New Year, New House? How to Know If It’s Time to Move

By Peter HagEstad, KEY Realty

Happy New Year! 🎉 The ball has dropped, resolutions have been made (and possibly broken already), and you’re staring at your house thinking… Is this the year we finally move?

If your home feels a little too cozy (translation: you’re practically playing Tetris with your furniture), or if your neighbor’s 5 a.m. trumpet practice has you contemplating a life in the woods, it might be time to pack up and find a new place to call home. But how do you know for sure?

Before you start binge-scrolling Zillow at midnight, let’s break down the signs that 2025 is your year to make a move.

1. You’ve Run Out of Closet Space (and No, It’s Not Just Clutter)

If you need a wrestling match just to grab a sweater, or your “storage solutions” now include stacking boxes in the bathtub, your home might be screaming Help! I’m too small!

🚀 Solution: Consider upsizing to a home with that dreamy walk-in closet (or at least one that doesn’t require a treasure map to find your shoes).

2. Your Commute is Slowly Stealing Your Soul

If you spend more time in traffic than in your own home, it might be time to reconsider your location. A house closer to work (or at least one where your morning drive doesn’t feel like a cross-country road trip) could be the game-changer you need.

🚀 Solution: House-hunting in a better location might just be the key to reclaiming your sanity—and your free time.

3. Your Home Feels Like an Airbnb… for Relatives

Love your family? Of course! Do you love having all of them crash at your house for every holiday, birthday, and random Tuesday? Maybe not so much.

If your guest room is actually just an air mattress in the office, or if you’ve had serious debates about turning the laundry room into a bedroom, it’s time for more space.

🚀 Solution: Find a home with an actual guest room (so Aunt Linda doesn’t have to sleep on the couch again).

4. Your Home is Holding You Back from Living Your Best Life

Dreaming of a backyard big enough for summer BBQs? Wishing for an open-concept kitchen where you can channel your inner Gordon Ramsay? If your current home isn’t matching your lifestyle goals, it’s okay to admit it.

🚀 Solution: Time to explore homes that fit your vision—because life’s too short to settle for a house that doesn’t make you happy.

5. Your House is Worth More Than You Think (Cha-Ching! 💰)

The real estate market is always changing, and your home’s value might have skyrocketed since you bought it. If you’re sitting on a goldmine, selling now could set you up for something bigger and better.

🚀 Solution: Let’s crunch the numbers! A quick market analysis can show if now’s the best time to sell and upgrade.

So… Should You Move This Year?

If you nodded along to any of these signs, 2025 might just be your year to make a move. 

Not sure where to start? Let’s chat! I can help you:✅ Figure out your home’s value 💰✅ Find a house that actually fits your lifestyle✅ Make moving a stress-free, exciting adventure

Shoot me a message, and let’s make “New Year, New House” a reality! 🚀

📩 Contact Peter HagEstad, KEY Realty📍 Serving Missoula and surrounding areas