Why do people move? - May 2025

By Rich Harvey, CEO & Founder, propertybuyer.com.au

The hunt for a new home can be arduous. Sifting through options, unearthing an ideal property and then negotiating on the price and contract terms… not to mention things like securing finance and pre-settlement inspections to address.
Then there’s the actual moving day with all its effort and tensions.
Did you know there are several international surveys showing that many consider moving house to be more stressful than divorce or job loss? It makes you genuinely wonder why people bother.
But move they do and there are plenty of reasons why.
Here are my thoughts on why people move house, and the best solution to smoothing the transition.

How often do people move?

A 2022 study by the ABS revealed 40 per cent of Australian homeowners and renters reported moving house within a five-year period. Of that number less than 23 per cent of homeowners spent less than five years in their home.
A report by Domain showed Australians moved house approximately 13 times in their lifetime, with younger people unsurprisingly moving more frequently than the older generation.
We are, however, staying longer in our homes than we used to with CoreLogic reporting that the average tenure for house owners has increased from 7.5 years in 2009 to 11.3 years in 2019. For apartment owners it’s risen from 6.7 years to 9.6 years over the same period.
But the upshot is this – most of us can expect to move house multiple times during our lifetime despite the anxiety it brings.

Why shift?

So, why do people put themselves through it? Why not just buy, settle and do as many of the older generation did and stay put to build community ties and enjoy compounding home value growth?
Well, there are many reasons why people shift.

There are the stages of life. As most people progress from being single to becoming a couple, then a family and onto empty-nester status, their housing needs change. For example, when the kids are little, sharing a living room is essential so they can be watched over. Come the teenage years, your youngsters will be craving their own space (and often, so will you). Unless your home can be adapted to grow and shrink in response to your evolving needs, then moving is inevitable.
Then there’s adaptation to societal changes. The best example would be the pandemic and post-pandemic years where the ability to work from home in a secure, quite dedicated area was a must. An adequate home workspace is an essential that would have prompted more than a few shifts over the past half decade.

We often also move home due to opportunity. A new job might see you switching neighbourhoods – or even cities. Maybe you need to be in a certain school catchment. You may even identify a fantastic property opportunity that will improve your homelife, so you decide to snap it up quickly.

Then there are the lifestyle reasons. A hankering to enjoy ready access to the city and a metropolitan lifestyle of great restaurants, bars, cafes and retail. You might tire of this and seek more solitude in rural residential areas where large blocks of land mean more space to spread out and there’s a bit more privacy.

 
Then there’s financial changes. Perhaps you need to downsize to free up some of the household cashflow and reduce debt. On the other hand, perhaps a job promotion and/or other good fortune means improved personal wealth and freedom. That could be the prompt to upgrade your living arrangements.

A frequent and unfortunate reason people need to move is divorce.  The number of divorces per 1000 people has remained at 2.3 in Australia over the past decade.  The divorce rate is around 40 per cent and this usually necessitates the sale of the family home for a property settlement and split up of assets to both parties.
Another reason for moving is the death of a loved one. Average life expectancy in Australia is currently 83.2 years and has been steadily rising over the last 5 decades (yes it pays to have a healthy lifestyle, eat well and exercise and visit your doctor regularly). But unfortunately, death of a partner often means a home will be sold and a new life stage will begun – but this time of life is also very challenging and emotional.

The result is that moving for most of us is both inevitable and stressful.
It is possible, however, to reduce that pressure and help you secure the home you want while offloading the tricky stuff to a specialist.
One way to reduce the pressure of moving is to seek expert support. A good buyers’ agent can simplify the process — from refining your brief to sourcing suitable homes and navigating negotiations. It’s worth considering, especially if time or uncertainty are major constraints.

We can even advise on other professionals to help you navigate the shift with minimum fuss and maximum efficiency – removalists, decluttering specialist, painters, trades, financial planners, finance brokers and more.

If you’re planning a move and want to feel more confident about your next steps, it can help to speak with someone who understands the market and your needs. A chat with a buyers’ agent could save you time, stress and money — and give you peace of mind that you're making the right move.

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