What made you live where you do?

[Salsa]

I have been wondering about where I want to live when we move to a bigger place and got to wondering...
Why do you live in the area you live in?
Was it because you grew up in that area?, or your family is there?, you have a close friend there?, its the only area you could find a place?, you really liked the house?, you have always liked the area, it was close to work or school etc? Or some other reason?
Have you ever really thought much about it and have you made a deliberate choice to move somewhere you wanted to be or are you planning to?

The last area we lived in was not where I wanted to live but we really liked the house and then the rest fell into place. When we moved, we moved to our current area because as we were new to the city DH had a close friend in this area and he also likes this area though he would have choosen something a little closer to his favourite area if we had been able to afford it.

[aussienic]

We originally moved back to where we live as my (now dh) boyfriend got a better paying job. We live in the town we do because the condition I came as well is that we didn't live in Gladstone which is where his job was. We lived with his parents originally for 9 months till we found this house and bought it.

Just google boyne Island..no need to explain why I live here and never want to move lol.. We live one street back from the beach.. 20 mins from the bigger town but still far enough away to be happy with it.

I like visiting bigger cities or towns but I love the laid back relaxed life style of here..

[sloane]

We only moved a couple of months ago. There?s a few reasons why we chose the area we did. Whilst we liked where we were living, a first floor flat didn?t seem so practical with a baby on the way. We rent and they were also putting our rent up $40 a week which I thought was outrageous! As much as I liked that area, it was a deliberate decision to find somewhere in the area we are now because we could

• get a 3 bedroom house with a small garden, garage & car port for the same amount we?d been paying (before they put the rent up) for a two bedroom flat with a tiny balcony & one car space.

• DP grew up in the area & his family are pretty much all still in the area. We lived there with his mum for a year before we got our own place and so we both know the area and feel comfortable there.

My parents live about a 30 minute drive away ? while I grew up in that area & like it, it just isn?t somewhere I wanted to live. It?s about the same distance out of the city as where we are, but our current place is a 15 minute walk to the beach & for some reason that makes it feel less ?suburban? than where I grew up (I know that probably doesn?t make complete sense!)

As it turns out, my parents have decided to sell their house and move somewhere smaller and have decided to look in the area we?re in ? not only to be closer but also because house prices are more reasonable.

The downside of where we are is that it isn?t close to my work & it takes me about an hour each way to drive to & from work. I?m finding the drive quite tiring but just keep telling myself it?s only for another 7.5 weeks!

[mbear]

I grew up near the beach....15 mins away....so when i met DH and he told me he was in the process of buying a house out west the idea certainly didnt appeal to me. But, he bought the house before the big boom ($160k), and like whilst it took me agggges to get used to the area, the heat, the people, being 40mins away from my mum and dad...now, i wouldnt move even if you paid me. We've met friends in the area, we have done a lot to the house, we overlook a bushland reserve, and generally i just feel very comfortable where we are....it did take me about 5 yrs though to feel this way.....

The last area we lived in was not where I wanted to live but we really liked the house and then the rest fell into place

...i think that kinda sums me up too....

[~breeze~]

We live in the area that DH & I both grew up in. Luckily we have been able to buy our own home but back in 2003, while still renting, we moved up to Port Stephens because we could get a brand new 4 bedroom house with a massive yard & double LUG for $200p/w which was half of what we were paying here for a small 3 bedroom townhouse with a small yard. So we moved (only for 12 months) for the cost of living.

I also moved to Townsville in 2006 with DD while seperated from DH to be close to my parents who now live there & also the cost of living again. I got a 2 bedroom townhouse for over $100 less it would cost for me to be in a small 2 bedroom unit here (Northern Beaches of Sydney)

So to answer your question, we live here because we grew up here & LOVE the area & lifestyle. I would move if I couldn't afford to be here & only for that reason.

I hope my post made sense LOL

[Astrid]

We basically chose where we live based on where DH could find a job. We knew that we wanted to move to a more country area and were thinking about going back to Tassie to be near family and friends.Tas was just too expensive and there where concerns about employment oppurtunities (one of the reasons why we left in the first place).

DH had been working away alot in many different country areas, some he liked and others he did not. He was down this way for quite awhile and had been commenting on how nice it was down here. Then one day he was offered a job with the company he was being contracted to, they would help with relocation, on the job training and it was a secure job. So we took the plunge, I agreed site unseen hoping that DH was right about the place. I also did some research online and asked a few BB girls first The place met some of my criteria thankfully. It does seem to be going well so far, but I do miss some of the food I could get in Melbourne.

[Bathsheba]

We last moved nearly 6 years ago... from the south of Melbourne's CBD (Brighton) to the inner North East (near Ivanhoe).

We moved for several reasons:

* DH got a job in the CBD. Meaning that we werent tied to living where we were as much.

* We wanted more room: bigger house and much bigger backyard. Our old suburb was very "dense"... DH and I both grew up in rural towns and wanted more space so our children could have more freedom... and better air quality! ie wanted to live away from any major roads. Our current place is soooo quiet... and leafy... and is on almost a 1/4 acre which is HUGE for the inner city.

* We wanted a better school for our DD. Infact this was one of the main reason we moved here: the quality of schools in the area. Good quality private highschool (for my DD) and public primary (for my DS).

* We wanted to live in a safe, clean suburb with established residential streets and excellent infrastructure and public transport. We live 1 block away from a train station. I don't need to drive and DH commutes to work via train... the car is generally only used on the weekends.

* We wanted to be able to hear very minimal sounds from our neighbours and traffic. This has been achieved. The thing to look out for (if you are looking for property in the city) is for a street layout that has at least a driveway's space inbetween each house. DH and I swore we would never ever have "common walls". We got sooooo over hearing domestic disputes nextdoor and/or music late at night. Living in dense areas you can't avoid this unless you have very thick walls! Never underestimate the luxury that is PEACE AND QUIET! Waking up here on the weekend is total bliss... can't hear a thing! Until our kids wake up at least!

I would like to move back to the country... but like AStrid this is too limiting for my DH's career. Maybe in a few years when he becomes happier to take a pay cut... or when I return to work (teaching).

[Salsa]

Thanks for these replies.

DH needs/wants to be close to Melbourne CBD for work. Which is fair enough considering the type of work he does. I love being so close to the city but wonder how long I could be happy here. Its missing something for me? Cleaner prettier surroundings I suppose...but its hard to have it all.

Bathsheba, Ivanhoe is near me. Its quite pretty. Nice big houses but not that acessable to public transport (though you are fortunate to have station so close). I am over that way quite often and assume the properties to be quite pricey.

[Shalou]

My hubby is in the Australian Defence Force so we move to a new base every 2 years. We don't really get much say in where we are based and each move normally means that we have to move interstate & make new friends in an unfamiliar suburb.

[Salsa]

My hubby is in the Australian Defence Force so we move to a new base every 2 years. We don't really get much say in where we are based and each move normally means that we have to move interstate & make new friends in an unfamiliar suburb.

Do you find that quite hard?

[Shalou]

Hi, I do find it quite hard. The defence department offers morning teas etc for new people to meet others in the area but not being an outgoing person I find it hard to walk up to complete strangers and introduce myself hoping they'll be friendly back.

It's difficult not having close friends and family to call on if you need help or even a baby sitter and the kids have to change schools every 2 years as well, which they often find stressful and scary being the new kid all the time.

I've gotten used to it though and use the internet alot to meet people and chat when we arrive in a new area. We were posted to Adelaide in November last year and while I know other mums in the area I haven't made any close friends yet. Not the type you would drop in and have a coffee with if you know what I mean or could ring up & ask to baby sit.

I've also found that once you move to a new state, old friends forget about you which is sad too.

[Nai]

I live 3km from the CBD and we have been here for 6.5 years.

We moved here because of the following reasons
- the closeness to the CBD and work
- it is the right side of town for our parents to visit without going across town (they live outside of Melbourne)
- there is a village feel to the suburb
- close to park and childcare
- close to public transport
- able to walk/ride pretty much everywhere
- able to only have 1 car
- we have friends in the area