This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
We’re delighted to publish another article by Yorkshire Lass (whose pen name was Border Belle before she moved to Yorkshire from the Scottish Borders). This time she’s writing about whether to move house or not…
To move or not to move, that is the question. And you are quite correct when you ask “shouldn’t that be whether or not to move again?” since we made our move to Yorkshire from the Scottish Borders a mere six months ago.
Nevertheless, most days, it is the pressing question on my mind. Some days I am completely certain that moving is the undeniably reasonable, entirely logical and clearly the only sensible thing to do. And other days I am equally convinced that not moving – or at least not moving until the Spring – is the undeniably reasonable, entirely logical and clearly the only sensible thing to do.
But on the other days, when I am not utterly certain that moving (or not moving) is the only thing to do, I catch sight of my husband’s weary face as yet another estate agent unapologetically arrives late, enthusiastically waves his or her magical measuring device around each room, pausing only long enough to assure us that it is currently a ‘seller’s market’. Meaning, if I understand estate agent speak correctly, that we would have to sell this house before most vendors would be prepared to even entertain us viewing their property.
And then the estate agent departs, urging us to arrange for the photos (sorry, the “media selling package”) to be taken as quickly as possible whilst there are still leaves on the trees and a fair chance of a shaft of autumnal sunlight to brighten the view. Dejectedly I wonder what on earth we are subjecting ourselves to. And why?
Oh, my goodness what a mess we seem to be in and I’ll be the first to admit it. We can’t settle here because we are so very unsettled. Today the kitchen table is littered with lists headed ‘Reasons to Stay’ and the day before that it was ‘Reasons to Sell’ and tomorrow it will be ‘Estate Agents We Could Both Bear to See Again.’
On our ‘Reasons to Stay’ list we have Proximity to Ripon (a lovely cathedral city complete with all modern amenities (oh no, estate agent speak is obviously catching!) and a Manageable Garden (a garden which a recent visitor condemned with faint praise as being “uninspired”. But we’re unashamedly happy to accept “uninspired“ as a verdict on the garden if it means easy to keep tidy. I often think of myself as a weeder rather than a gardener.
Also on the plus list are the Solar Panels complete with their Excellent Feed-in Tariff. Their excellent what? I hear you enquire. But surely I cannot be the only woman married to a man whose heart beats faster when he hears those three magical little words and who thrills to the sight of a roof adorned with a sparkling array of solar panels? I am? Oh, ok.
And on the minus side we have far too many drivers who seem unable to obey a 30-mph speed limit through the village, no shops within walking distance and, oh yes, a pig farm not a mile away. I’ll leave the pig farm not a mile away to your imagination, dear reader.
I think of a close friend whose response to me getting into a blue funk over something or other was to tilt her perfectly coiffured head to one side, pin me to the spot with her piercing blue eyes and state the all too obvious, “But darling, nobody has died.” Indeed, nobody has died and I’m very lucky to live in such a lovely house. Because the house is lovely and the neighbours are, too.… it’s just the area as a whole and well, the pig farm up the road, to be precise.
We are hopeless. But surely we can’t possibly be the only people who have moved into an area they thought would be erm… just up their street and then woke to find it maybe isn’t what they’d hoped for after all?
As we attempt to navigate our way through this should we stay or should we go quandary I’m comforted, as always, by my very best friend who is always calming and nurturing. And in a world that loves to test one’s spirits, she always gives the best possible advice, “If in doubt, don’t”. Whilst at the same time promising us, with a reassuring smile, that we can move in with her if we do. And yes, you’re quite correct, that would be move in with her again!
If you ARE about to move house, be sure to check our comprehensive, super-useful checklist