Move or Improve

After getting married, Justin and Traci moved to Charleston, West Virginia to continue growing their family. Their oldest son went away to college and now they have two younger children. It was their daughter’s 7th birthday party that inspired them to go into business together and they now run a successful party inflatables company. But it’s a challenge because they operate the company from various parts of the house and have no dedicated office. They’ve had their eyes on Jacksonville, Florida where they think the larger population and year-round warm weather would mean more boom for their business.

Homeowners embark on the emotional journey to make one life-changing decision.

Homeowners embark on the emotional journey to make one life-changing decision.

Mike and Melissa moved in together four years ago when they bought their house in Tallahassee, Florida. At the time, there was plenty of room for the couple and Mike’s two kids. But Melissa’s passion for collecting vintage items has gotten out of control. With Mike’s twins about to leave for college, Melissa has her eyes set on taking over their rooms too for her collectibles, and Mike isn’t pleased. Their 1,800-square-foot home just doesn’t have enough organized storage to contain Melissa’s collection, and Mike fears the kids won’t feel welcome if she takes over their rooms. Mike wants to renovate. Melissa thinks they’ve outgrown the home and need a fresh start. Now they must decide if they want to move or improve.

When Chante and Matt bought their 4,400 square foot home in Farragut, Tennessee they thought they were buying their dream home. But six years and eight adopted kids later, they have found that the home they once considered large has quickly become too small and find themselves at a real estate crossroads. With 30 loads of laundry each week, too many bunk beds, and too many toothbrushes on one bathroom vanity, they need to find solutions to ease the everyday chaos that comes with having such a large family. Will they leave their beloved community to find a space that better suits their needs? Or will they figure out a way to stay in their current home that holds so many special memories for their every growing family?

Newly married with no kids, Gene and Shella settled on a starter home that they knew wouldn’t work once they started their family, but that they agreed to move out of after five years. 22 years and two kids later, they still find themselves in the same space struggling with the same terrible floor plan. As their kids get bigger and their space grows noticeably smaller, along with a new work schedule that allows for more free time, they are deciding if they should stay in the home they have raised their kids in to continue to create memories with their future grandchildren…or do they focus on finding the home they have always dreamed of and start a new adventure with just the two of them in mind?

Homeowners embark on the emotional journey to make one life-changing decision.

When Chessa and Tom first bought their fixer upper house, they were in need of a larger space for their small family of three and Tessa’s home salon. Now that one of Tom’s teenage sons is moving in with them permanently, they need another bedroom, a safer and more entertaining yard space for their kids, and a new space for Tessa’s home salon–that’s not in their kitchen! Tom is convinced they can renovate their home for their growing needs, but Chessa is open to finding something new, either nearby or begin an entirely new family adventure.

Pregnant with their first child, Julie and Andreas purchased their first home on the fly, needing to get out of their cramped apartment as soon as they could. Now, two years and two kids later, the family is all over each other, busting at seams as they attempt to manage home life and work life all under one roof. Andreas is newly working remote, full time and operates his business from a small desk in the master suite. Not an ideal workspace with two toddlers running in and out all day. Downstairs, Julieis at her wits end struggling to care for the house and the children. A closed-in kitchen wall makes it impossible to keep track of the little ones while cooking and cleaning. And since Julie insists upon a tidy house, the lack of a mudroom has made it difficult to stay on top of things as the kids get older. More kids, more stuff, and less space. This growing family has outgrown their three bedroom, two bathroom Florida home and are ready to escape, before the walls close in on them.

At the age of 50, Stacy Krieg was reborn! Taking life head on, Stacy’s divorce prompted this Jersey girl to pack up her three kids and move out west where she was able to begin a new life in Redlands, CA. Now, with all of her children grown and on their own, Stacy is once again at a crossroads in her life. Even though it’s just her, with the occasional visit from her kids–the charming 980 sq foot home she purchased all by herself has a lot of sentimental meaning but provides its own challenges. In need of her own office, a second bathroom and a bigger kitchen, Stacy must decide if she wants to put money into renovating her California cottage or pack up once again and find a new, move-in ready home somewhere else. With the ability to work remote, Stacy feels a calling to head back home and be closer to her own Mom, although Stacy’s youngest daughter wants her Momma close by. It’s an emotional decision for Stacy. Does she stay in the Redlands…or is it time to head back home?

Nine years ago, Sonny and Kristin moved into their first house in Indy together. Since then, their family has grown with the birth of two boys. And now they are finding that their space no longer works for them. They desperately need an open floor plan with a bigger kitchen and larger living room, so they can keep an eye on the children as well as enjoy some quality family time together in a space that’s less cramped. Being near downtown Indianapolis, Kristin has grown to enjoy the amenities that come with living near the city. Sonny, on the other hand, is looking for a big move to Columbia, Kentucky where his family can enjoy small town life in a bigger house, while making strong bonds with the community and spending quality time outdoors with his family. And now that their young son Harry is about to start kindergarten in a few short months, it’s time to make a decision whether to renovate or relocate to Kentucky so they can be settled into a school district for years to come.

Mya and Kennedy moved from the big city to the small town of Front Royal, VA when Mya had an opportunity to buy her Grandmother’s old home. After four years living in the 1,020 square foot home with one bathroom for their family of four, they desperately need more space. With their kids entering their preteen years, and all of their bedrooms right on top of one another, they need a better layout that allows for more privacy. Mya wants to stay and renovate her Grandmother’s house since she spent so much time in it growing up. Kennedy doesn’t want his family to live through a renovation, and he would really like move to a house that fits their needs in a bigger city like San Antonio, TX.

Sid and Sneha have built a great life in Houston, TX and love the area where they bought their first townhome together. After six years living there and both of them working from home now, their 2,400 square foot first home no longer fits their growing needs. Sid works remotely in the tech industry and Sneha is a work from phycologist who needs her own private office for client sessions. They can no longer share an office and they must figure out what to do. Sneha prefers to stay in Houston and look at houses in different neighborhoods with more space. Sid on the other hand, wants to renovate so they can stay in their first home, but thinks if they were to move, Austin, TX is a better fit for his career.

A year and half ago, Joshua and Rochelle bought their family home for their family of four so their children could have more space during the pandemic. Now that they’ve had a chance to settle in, they’ve realized this home doesn’t meet all their needs. They need a recreational backyard for their two young children, an updated en suite bathroom, and an open kitchen layout so they can keep an eye on their kids while cooking and dining with friends. With Joshua’s military retirement only a year away and their financial future shifting, they need to decide now if they plan to stay and renovate their current home, or say goodbye.

After 23 years in their small town in Mississippi, Kathe and Joal cannot live their best lives with the space that they currently have. Kathe’s dedication to her crafts and hobbies (including local theatre, photography, music and more) have completely taken over their guest room from top to bottom. And with Joal’s new interest in cooking, it is impossible for him to expand his skill set or entertain when he doesn’t even have proper counter space to work with. Retirement is on the horizon for Joal, so within the next year they need to make a decision that works best for their needs as they get older. Joal is hoping to stay–After they both suffered through a four-year-long renovation post-Katrina, he doesn’t like the idea of change…or leaving the close-knit community behind. But Kathe is ready to start a new chapter. With more space, and access to the hustle and bustle, retirement could be an opportunity for new adventures.