Be both owners and tenants offers flexibility to our family

Three years ago, my family Melbourne moved In Bright, Australia. We have lived in Melbourne for eight years and were ready for a change.

One night in October 2021, my husband put an idea on the table. He asked me if I wanted to return a new sheet and move to Bright, where his family was based. We had already spent a vacation there many times, and I enjoyed it, so I said: “Of course, let’s do it.” Soon we plan our escape from Melbourne.

We decided not to sell our house in Melbourne when we moved

We lived in the Welcome that we bought together For four years, and although we are ready to leave Melbourne, I had reservations on the sale. We did not want to buy in Bright either because I did not know if I would like to live in such a small town. I suggested that we spend a year there, then re -evaluate after that.

The first major obstacle we faced was to find a place to live. Although small, Bright is a popular tourist destination known for its cellars, hiking and gold rush history. It is surrounded by beautiful mountains and is in a short car trip from Mount Hotham, a popular ski resort. The rental properties of the region are rare, but we had the chance to find accommodation with a friend when they were abroad for the year. We moved at the end of January 2022 and rented our house in Melbourne to the tenants.

Our family quickly fell in love with the slower rhythm of national life. Later this year, in August, we Welcomed our third child to the family.

Rental in Bright means that we have more flexibility

As a growing family, we needed our own space, so in January 2023, we moved into a simple three -bedroom house next to the city. Then, last October, we found our current rental house – a beautiful property of three bedrooms and two bathrooms in a green and family part of Bright.

My favorite thing about the property is the big back garden. Birds also love it and pink galahs and crimson Rosellas visit every day. There are three small plots of vegetables where we grow tomatoes and strawberries, and my Children spend hours outside in nature.

Financially, rent where we want to live and have a property elsewhere was a good decision. Our rent every week is less than our weekly mortgage reimbursement (which is almost covered by tenants), so we are essentially save money.

The rental also means that we can move freely and live where we cannot afford to buy. Bright is much more expensive than Melbourne, and the median price of houses exceeds $ 1 million. We can live here while reimburse our mortgage In Melbourne, and it’s a large card to shoot.

We may not rent forever, but it works for us for the moment

Sometimes my husband feels guilty that children do not have a “appropriate” family home. They never owned a pet because it is easier to get a rental property without one, and it makes me sad. Our son is 9 years old, and he is Lived in six different housesWhich is not ideal. But I try to consider it as a positive – it certainly maintains interesting life!

While my husband and I don’t do it want to rent For always, for the moment, it works well for us. When the Melbourne market resumes, we can decide to sell our property there and buy one in Bright. But the rental has definitely gave us options.