Might be moving

[noelm]

It is a blood pressure raising experience, talking such big numbers, it’s not like it’s 50 grand for a car or something, we are talking millions and for a non risk taker like me, it’s a major drama. I am having trouble sleeping worrying about the “what if”, I have friends that are very supporting, but that’s easy when it’s not your money! My kids are a bit 50/50, moving from the “family home” but I think they can see the reason long term, the grandkids are horrified “nanny and papas” house is their “castle” a place with endless food, nans cooking, miles of room to run around, a heated pool, the beach………but best guess is after a year or so, the new place will be the same?

[Fab1]

44 minutes ago, noelm said:

It is a blood pressure raising experience, talking such big numbers, it’s not like it’s 50 grand for a car or something, we are talking millions and for a non risk taker like me, it’s a major drama. I am having trouble sleeping worrying about the “what if”, I have friends that are very supporting, but that’s easy when it’s not your money! My kids are a bit 50/50, moving from the “family home” but I think they can see the reason long term, the grandkids are horrified “nanny and papas” house is their “castle” a place with endless food, nans cooking, miles of room to run around, a heated pool, the beach………but best guess is after a year or so, the new place will be the same?

You’re making money not losing it mate as you said.In a week or two once the deed is done you’ll be wondering what all the fuss was about.

just make sure you understand 100% that the new house will NEVER replace the old house in terms of all the hard work put into it and what will become family history left behind on it.

[BaitDropper]

Noel, the home for you and your family will be where ever you and your wife are.

Yep, sounds like you have a great set up at present, but the new place ( if it goes thru) will end up being exactly the same. Your kids and grand kids will still turn up, the food will still be a plenty and the only difference will be a different house,,,, It's not the house that makes the family gatherings the way they are, it's the people/family.

Just do your due diligence, which I presume you already have ??, have your real estate agent all ready to go to get your existing place on the market and moving ahead with your selling plan. Set your self a realistic target, of what you'll accept to move the house on,, Don't do what some of the clowns do on those real-estate programme's and hang out for that extra 10k on the sale price 😁..  I'd be on the back of your real estate agent right now, prepping them and getting them phoning their special lists of potential buyers, even though it's not finalized with the new house yet,,, I'm sure you've already actioned this.

The trouble sleeping, the stress and nervousness is all par for the course unfortunately, no real remedy there, Just don't let it get on top of you. As stupid as it sounds, telling yourself all will be good and remain as positive as you can, really helps !!  The last thing you want/need is your wife feeding off this and then backing out because of the stress its causing you.  It's not easy Noel, but keep reminding yourselves why your even considering such a move.

Ours involved, selling a house like you, closing down a business, selling a factory and moving interstate !!   I had all the same feelings and stress levels as what your getting .

So tell yourself, Jeez, it could be a whole lot worse for us  !!  And, do I really want to do this in another 10 or 15 years ?? .

Things have a habit of falling into place.. We were originally going to rent out my factory, which was our plan. I phoned the real estate that I bought the factory off the plan, to organize a renter, they came and sussed the place out, a few days latter, they phoned and arranged a meet, they presented me with a buy option, which turned out to be the highest $ per sq foot sold in the area, I wasn't even signed up with them to sell, we couldn't refuse the offer. Your real estate agent, if he's any good, will probably have a list of potential buyers wanting to get into the area, alot of sales are done this way and by the looks, your current place would fall into the category of desirable places to live. Interest rates have certainly effected the market, but those that can afford the top end, generally aren't chasing huge mortgages, as we found out selling our house when the market was.

cooling. My only other piece of advice, is to not just use one agent at the start, play them off against each other, make them work for that exclusive contract. Everyone has a regular or a friend in the real estate industry and a lot of times, that can be detrimental. We went with an out sider from the area, because of how keen and motivated they were, it Pissed the agent off that we had been using for properties for 10-15 years, but the short marketing campaign that they used,, was much more aggressive than the others and they came up trumps....

You've got a lot on your plate, don't envy you, but keep positive.

[noelm]

Agent is ready to go, photos all done, stuff like that, he said he has quite a few “possibles” that looked at a $7.5m house near me, but nowhere near as good a location, and location is everything, you could buy mine, knock it down and build the house of your dreams and still have a bag of money left over…..he is just waiting for the “let’s go” which is Tuesday. I will keep you posted if/when anything happens.

[Derny Driver]

One of the footy players will probably snap your place up mate, there's already 2 in your street. Prime location .... and a smart move I reckon.  No brainer. 

Sound like the new one backs on to Little Lake? You're still in a fantastic spot, just without the view. 

Good luck with it all. 

[noelm]

Yep, know the footy players, one we have been good friends with for years, they seem to be pretty cashed up these days.

[mrsswordfisherman]

This is sounding like millionaires row!!
I am sure most of the readers are not in your position. I presume you bought your house many years ago Noel. It would now be worth a lot more of course. 

As we age we do not know what is around the corner. There are lots of compelling reasons for the move. Moving could be because you don’t need a large house anymore. Kids grow up and move out and even not live locally. 

Consider your health. That can change overnight and the amount of money or property you have becomes irrelevant. You may sadly lose a partner, wife or husband. I have lost many friends too early. 

I always thought I would stay working until I was 65 and then have tons of super. A wise person said to me “how long do you think you will live”? How much money will you need? I had a major health scare and my thoughts changed dramatically. 

Another couple we know sold their beautiful palace with everything that opened and shut. They are very keen fishos and they bought into an over 50’s community. They absolutely love it. They get in their caravan and travel around all winter fishing. We constantly see pics of captures at Cahill’s Crossing, King Ash Bay etc etc. They are enjoying what is left of their life. The time is approaching where they will be unable to manage caravanning soon. 

Enjoy life while you are able. Give kids money now and watch them enjoy it. No need to watch them struggle. 

Comments above are general and not directed at you Noel. 

Hope it works out for you. Spend all those extra dollars and pay for the removalists.

Go away on a big holiday of your dreams. 
Hire an interior designer who will get painters and make any changes/improvements needed while you are away!!

Not much to be nervous about. Move forward  

 

[dunc333]

good luck for tomorrow Noelm you must live near where the famous dragons bbq took place🤩

[noelm]

48 minutes ago, dunc333 said:

good luck for tomorrow Noelm you must live near where the famous dragons bbq took place🤩

Yes, I live close to there, but a couple of ex players live very close to me, one I consider a good friend even though the age gap! Mrs Swordie, I hear exactly where you’re coming from, had very close friends work their fingers to the bone to retire, only to never see their retirement! I have lived here forever, I could never afford to buy here now, and I am not being a snob, I was just lucky how the cards fell decades ago, I could have bought elsewhere, but, the family home was an option at the time. I do indeed live in a “millionaires row” (multi millionaires) but, I am not wealthy, but comfortable. The move is triggered by the “possible” future, time marches on, and who knows how long it will be until carrying (even groceries) upstairs will become an “issuer” as it stands our current house and the new one are upside down to each other as far as living goes and it is one of the very few places I would move to! For me, moving out into the back streets is not even in my mind, we even thought of selling and renting forever, I have a great mate that has two fantastic units just down the street that he rents out.

Edited January 7 by noelm

[noelm]

A completely useless and almost boring account of my family at Barrack Point……way back in the 1930s my grandparents bought a block of land here for 2 pounds ($4) now remember this was during the depression, pre war and that was a decent sum of money for a block of land in “the scrub” no water, no electricity, no road and only accessible at low tide! They lived in an old canvas tent and built a “house” out of wood scrounged from the timber and dairy ships that came into Shellharbour (the house was demolished about 15 years ago and all the frames were Australian Red Cedar) As my father got older and he left the Airforce after the war, he bought a block of land down the track (literally) growing up, we were the only permanent residents with only a handful of holiday houses built along the Little Lake, my best mate, who I am still great friends with and his family moved here when he was about 5-6 years old, strangely enough, right next door to where I am buying! It was a great life for a kid, endless fishing, good Prawning, surfing and diving, wandering around in the bush, snakes, messing around in boats, where Warilla Bowling club is now was always called “the island” there was a natural water hole there and of course we built a rope swing, it was near jungle with big Banksia trees, gum Trees and She Oaks, but to us, it was “ours” 

 Time moved on and proper roads were built, the entire Headland was marked out in blocks of land, but in a lot of ways, no one really wanted to live here, too windy, miles away from Wollongong, a single lane road from Windang, and not really Shellharbour either, the point was a “dead end” only one road in and out, and the rest as they say is history, it’s now an quite exclusive place, no more land can ever be released/developed. Buying the family home was simply good luck, it wasn’t desirable (my brothers and sister were not interested) and we were looking at a house on the highway near Kiama, gees, happy we didn’t buy that…….

 So as you can see, I am certainly not a mover, my wife has only lived in two places, her family home in Mount Ousley/Fairy Meadow, and here, so we are both very stable/boring types and why this is such huge step for us, might be interesting to hear anyone’s else “journey” through life.

[Fab1]

22 minutes ago, noelm said:

A completely useless and almost boring account of my family at Barrack Point……way back in the 1930s my grandparents bought a block of land here for 2 pounds ($4) now remember this was during the depression, pre war and that was a decent sum of money for a block of land in “the scrub” no water, no electricity, no road and only accessible at low tide! They lived in an old canvas tent and built a “house” out of wood scrounged from the timber and dairy ships that came into Shellharbour (the house was demolished about 15 years ago and all the frames were Australian Red Cedar) As my father got older and he left the Airforce after the war, he bought a block of land down the track (literally) growing up, we were the only permanent residents with only a handful of holiday houses built along the Little Lake, my best mate, who I am still great friends with and his family moved here when he was about 5-6 years old, strangely enough, right next door to where I am buying! It was a great life for a kid, endless fishing, good Prawning, surfing and diving, wandering around in the bush, snakes, messing around in boats, where Warilla Bowling club is now was always called “the island” there was a natural water hole there and of course we built a rope swing, it was near jungle with big Banksia trees, gum Trees and She Oaks, but to us, it was “ours” 

 Time moved on and proper roads were built, the entire Headland was marked out in blocks of land, but in a lot of ways, no one really wanted to live here, too windy, miles away from Wollongong, a single lane road from Windang, and not really Shellharbour either, the point was a “dead end” only one road in and out, and the rest as they say is history, it’s now an quite exclusive place, no more land can ever be released/developed. Buying the family home was simply good luck, it wasn’t desirable (my brothers and sister were not interested) and we were looking at a house on the highway near Kiama, gees, happy we didn’t buy that…….

 So as you can see, I am certainly not a mover, my wife has only lived in two places, her family home in Mount Ousley/Fairy Meadow, and here, so we are both very stable/boring types and why this is such huge step for us, might be interesting to hear anyone’s else “journey” through life.

For me In short parents from Uruguay(Best soccer team and bbq in the world).I was .born there in 74, came to Oz in 7 when I was 2.5 yrs old.

 Lived in Hostel in Guildford /Yennora for a while until we rented a house in Yennora until we moved to Campbelltown in 79.Grew up in MacArthur my whole life basically until I left the family home and bought a house in 95.

in 2001 we put our money together with family and bought 100 acres property  in Appin and have all sorts of animals and horses.

Waiting 10-15 yrs for developers as it will be worth enough for all of us to walk away with 10s of millions by the time I’m 60-65.

We came to Australia with our suitcase and clothes on our backs.

Uruguay to this day if you ask anyone that’s been will tell you it’s a poor country with genuine friendly people.

[noelm]

27 minutes ago, Fab1 said:

For me In short parents from Uruguay(Best soccer team and bbq in the world).I was .born there in 74, came to Oz in 7 when I was 2.5 yrs old.

 Lived in Hostel in Guildford /Yennora for a while until we rented a house in Yennora until we moved to Campbelltown in 79.Grew up in MacArthur my whole life basically until I left the family home and bought a house in 95.

in 2001 we put our money together with family and bought 100 acres property  in Appin and have all sorts of animals and horses.

Waiting 10-15 yrs for developers as it will be worth enough for all of us to walk away with 10s of millions by the time I’m 60-65.

We came to Australia with our suitcase and clothes on our backs.

Uruguay to this day if you ask anyone that’s been will tell you it’s a poor country with genuine friendly people.

There used to be lots of Hostels around Wollongong, all made out of kind of half round things, like a water tank on its side, no idea why, but they were called “Nissan huts” almost every migrant that came to work in the Steelworks moved into them until they could get their life “sorted”, up until only a few years ago, they were still in use for various living quarters.

 Appin is certainly moving along now as the “urban sprawl” moves further and further in every direction, I was there just before Christmas and couldn’t believe how populated the entire area is.

Edited January 8 by noelm

[Fab1]

1 hour ago, noelm said:

There used to be lots of Hostels around Wollongong, all made out of kind of half round things, like a water tank on its side, no idea why, but they were called “Nissan huts” almost every migrant that came to work in the Steelworks moved into them until they could get their life “sorted”, up until only a few years ago, they were still in use for various living quarters.

 Appin is certainly moving along now as the “urban sprawl” moves further and further in every direction, I was there just before Christmas and couldn’t believe how populated the entire area is.

Back in the late 70s early 80s they were around.Appin/MacArthur has gotten huge in the 40 odd years I’ve been here and not for the better like everywhere else mate there’s less bush, vacant land and even koalas.We get koalas.Lots more traffic, people, congestion in general and will only get worse everywhere.

 

[Paikea]

Hi Noelm

I was faced with your situation last year. Existing home no longer ideal for reason that with two crook knees I found it almost impossible to get up the 23 steps to our living area.

So looked around but could not find anything remotely as good in a single storey.  Also, as moving into a unit did not appeal we looked at the cost of moving and realized that with agents fees, taxes, moving costs etc we were looking at a pile of cash just to downsize to something less than what we have.

So I looked into fitting a lift to take us up to the top floor. First quotes were silly and totally destroyed the look/use of a significant part of the floor space. Then out of the blue we met a lady who had a similar problem and fitted a 200 KG small lift that easily takes her and her husband up the one floor.

We called the firm, they came out, immediately suggested an ideal position and best of all a price that was 25% of what the other firms quoted.  We went ahead and ordered their unit which was fitted in two days including cutting through the concrete floor. Cleaned up a treat and we could not be happier with the result. We get to stay in the home that I built 30 years ago, no moving costs, no taxes, no agent's fees. We saved several hundred thousand dollars. Seriously. Pure bliss!

Attached is a pic of the lift. If you would like more info please give me a call on 0417 777 871.

Cheers

Paikea

[noelm]

We have the perfect spot for a lift, and have already considered that as a future option, but…….it still doesn’t give us what we prefer moving forward…..long term. The deal is almost there, just a tiny bit of detail. The agent is taking photos of our place today for advertising.

[noelm]

It’s a done deal, moving late March. Our house is ready to go now, officially for sale Monday, hoping it sells quick. Then adding personal touches to the new place, a bit of a change in colour scheme and so on. Here is a link to the new place.

https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-barrack+point-143811212

Edited January 13 by noelm

[Max Power]

Good luck with it all @noelm and I’m sure someone will snap up your (soon to be) former residence as it looks very nice.

Enjoy the exciting journey ahead and I look forward to the updates.

[noelm]

Just to add for the fly fishers here, that little bridge over the water is where I fly fish, at low tide it’s dry and there is green weed covered small rocks scattered around, with crabs and small prawn things under them, at high tide is waist deep and provides great fishing (at times) all the way past the bridge to the ocean is sand flat and a channel to “prospect” When a high tide coincides with daylight or dark, Nippers (pumped behind my house) fished there are deadly for Whiting and Blackfish. During summer (now) it gets packed with families swimming and picnickers in the park you can see. From the overhead shot, if you follow the street up towards the ocean, you will see a left fork with some Pine trees, (hate those trees) my house is just beyond those Pines, if you zoom in you can see my boat on the foot path. So as you can see, fishing and swimming is really no different, the view is nothing compared to what I have now, but…….its time

[mrsswordfisherman]

11 hours ago, noelm said:

It’s a done deal, moving late March. Our house is ready to go now, officially for sale Monday, hoping it sells quick. Then adding personal touches to the new place, a bit of a change in colour scheme and so on. Here is a link to the new place.

https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-barrack+point-143811212

That is massive and cheap at that price!
We could almost hold a raider social there Noel 

[noelm]

5 hours ago, mrsswordfisherman said:

That is massive and cheap at that price!
We could almost hold a raider social there Noel 

Hey, any time, for a Raider social, plenty of room to launch “yaks” easy fly fishing, decent rock fishing and good beach fishing, all within walking distance, and boat launching in Lake Illawarra 10 minutes, Shellharbour 5 minutes, plus a park with BBQ and so on, one house away.. For us, it’s a “downsize” in many ways, it’s not perfect, but pretty close to it for us right now. We know the owners well, the husband has unfortunately got MS and they are moving to a ground floor “assisted” living unit fairly close by. Most houses on Barrack Point rarely go on the market, most go to the kids and they build units to live in, or know someone who wants to buy. It’s kind of funny, but when the grandkids were in primary school, I would take them to the park before school for a swim and cook breakfast on the BBQ or take cereal and milk, they loved it.

Edited January 14 by noelm

[Green Hornet]

Very nice Noel and seems like a great price for a location like that. I’m sure you’ll be happy there and a nice easy lawn to mow is a bonus.

[noelm]

6 minutes ago, Green Hornet said:

Very nice Noel and seems like a great price for a location like that. I’m sure you’ll be happy there and a nice easy lawn to mow is a bonus.

Yep, the lawns were a downsize, when we add a pool it will be even less,( mind you, we don’t have a huge lawn now) then a big undercover entertaining area, a couple of bathroom modifications, change the colour scheme and it’s all our style. The bathroom will be tricky, the ensuite bathroom has the vanity removed for wheel chair access, and it has hand rails, so when they are removed, 3 tiles will need to be replaced (there is spares) but when regrouted it might stand out? and the plumbing for the vanity is tiled over, so that will be “interesting” at least it backs on to the walk in robe, so cutting a hole will not be a disaster as such, but I will look into that before we contact the Plumber.

[noelm]

Just another “add on” being garden type people, we will be getting my mate in with his excavator to remove everything (almost) to start again in our style, there’s lots of plants that are a pest long term, Yuccas, Golden Cane Palms and a Gum tree right on the fence line, and a Hibiscus where I want to reverse the boat. Even thought about a battery mower, anyone know much about them?

[BaitDropper]

On 1/14/2024 at 9:53 AM, noelm said:

Just another “add on” being garden type people, we will be getting my mate in with his excavator to remove everything (almost) to start again in our style, there’s lots of plants that are a pest long term, Yuccas, Golden Cane Palms and a Gum tree right on the fence line, and a Hibiscus where I want to reverse the boat. Even thought about a battery mower, anyone know much about them?

A mate has just down sized and moved to Brisbane area, having had an acre for the last 25 plus years, the standard self propelled mower and ride on were staple for use.

He now has a small block, dunno the exact size, haven't visited yet, but got a call from him after he bought one of these eleckie mowers and he was super impressed. Said he has about 20 minutes of mow time now, barely, and he had nothing but praise for the job it did and how powerful the elecky mowers are.

So for that smallish lawn, it sounds like the way to go. 

[mrsswordfisherman]

Did you sell yours yet Noel?