Love your neighbourhood, not your home? 3 ways to tackle the problem

Location is one of the most important decisions Australian families make when deciding where to live.After buying a home, the location becomes a crucial part of everyday life.Once families put down roots, their location becomes deeply connected to everyday life. Day-to-day routines are built around the commute to school and work, with many families relying on these tried-and-true trips to keep a busy day on track.The community aspect is important too, whether that’s relationships with neighbours or connections to favourite shops, restaurants and parks that become a major part of what makes a location so hard to leave.For many families looking for a home that better suits their needs, it’s often not the location that is the issue, it’s the house.Whether they settled for a smaller home that fit their budget at the time, or they fell in love with a style that has since become outdated, an established home can stop meeting their needs as a family grows and lifestyles change.According to Mark Richardson, Metricon’s Victorian Sales Manager, a growing number of homeowners are looking beyond the traditional choice between renovating and relocating.“Homeowners are recognising the value alre...