Wanting to put down roots by building a home and traveling almost constantly for your profession are two very opposite poles in life. If your plan is to actually put down roots but you want to build a house while you continue traveling for work, you may need to develop a long term plan. Here are some steps you can take between constantly traveling for work and finally moving into a house in one location and staying put.
Can You Afford to Travel and Build a House?
The first thing you need to look at is your finances. Can you afford to build a brand new house while you are traveling for work? If you have a work expense account that pays for all your meals and your hotels while you travel for work, you might be able to put enough aside to build a house. If you are responsible for your own lodgings and meals while working, that might not be so easy.
Utilizing software programs like Bolster can help you tabulate homebuilding costs and measure it against your wages to see if this is even possible. If it is, move ahead. If not, you may need to rethink either your job or a more affordable housing option.
What Will You Do Once the House Is Built?
If you successfully afford to build a house, the house can’t go with you every time you leave home. (There are tiny homes that can do that, but not everyone likes the tiny home lifestyle. Plus you want to stay in one place, remember?) If you’ve already calculated the mortgage payments or the construction payments into your budget, you will need to decide if you are going to keep traveling for work or find employment closer to home. If you can transfer into an office position near your home, that’s a good idea.
If you are going to keep traveling, you may want to rent out your home while you are gone. This accomplishes two things. One, you get a second stream of income while you are away working. Two, you don’t have to hire house sitters because someone is renting out your home and therefore keeping watch on it while you are away.
Choosing a Home Type That Makes It Easier to Continue Traveling for Your Job
The typical house on a typical plot of land requires a lot of maintenance and added expenses too. You have to keep the electricity and gas on even if you’re not home. You have to keep the lawn maintained, too. If you can’t do this without added expense, you may want to consider some alternative house options.
For example, buying and living in a condo or a “twindo” means that someone else is taking care of the lawn and landscaping all the time, not you. Choosing to build a new home using solar panels for electricity and skipping gas appliances for electric keeps the lights on without the added bills. There are ways you can work this out and still make it work for your situation.
Getting Started
Making plans for a transition in life requires focus. If you don’t have time to make the plans, you don’t have time for a house. Weigh your factors carefully before moving forward.
Photo by Valentina Locatelli on Unsplash
