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Are you in your forever house?

(32 Posts)
Foxglove77 Sat 13-Jun-26 11:32:51

We have been in our house for over 40 years. It's where we raised our children and grand daughter. Kept 3 beloved dogs, several cats and other pets. I can't imagine living anywhere else. However it's a 3 bed semi and with DH's mobility issues, a downstairs bathroom would be useful. If we won the lottery, would we downsize to a lovely bungalow? I'm not sure.

fancythat Sat 13-Jun-26 11:39:40

Good question.

I am not sure.
The house is suitable, ish.
Main issue is all the kids have left home to many miles away.
So the answer is, we really dont know.

MawsRosie Sat 13-Jun-26 11:50:59

Probably!
Been in this house for 30+ years, it is easy to heat, I have lovely neighbours , enough space to put up one AC family at a time , a pleasant unoverlooked and quiet garden in a friendly and pretty village and if I am being honest I CBA to contemplate clearing the loft or the garage !!
,

Georgesgran Sat 13-Jun-26 12:02:28

I’m in the CBA camp too, although I’m tackling things little and (not too) often.
It’s far too big, but I can manage/aford it and expect I’ll be here until I’m carried out. However, if I get where I can’t drive - well, that would seriously affect things. Never say never.

Norah Sat 13-Jun-26 12:04:09

Yes.

Bought at marrige 65 years ago, we're not moving house.

Chocolatelovinggran Sat 13-Jun-26 12:08:45

I bought this house twenty years ago because of it's location. I can walk to shops, buses, a train station, dentist, doctor, pharmacy, cinema and beach.
So, yes, I hope so.

Beechnut Sat 13-Jun-26 12:08:56

Have been here 40+ years, I’d like to think I am but who knows!

We emptied the loft last year and have slowly decluttered the garage where some of it was put.

I just want things of like to be together where I know I can put my hand on them or direct others easily.

M0nica Sat 13-Jun-26 12:10:26

i am not sure what an forever house is. Any home includes the possibility of needing to move on at some time. Anything from a financial catastrophe, disability, death, job change

In my early 80s, I have just moved house, I still cannot guarantee that I will be here until I die.

We lived in our last house 30 years, the previous one for 15. Moving on was not on the agenda when we moved in, but eventually we did. In each case for very good reasons.

This is our 'very happy as things are at the moment.no plans to move' house.

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Sat 13-Jun-26 12:11:33

We downsized from our semi of 32 years, split the money and bought two small apartments - one here in south Manchester and one in Málaga. We’ve had the Spanish apt 22 years now and this UK one for 16 years. I love each of them for their own reasons.

My husband died 16 weeks ago today and as he urged me to pick up the threads of my life again I’m learning to hop between the two again.

I love having a foot in both camps. The best of both worlds I think. Good friends over the years in both places with the added bonus of family in the UK.

Small spaces wouldn’t suit most people. No UK garden, no pets, no room for crafting etc but to be honest I just absolutely love my lifestyle. I’m just so sad my 73 year old husband is no longer with me to enjoy it all.

AmberGran Sat 13-Jun-26 12:21:32

We've been here nearly 40 years. Family have all moved out so it's just us. Before this house I had never lived in one place for more than 5 years before, so I've never really got attached to houses. This one was good for bringing up the family - work, schools, friends, etc - and I've loved growing a beautiful garden. But I think the lesson I have learnt from moving so much is that any place can be home.

Before DH got cancer we were planning to move further north, but now everything is on hold as he is being treated at a really good hospital and we don't want to leave the area until we are happy is health is back on track. Then I think we will probably start looking again.

Shinamae Sat 13-Jun-26 12:23:43

I have been in this house for 23 years. The longest I’ve ever been in Any house and I shall be leaving here in my box. 🤗

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Sat 13-Jun-26 12:27:42

Sensible decision AmberGran
I hope your husband continues to do well on his treatment.

tanith Sat 13-Jun-26 12:34:04

Ive been in this house for less than a year, moved here as I have some family and despite loving my last house of 25+yrs i moved to get away from the increasing traffic and building works. I'm now in a semi new build (5yrs old) in a market town with fields and stream closeby my daughter now lives with me, I dont love the house or garden but it has excellent transport and trains to London at the moment i drive but if need be I can use free buses locally. Plenty of farm shops and market. The house is a good fit for both our needs and a spare room for family to stay.
As long as I can manage the stairs or get a stairlift I can't see me being bothered to move again.

Doodledog Sat 13-Jun-26 12:34:07

I don't think we'll move, unless circumstances change. As our children both live in different areas, either of them needing us to be close by would probably be the only reason we'd consider it - or possibly if either of us were left alone it would make sense to move closer to one of them.

Otherwise, I love my house. It's not huge, but big enough for us both to live in without being in one another's pockets. It's handy for local amenities, and we both love the town. We've been working through the house to make it as comfortable as possible to be retired in, and have taken account of 'future proofing' as we've gone, so with luck we could stay here for a long time with relatively minor adjustments such as a stair lift if necessary.

I'd like this to be our 'forever home', but life happens, as they say.

GrannySomerset Sat 13-Jun-26 12:41:06

We moved here after DH’s Parkinson’s made it clear that a bigger village with some shops would be sensible though the house is about the same size and the garden larger. Since DH’s death I do rattle around rather but like where I am so until I can no longer run my own life I shall stay put - and leave the awful job of dealing with the books, furniture and assorted stuff to the children to deal with.

Cabbie21 Sat 13-Jun-26 12:44:23

I think I will stay here until I die or need to go into a Home.
I have a downstairs loo and shower, though it is too small to be easily accessible. I can get a stairlift if I need to. I have kind neighbours.
My life is here and my family are not too far away. There is a bus just down the road, I can walk to handy shops and small town facilities. etc.

Wotapalaver Sat 13-Jun-26 12:50:27

I hope not. This house has never been my home; simply a place of convenience and one that I have to live in. I'm counting down the months to when I can sell it and move on.

Grandmabatty Sat 13-Jun-26 12:55:15

I have lived in many houses and made each one a home. I look on each house as mine for now. My last house I lived in for 17 years, after my marriage ended. It became home for me and my children and a safe space. This house i live in now will probably be my last one

SpinDriftCoastal Sat 13-Jun-26 13:03:45

We've been in our house for over 40 years and hope to stay here till we are carted out. We'll get stannah stair lifts when the time comes but we are updating bathroom, wet room, and kitchen this year for our later years. We have within 5 minutes walk all the facilities we need including doctor, dentist, 3 big shops, a small hospital and an excellent bus service, nice neighbours, and family around the corner. Oh, and lots of trees, birds and flowers.

Basgetti Sat 13-Jun-26 13:10:13

Yes, hope so. We recently downsized to our lovely flat. Hope it will be the one.

beachcomber76 Sat 13-Jun-26 13:25:54

I've moved several times due to circumstances, poor neighbours or just to enjoy doing a place up, and then move to do up another one. Gradually got away from estate types houses.

When I moved here 15 years ago it was a bargain so I thought I'd do it up and move on. No. I loved it the minute I walked in despite having to do a lot of work here.

It's a 1950's semi detached bungalow, no other one like it, with large garage, drive and gardens. It is so homely, light and well built, room sizes just right, gardens facing south/south west. Near GP, High St shops and small shopping centres in walking distance, bus routes to the beach in one direction and in another to the nearest city.

No reason to move. I liked my other places of course, but really love this one. I've done it all up inside and out to suit me.

Rocketstop2 Sat 13-Jun-26 13:28:41

I don't think you can ever say anywhere is your 'Forever house' You might want it or perceive it to be , but circumstances can change so quickly as can needs . I'm settled where I am, it has it's down sides but also a lot of up sides but if I won the lottery say, who knows !!

Witzend Sat 13-Jun-26 13:40:27

We’ve been in ours for over 40 years. It’s a 4 bed but not huge or unmanageable, so no plans to move at present.

If I were left on my own, though (I certainly hope not but must be realistic) I would certainly sell and move to a flat, but only one with a balcony, and not ground floor, since I need to be able have bedroom windows open at night. Bungalows around here are like hen’s teeth and comparatively very expensive!

TillyTrotter Sat 13-Jun-26 13:42:25

beachcomber your home sounds idyllic to me 😍
I hope to be in this house ‘forever’ as it is the right size in a good location with great neighbours around us.
But it would be different were I left living in it alone at some future time.
It would be too big for me to manage.
But that bridge will be crossed if I have to.

beachcomber76 Sat 13-Jun-26 13:42:45

I agree Rocketstop2 despite what I've just written. Any problem neighbour making my life a misery and I'd have an estate agent round straight away. I do not believe in being a martyr to anyone or anything when your life is being disrupted and peace shattered.

{All neighbours very good here - so far].