“ Australia’s most popular home had four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a two-car garage.” (Courier Mail, 2016).
With more people searching for larger homes more than ever you may begin to wonder, why are people wanting bigger homes? Whether you live in town or the country, there are many reasons why home buyers are thinking big.
Our homes and lives are becoming more and more encroached upon. Technology brings the outside world in, whether it is on the television or from our phones. The home has always been seen as a haven for most. A physical, structural separation from work, society and its expectations. With a bigger home, comes a bigger haven where you don’t have to be or please anyone but yourself. There is more freedom to take pleasure in without being in the eyes of others outside of family and friends. Even then it is optional.
Granny flats in Brisbane have been growing in popularity for this same reason. Retirement villages can often be quite confronting in comparison to owning your own home. Some villages house tiny apartments or units in contained complexes. The little space and privacy can leave elderly Australians feeling confined and a little claustrophobic. Granny flats can offer elderly family members the space and privacy of their own self-contained home on a property that they feel at ease on. They are close to care and support if they need, without feeling like they are a burden.
Another stand point you could take would be that society has changed to a point where we think bigger and grander is better. If we own the latest huge-screened smartphone, more spacious and stylish cars, or luxurious large homes then we are somehow better off in society or are successful. This view then comes down to our individual ideology of what success and status mean to us.
Some families, however; are simply looking for a home to accommodate a large and/or multi-generational family at a price they can afford. This can be where prefabricated modular homes and granny flats are perfect solutions. These full-scale homes or home extensions offer all that standard onsite build homes offer, at cheaper prices and with faster construction times.
Everyone is unique in their dreams, desires and way that they view the world. Different things mean more to some than others. What is important to you? What does success look like in your opinion? Some see what others have and think, “I want that too”, or, “mine would be better”. This way of thinking often stems from a focus on one’s status. In order for them to “climb the ladder” in society and be successful, they need to obtain certain goals or be better than something they idolise. Whilst this can achieve great goals in life, it can put a lot of pressure on us emotionally, physically and financially; sometimes leaving us wondering, “do we really need this?”.
Maintaining a healthy balance to achieving the things we want in life and that is important to us and not cause unnecessary stress is important.
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