.

We are planning to buy more investment properties in the future and figured out that might be a good idea to get loan approvals now when our borrowing capability is fantastic and restructure loans later when buying investment property. Never know when we need more excitement in our life and decide to downsize jobs as well...

Yep..the reason I asked was for maximising servicability reasons if you had just got new jobs.
 
Another big NO that I forgot from my original post: Do not sell your house while living in it with pets. Drives you mad. All the cleaning, staging, creating a warm and nice athmospere and lifestyle vision to the potential buyers that do not have imagination of their own... Much better solution to move out and stage the house for the selling process as cu@thetop are planning to do.

Haha!. We started with a dog. We needed to get the verandah sanded and sealed so my mum said she'd mind the dog. Then she said she'd keep him until we sold. Then she said she might as well keep him until we moved so as not to unsettle him (we were going between both houses, renovating etc).
Then we moved and she said she might as well keep him until I got back from Bali (4 weeks later- well earned holiday).

He lives with mum now!
We miss him but mum is alone and he's good company for her. With our travelling we had to keep taking him to her house anyway. I have to admit she was worried when she went away for a week an WE had to mind him. haha!

:) I'm actually quite shocked how people manage to buy/sell/clean/research new property/fix existing house and stay sane. It's so time consuming, I've barely had a break in months.

Tell me about it. It put the breaks on my investing and now I'm kicking myself for not having more property in Sydney.

Hope you are on the mend from your accident.
 
Back to packing boxes... Is anyone else gathering a lot of useless stuff around them? Or is it just us? :confused: The second 4 cubic meter skip is almost full.

We recently moved from our house of 17 years. I couldn't believe all the STUFF we collected over that time. I had to get very brutal and throw most of it out. If it hadn't been used in the last year, it got thrown. But then of course you move and, all of a sudden, you realise you need something that you haven't used in years but has been thrown out, lol.
 
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