The ‘One More Year’ Trap: Why So Many Homeowners Keep Delaying Their Move

“We’ll probably move next year.”

It’s one of the most common phrases we hear from homeowners.

Not because they don’t want to move. Quite the opposite. Many have already outgrown their home, dream about having more space or spend evenings scrolling through property websites imagining what life could be like somewhere new.

Yet somehow, “next year” has a habit of becoming the year after that. Then another. And another.

At Ellis Winters, we regularly speak to homeowners across Cambridgeshire who tell us they’ve been thinking about moving for several years before finally taking the first step.

So why do so many of us keep putting it off?

Waiting for the “perfect” time

For many homeowners, the decision to move isn’t about finding the right property… it’s about waiting for the right moment.

“We’ll wait until interest rates come down.”

“We’ll wait until the children are a bit older.”

“We’ll wait until work settles down.”

“We’ll wait until after Christmas.”

“We’ll wait until the garden looks its best.”

These are all perfectly understandable reasons. After all, moving home is one of the biggest financial and emotional decisions most of us will ever make.

The challenge is that life rarely pauses long enough for everything to line up perfectly.

Life changes faster than we expect

Think back to when you bought your current home.

It was probably exactly what you needed at the time.

Perhaps it was your first home together. Maybe it was close to work, ideal for a young family or simply the best property your budget would allow.

Fast forward a few years and things may look very different.

Children need more space.

Working from home has become the norm.

You have more hobbies, more belongings or perhaps even another member of the family with the arrival of a dog.

The home hasn’t changed, but your life has.

Many homeowners stay longer than they really want to

Interestingly, research suggests this is far from unusual.

A survey by Zoopla found that more than half of UK homeowners (51%) felt they were living in a home that no longer met their needs, with people remaining in unsuitable properties for an average of 4.4 years after realising it was no longer the right fit. The most common barriers were affordability, moving costs and simply waiting for the “right” time.

In other words, many people know they want to move long before they actually do.

Waiting isn’t always the safest strategy

Some homeowners believe waiting automatically puts them in a stronger position.

Sometimes it does.

But not always.

Markets move.

Interest rates change.

New homes come onto the market.

Others are sold.

Your own circumstances may evolve too.

The “perfect” house you’ve imagined today may no longer be available in twelve months’ time, while a property that would have suited you brilliantly this year could easily be missed because you were waiting for a better moment.

The reality is that property markets, like life, are constantly changing.

There are emotional reasons too

It’s not always finances that keep people where they are.

Homes hold memories.

It’s where birthdays were celebrated.

Where children took their first steps.

Where neighbours became lifelong friends.

Leaving those memories behind isn’t easy.

Research has found that emotional attachment is one of the biggest reasons homeowners delay moving, even when they know their property no longer suits their needs.

Those feelings are completely natural.

But it’s worth remembering that moving doesn’t leave your memories behind—it simply creates space for new ones.

The first step doesn’t have to be putting your house on the market

One of the biggest misconceptions we hear is that speaking to an estate agent means you’re committing to moving.

It doesn’t.

Many homeowners simply want to understand their options.

How much is my home worth?

Could I afford somewhere larger?

What’s happening in the local market?

How long might a move realistically take?

Having those answers doesn’t force you into making a decision.

It simply puts you in a better position when you’re ready.

The local market continues to move

Despite wider economic headlines, people across Cambridgeshire continue to move for the same reasons they always have.

Families grow.

Jobs change.

People relocate.

Children start school.

Retirement approaches.

Life doesn’t stand still—and neither does the local property market.

The homeowners who tend to enjoy the smoothest moves are often those who start planning early rather than waiting until everything feels urgent.

Ask yourself one simple question

Instead of asking:

“Is this the perfect time to move?”

Perhaps ask:

“If nothing changes over the next year, will my home suit my life any better than it does today?”

For many people, the answer is surprisingly clear.

A conversation costs nothing

At Ellis Winters, we know every move is different.

Some homeowners are ready to market their property straight away.

Others are simply gathering information for six months’ time or even further ahead.

That’s absolutely fine.

A no-obligation valuation or informal chat doesn’t mean you have to move. It simply gives you the knowledge to decide what feels right for you and your family.

Because sometimes the biggest obstacle to moving isn’t the market.

It’s convincing ourselves that next year will somehow be easier than this one.

And more often than not, the best time to start exploring your options is simply when your home no longer fits the life you’re living today.