Hope your week is going well. First of all, I just want to say thank you to everyone who took the time to reply to me after yesterday's email. I don't think I could possibly reply to them all but just want to let you know I read them all and took all the recommendations! It's great to have so much help when you want solicited advice
So you might have seen that we've moved into a big fancy villa here. I've spoken before about
why I don't see rent as dead money.
I have lived in some amazing places over the last year. Covid has meant that it is a renters market (says somebody who doesn't really know anything about economics). I have lived in my dream apartment in Dublin, my dream townhouse in Portugal and my dream villa in Bali for a lot less than they would have cost a year previously.
But I've always moved on. I think this is an example of the Hedonic Treadmill. i.e. when you get something you always wanted but then get bored of it and want more/better.
I think renting is a great way to test out if you really want something. I was speaking to a good friend of mine who is renting in Ireland. She doesn't want to buy a house until she has enough for her dream house beside the sea.
I like that she isn't settling for anything less than she really wants, just to get on the property ladder.
But I suggested renting something similar to her dream house for a few months. It will be expensive but it might save you the hassle and cost of saving for a mortgage for that house and then getting bored of it.
I'm not saying that everyone always gets bored of their home, it's just a possibility.
I only suggest it because I have moved into the most amazing places and felt so lucky, but then it just becomes so ordinary. I am always so grateful that I didn't sacrifice any of my life to afford it.
It means I can leave in cheaper places for half the year, and then nicer places the other half. But (
just in case you didn't read my previous email) that's because I value freedom over security.
As always, I just like to use these emails to get you thinking and to hopefully show different perspectives on living.
Thanks for reading,
Siobhan "Feel like Suzanne Jackson with my walk-in wardrobe today" O'Hagan