We all outgrow things and there are usually several signs that it's time to start packing those boxes and looking for a more suitable property.
And while we know this is not the time to become emotional, we are all human and despite a fair amount of excitement surrounding the decision to move up in the world, there is also often a great deal of regret linked to letting go of the past.
Some people delay the decision to sell their home and invest in something new until the last possible minute. Others act more decisively and start to browse the web for a new home as soon as they realise it's time to move on. Whatever the reason and regardless of whether it is a conscious decision or not, there are clear signs that you are in the property market once again.
We take a light-hearted look at some of these.
You become close friends with those who, like you, spend every waking moment on a Sunday roaming suburban streets looking at show houses.
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You spend hours on the Internet browsing through thousands of listings and you've bookmarked at least 300 'suitable' properties on various sites.
You get seriously annoyed with your partner when you discover that they have used the property section of your local newspaper to line the kitty litter tray.
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You are on first name terms with every estate agent within a 25km radius of the suburb in which you are looking for a home.
You loiter outside estate agencies and spend hours looking at the photos in the window.
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You spend hours trying to convince the family that it would be a good idea to ditch the annual holiday in order to save for a higher deposit.
You constantly find fault with your current home and rue the day you decided to buy a property that didn't feature a second loo.
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You actively search out 'for sale' boards and tend to get overexcited when you find something new.
You start to regard sellers in your neighbourhood as the enemy and say things like ‘He's smoking his socks, he'll never sell at that price’ or compare the home to yours and know that yours is worth at least R250 000 more.
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You've changed your mind about leaving the area and are seriously considering becoming an estate agent.
You've basically earned an honorary PhD in real estate and find yourself discussing market conditions with the cashier at your local supermarket.
All of the above will probably become a distant memory once you have found your new home and have moved on to greener pastures - at least until the next time you decide to sell!