"Were we doing the right thing or would this all be an expensive mistake?"

I was lucky enough to spend my entire childhood in the one house.

Unlike some other people my family never moved around so it’s safe to say we were very settled in the neighbourhood. I guess I liked it because I didn’t know any different, but looking back I never really had a connection with the community.

My husband had a similar upbringing but in a much more rural environment. He lived on an acreage and had horses and chickens.

This post is part of our “With Change Comes Opportunity” series,brought to you in partnership with Youi. 

When we moved out together initially we stayed where we knew. It was safe and comfortable and we were familiar with the surroundings. Things just plodded on and we lived our lives but we never really felt like we belonged.

So when the time came to buy our first home? We decided to change it up entirely.

We decided to take a chance and started looking for small apartments in a beachside suburb which was a considerable distance from our family and friends. We searched for several months and eventually we found a townhouse which we fell in love with.

For a young couple it was perfect but it was a bit scary. It was daunting to be moving away from family and essentially letting go of the safety net and it was so full of uncertainty. Were we doing the right thing or would this all be an expensive mistake?

But our new home was walking distance to the beach, the shops and local parks (i.e. we didn’t need to drive anywhere, which was such a strange concept for us) and with several restaurants and bars only a short stroll away, we wanted so badly for it to work out.

Signing the mortgage documents on that place was without a doubt the 15 minutes that changed my life.

It was a new feeling – not having to answer to anyone. If I wanted a dog, I could get a dog. If I wanted to affix something to the wall I didn’t need to have written approval from a real estate agent.

Within a year we had connected with the community in a way I had never experienced before. We became involved with social groups and made friendships with other young people in the area. The sense of belonging was so warm and fuzzy. I’d never had the kind of neighbours that I could ‘pop over’ and ask to borrow some milk from. I never felt that support from the lady next door offering to come over and collect the mail, or feed the dog because she knew we wouldn’t be home. We signed up to local sporting teams, went to Christmas carols in the park and attended local market days, all things we had never done before.

These days, I’m working from home as well, which means I spend almost all of my time in my beautiful community. And I couldn’t be happier with that arrangement.

My husband developed his love for surfing (something which was pretty rare for a boy who grew up on acreage) and I fell more and more in love with the beach at my feet.

Now, we couldn’t live anywhere else.

Our friends have become like a second family, and our house is our home. We spend our weekends watching the water roll in and smile at people we know at the local shops. It’s such a nice feeling when you truly feel connected with your community and have a sense of belonging.

Signing those documents was the best thing we ever did.

And wouldn’t we all like to be purchasing these homes (owned by celebs)…

With change comes opportunity. Going from leaving the house unoccupied during the day to having someone mostly at home during the day as well as at night, could save you lots on your contents insurance with Youi.

At Youi, we know you are all different, living differently, in different homes with different styles and tastes. We ask more questions about you and your home and contents so that we can tailor make a home insurance policy just for you. It’s a smarter way of doing home insurance that could save you lots.

Why not make the switch today? Call 13 YOUI or got to youi.com.au