Moving to a new home

If you are looking at moving or you have already decided that moving is the right housing choice for you, there are some things to consider.

Location

Finding the right location for your needs is important. Some considerations could relate to safety, walkability, accessible transport options, available services, and proximity to your social connections.  Your location will also determine your internet access and or community in-home support services.  Location and neighbourhood can also affect your emotional wellbeing, so take the extra time to consider.

Right-sizing

If you have decided to downsize/right-size, there can be a lot of decisions to make. Some considerations include: Do you want to live in a house, apartment, unit in a retirement village, movable dwelling village? How many bedrooms do you want? Do you want room for visitors, boarders, an office/study, a workshop or exercise? Do you want multiple living areas? Will your existing furniture and possessions fit into your new dwelling?

If you are right-sizing, decluttering can be a great first step. It can help you to evaluate how many items you have and what you want to take to your new home. Mapping out whether your existing furniture will fit into your new home may also be useful.

Buying and selling a home

Buying and selling a home can be stressful. There can be different considerations depending on the type of home you buy. The Queensland Government website has information about buying and selling a home. The Office of Fair Trading Queensland has a pocket guide to buying and selling real estate in Queensland. If you would like a hard copy of the pocket guide, contact the Housing Chats infoline on 1300 135 500 to have a copy posted out to you.

Retirement villages

If you are considering moving into a retirement village, it’s important to do your research. There can be differences between villages with regards to ownership types, ongoing costs and costs when moving out of the village. The Queensland Government website and Queensland Retirement Village and Park Advice Service website contain information and resources about retirement villages.

Moving

If you have found your new home, the thought of moving can be daunting. Hiring a removalist can make the job easier but it pays to do your homework. The Office of Fair Trading Queensland website has tips for choosing a removalist and recommends using a removalist that is registered with the Australian Furniture Removers Association.  

More information

More information on this and other items to consider can be found by moving through the other topic specific links.Alternatively, you can contact Seniors Enquiry line on 1300 135 500. They can provide you with resources and information on services in your chosen location, as well as tips or tricks to look out for.