There comes a time in every young person’s
life when they must leave the cosy cocoon of their parent’s nest and move out
of home. It is a difficult decision to make – your new digs will almost always
be a downgrade from the plush pad years of your parents’ hard work paid for –
but, when is the right time to make it?
When do people move out, anyway?
From a purely statistical perspective, the
average Australian moves out of home at 20.9 years, according to ABS census data. And, by the age of 24, 80% of young people
will have moved out of home. So, if you consider yourself the sort of person
who likes to keep up with the Joneses, you will have moved out before your
mid-20’s.
But, there are obviously a myriad of
factors that affect whether you decide to flee your childhood home on your 18th
birthday or saunter out sometime before your 30th.
It’s all about timing…
Where you are in your life will probably be
the biggest factor when deciding when to move out of home. If you’re a
full-time student, you might not be able to afford to move out of home, or at
least not into accommodation that will allow you to focus on your studies (no
internet and five house mates rarely equates to straight HDs.) On the other
hand, finishing your degree and gaining full-time employment signifies a new
stage in your life, and once you reach this milestone you might see it as the
perfect opportunity to get your own place.
Your parents’ financial situation is also a
huge factor. As a general rule, young people from lower socio-economic areas
leave home earlier, because staying at home acts as a financial burden for
their families. If your parents’ bills are piling up, and you know that they
can’t afford to support you as a non-paying tenant, that should be your cue to
get a job and move out.
Are you equipped?
One aspect of moving out that is rarely
considered by young people is actually having the skills to run a household.
Can you cook? (No, ‘toast’ isn’t an appropriate answer.) How about iron a
shirt? Or keep a bathroom vibrant white? If you are the sort of
twenty-something who arrives home from work with freshly washed clothes, and
dinner on the table, you might want to think about whether you would be able to
do those things yourself… without your parents’ help. And if you can’t, get
someone to teach you! Your mum would love to have you cook dinner a couple of
nights a week while you look for your new place. Really.
So, whether you’re after a unit in the
inner city, or a new house and land package out in the Highlands, these are the
things that you should check off to make sure that you are ready to move out.
Oh, and if you’re over 30? Skip the
checklist. Get. Out. Now.
Frances Ward is a vibrant uni student from Sydney. She lives… at home. But
that doesn’t mean she hasn’t checked out the Highlands display centre, for
future planning.
