Do you have a new job? Want more space? Want to own your own home? Move closer to relatives? Want a change of scene? How about - do you want to move away from your relatives? Believe it or not, moving away from relatives was the number three reason cited for moving according to a new Internet survey.

Clyde and Shari Steiner, authors of The Complete How-to-Move Handbook, compiled a comprehensive survey targeting people who pay for their own moves. The Steiners are self-styled moving experts having been through 15 relocations themselves. They gathered the information to use in their book, and it is available to read at their site, www.movedoc.com

"You would expect leaving friends and family would deter people from moving, but 75 percent more in our nationwide survey said they wanted to escape instead of moving closer," comment the authors.

The survey information was self-selective, and the results were calculated on the collective data gained from a total of 432 moves. The top three reasons for moving were to take a new job (8.18%,) get a better home (7.55%,) or to move away from friends or relatives (7.55%.) Only 5.66% wanted to get closer to family and friends.

The number one reason people gave for leaving their present home was too little space (45.8%). Dangerous neighborhoods or noise prompted another 29.2% to leave, and 29.2% others blamed a long work commute for their desire to move.

The biggest advantage to moving, according to the survey results, is the change of lifestyle, with the second biggest advantage cited - making new friends.

Of the respondents, 45.8% owned their own home.

The Steiners admit that their results are far from scientific, yet the res ults are still intriguing.

For example, 83.3% of respondents were women. According to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR,) over 18% of homebuyers are single women compared to only 9% of men, a huge leap from a generation ago. Could the Intern et and the housing industry be overlooking a potentially large demographic - the Internet-surfing female nomad? Who knows? AR, over 18% of homebuyers are single women compared to only 9% of men, a huge leap from a generation ago. Could the Internet and the housing industry be overlooking a potentially large demographic - the Internet-surfing female nomad? Who knows?

According to the bi-annual home buying and selling survey released by the NAR, 42% of homebuyers came from rental situations, and 36% owned a single-family home and another 6% owned a shared wall residence, closely approximating the Steiner survey.

The NAR lists the number one reason buyers made a housing change is to own a home of one's own (37%.) The majority of home buying appears to be voluntary. Only 15% of home buyers chose their new home because they were relocated, and no statistic exists which suggests that the move may have been forced by other circumstances such as debt.

According to other results, 16% of home buyers wanted more space because of marriage or a growing family, 8% wanted a larger home for investment, tax deduction or a more upscale neighborhood. Only four percent wanted less space. Five percent of buyers wanted to be closer to jobs/schools/relatives.

But do families buy homes to move away from their relatives? We don't know - that question is missing from the NAR's survey.

What's your reason for moving?

Real Times Moving Advice Articles

Published: March 25, 1999

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