Okay … well, I’ve been procrastinating on a lot of things, but since I’ve recently (finally) let the cat out of the bag through social media, it’s time to come clean.

We are moving. And not just a block or suburb away. We are leaving Sydney.

Over sixteen months ago, we (my husband and I) began to dream about a sea/tree change. We weren’t sure exactly where we were going to “aim that dart on the map on the wall,” but we knew we wanted to go north. Where it’s warmer. Where it’s … out of Sydney.

The last two years have not been easy for many people, and certainly not for us – but in retrospect we have nothing to complain about compared with what so many others have been through. However, the circumstances of the last couple of years have made an earlier “itch” resurface. And it triggered our “quest” to find our “next home.” We knew our current home was going to be temporary. But where to from here?

First, the roller coaster ride. Skip this part if you’re not interested in bank-and-loans talk or can’t handle the emotional gauntlet that is “buying your next home.”

We had to sell our investment property in Sydney, thinking we could get another mortgage straight away. Alas! No. We had to clean up all our (several loans spread over several banks) and refinance. This took time. And what great timing it was when we finally settled that – because straight after the federal elections, interest rates started going up and up and up and …

Meanwhile, we had to wait some more for our new relationship with a new lender to mellow down, too. Another four months passed. Finally, our broker said it was time to look at our situation again. So began the process of applying for loans … again. (Certainly felt like going through a wringer. The banks had become stricter, the lenders not so loose with their money! Every transaction and expense scrutinised.) Then we got the news of how much we could borrow and a budget to work with. By this time, a year had passed since we first sold our investment property and we were getting disheartened.

We had traveled up and down the coast many times over those months already, searching and researching, from the Central Coast to Coffs Harbour. Both physically and online. For several reasons, we ruled out the Central Coast, Taree, Forster and Coffs Harbour. We were beginning to narrow down our search. This was helpful. And with the promise of market prices dropping, we began to see hope.

Eventually, we decided to focus around the area of Port Macquarie, about a four-hour drive north of Sydney. See, after our honeymoon in 2007 overseas, we had some more time off from work so decided to take a “secondary” honeymoon locally. I had time share in Port Macquarie and we spent a memorable time there. I suppose the place found its way into our hearts, and we have since holidayed there many times with our family. So, the radar narrowed to Port Macquarie and the surrounding suburbs.

Just before Christmas 2022, we thought we found our next home. A property so near the beach with lots of space. To shorten this episode, let’s just say it wasn’t meant to be. Lots of heartache with the ups and downs of this particular experience. The door was closed on us. And we’d prayed that God would lead us, that He would close doors when they were meant to be closed, and to open the one – just the one – when it was right. So, after some grieving we let it go.

Christmas and the New Year holidays came and went. Few new properties came to the market. I had to remind myself to be patient. We had to remind ourselves to be patient. Even the kids were learning to be patient. How many homes had we inspected and turned inside out by this time? I lost count.

The roller coaster ride continued [insert plenty of little episodes about several homes we inspected here.]

But finally – a home. Not the perfect house, but perfect for now, where we can settle in and take our time to make it our home.

And so, in less than a month we will be in our new home. In a beautiful suburb called King Creek, about twenty minutes drive out of the centre of town and the gorgeous beaches of Port Macquarie!

To follow along on our new adventures, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter!

Subscribe to Jacquelane’s newsletter (and get 2 short stories – FREE!):

Make sure you CONFIRM your subscription (check your Spam folder if you haven’t received the email within 10 minutes).

You can also follow Jacquelane on Facebook and Instagram, and visit her Bookshop!