Moving on up: Channelling our inner M People
There were a few ups and downs for Mr Fletche and I at the start of 2017, but after many long nights of soul-searching (and alcohol) we came to the same conclusion about three things.
- No-one else would ever put up with either of us
- Travel is what inspires and motivates us and we want to continue seeing as much of the world as possible – within the constraints of full-time work unless other opportunities arise
- Living where we live does not make us happy
And so it’s No 3 that we are looking to change in 2018. Mr Fletche, as a creative bod, wants to be inspired by his surroundings and have interesting things to photograph on his doorstep. At the moment we have a mattress, a fridge freezer and an alleyway – which is meant to access our rear garden – which is so overgrown that a machete would struggle to clear it. I, as a Birmingham blogger, want to be in the hub of coffee shops, restaurants and bars, and not have to schlep it on the no 37 bus to get anywhere of note. Tyseley is not where we want to be for the rest of our lives.
And so, we have a plan. Sort of. 2018 will be the year that the Fletcher mid-terrace goes on the market. And rather than go through the stress of buying and selling at the same time, we are hoping to rent an apartment in the city centre for 12 months or so and see how city living suits us. We may hate it. We may decide that living in a shoebox, after spreading ourselves over two floors and a loft, is not for us. We may find we miss having our own garden (highly unlikely). We may love it and think it’s the best thing ever. But I know that we’d regret not giving it a try whilst we’re still young enough to enjoy it.
Mr Fletche and I tend to do a lot of research and make a lot of to-do lists (ok, that’s mainly me) but don’t actually get on with any action plan. But we’ve starting fixing a few of the little niggly things on this 100 year old house, touching up the paint and plasterwork here and there. I’ve made a start on decluttering the loft, refusing to be sentimental. I now have a Spotify playlist of all the cassette singles I had in the late 80s early 90s. We need to dismantle the shed – we hoped the last storm or two would finish the job it started and carry off the roof somewhere else but manual intervention will be required. There are a few things which are expensive jobs that we’ve put off, and may just have to accept that we’ll have to take a loss in the sale price because – to be frank – we can’t be arsed to pay out for work that we won’t get the benefit of.
I have to contact my mortgage lender, there’s only 3 and a half years left on the mortgage (I was a mere child when I bought the house..) so need to check if there are any early redemption charges for paying off the outstanding balance. And then we start the serious business of getting a valuation, selecting an estate agent or two… and then waiting for the offers to flood in. Or not. And then weep a little.
It’s very scary and a big change. I moved out of Ma and Pa Lee’s house at 18, and haven’t moved since. I thought it would be my forever home, and the house has seen a lot of tears and laughter, relationship break-ups, new relationships, three cats (all deceased), many, many plants (also all deceased), impromptu dance competitions in the kitchen, surprise garden parties, and karaoke sessions (for which I continue to apologise to my neighbours for). But for Mr Fletche and I, this is an opportunity to explore something new, to try something different – all of the things we love about travelling, but this time on our own doorstep.
So keep your eye out for more house-selling and adulting posts, and also more “move” related song titles… But it doesn’t mean we’re not going to squeeze in a few trips along the way so there’ll still be plenty of travel content to keep A Brummie Abroad ticking over!
All tips about selling up and moving house with the least stress, effort and financial outlay possible are gratefully received!
Good luck Em and Mr Fletche. All things in life are full of stress some good some bad. Moving when you want to is what I class good stress as you are stepping up the happiness ladder. Enjoy, and chocolate and perhaps a glass or two of some excellent vino always helps 🙂
Now these are tips I can definitely get on board with!
When we were planning our big move, I was always threatening to just set everything on fire…..I am not actually recommending this process, but it feels good to say it sometimes. 🙂
Sounds good to me Cherie!
I have no tips to offer but that is so exciting!! I’m so excited to see what happens and am sending you all of the luck!!
Thanks Jess 😊
Moving is always an adventure, but you’ve got a plan, which usually helps.
…and wine. Which always helps!
Except when you’re packing glassware.
I wish I had advice for you, but honestly 2 years in for us and it’s all a blur. But I would say, please don’t panic-buy your next place. We kinda did, and now it owns us. All good vibes to you. <3
Good luck Emma and Chris in all you do xxxx
Good luck with the move – take your time and find somewhere that’s right for you!
Kate x
Thanks Kate! It’s taken 23 years to make the decision to move so it’s wise to say I’m not exactly a rash decision maker 🤣
What an adventure !!! Good luck!!!
Thank you lovely x
😀
You know what, the idea of renting for a year is actually a pretty good one, and you’ll get a good feel of what you like!
We think its a great option – we don’t really have the need to “own” a house even if we were brought up thinking that was the ultimate goal
Well, I look forward to all the posts that this part of your live will inspire!
Congratulations on making the tough decision to do what makes you feel happy! Good luck with all the moving, and I hope everything goes smoothly for you. I look forward to more of your adulting posts. 🙂
Wow. That video of that tiny flat in London! That’s insanity. I hope you will find a place a smidge bigger 😂! I laughed out loud at your hope that the last storm you had would help dismantle your shed 😂😂. Have you ever seen Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords? I’m currently obsessed with and terrified by it! If you plan to rent out your home, BE CAREFUL! I’m excited to read about your journey into city living.
I think being a landlord would be far too stressful… best to just sell up and break all ties with this ol house 😃
That’s probably a good idea!!
Exciting changes afoot! I bet you’ll love living in the city. Also sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I don’t think there’s an unstressful way to sell and move house 🙈 However I’ve heard purple bricks is a cheaper way as the fees are lower. Can’t wait to hear how it all goes for you!
Thanks Mel!
How goes the moving/renting adventure?
The shed has gone 😂 House was valued on Wednesday, and we instructed estate agent to proceed this morning – it’s really happening Ritu 😱
You’re moving on to better things, think of it as that!
Good luck!!!!!!
This is quite exciting! I love how you make moving sound like an adventure!
Jas xx
It’s the only way to tackle it Jas without freaking me out completely 😂
In life you’ve got to take chances. Sounds like a new chapter and adventure. Having moved quite a bit even to a different county I have some pearls of wisdom in a blog post with tips for moving House you may find helpful! Keep us posted with the progress 😊
Congrats on your momentous decision and your new future adventures! I’m jealous!
You are so right…do it now whilst you can as you never know what is around the corner! Renting a flat is also a good idea just in case you hate being in the centre – as Londoners we started in rentals (Westminster, Camden, maida Vale), then our first mortgage was on a flat in Fulham (now that little place is probably worth as much as our house!!). I loved being central!! Even now I feel a need to be on a train line into London. Use the power of that fab M people track to get you through clearing out and moving….
Good luck and all the best in this exciting new venture- it sounds like the exactly right thing.