As-salamu alaykum - Need motivation to sell my house and move closer to my child
As-salamu alaykum. I bought a 100-year-old house in 2016 and have done some work on it, but far less than I planned. In 2019 my ex-wife and I separated and I ended up with the house after a long divorce that took four years to finalize. I live in a rural area about an hour outside a major city. I grew up in the city and have always felt like a city person. I originally moved here because my ex wanted to be near her family. I have no family in this state and, over time, realized I don’t really fit in here. Most of my friends were back in the city, and after the split I basically lost the social circle I once had. My ex’s friends were local and went with her after we separated. I’ve tried to make local friends, and have a few, but it’s hard to maintain those relationships because of distance and life. I do make an effort to socialize - I play in a recreational basketball league and try to join pick-up games - but those require a commute too. We split custody of our daughter (she’s 8) and I have her every other week. Ironically my ex moved about 30 minutes closer to the city and our child now goes to school near her. That makes school drop-offs, pick-ups, events, and birthday parties over an hour round trip for me, which is a big burden. This has been the routine for a few years. I work a stressful job with difficult hours. I’ve looked for other work but can’t find something without a pay cut I can’t afford as a single parent. The upkeep on this old house is overwhelming. I struggle just to keep up with basic cleaning and chores. I outsource yard work when I can afford it, but there’s only so much I can pay for. No matter where I look, something needs repair or attention. It’s not hoarding, but I’m embarrassed to have people over. Fixing one thing often reveals another problem and I get stuck in that loop. The house is 4 bedrooms and about 2400 sq ft, and it’s mostly empty since it’s just me and my daughter half the time. Half the living space is upstairs and rarely used - you could close that off and we wouldn’t notice. It takes forever to clean and that just makes it harder to keep up. I truly hate living here. I want out so badly but I can’t seem to find the energy to act, and it’s turned into anxiety about the whole process. I want to live closer to my daughter’s school and to make daily life easier. Moving wouldn’t affect my job. Normally I’m proactive and disciplined. I handle a lot of things well. But whenever I think about calling a realtor or starting the selling process I freeze. Most of my energy goes to surviving - doing the job and basic parenting - and with whatever’s left I force myself to do self-care (exercise, basketball, eat well). I don’t do video games, watch little TV, and don’t party. Some numbers: I bought the house for $120k in 2016 and owe about $85k now. Mortgage used to be cheap but insurance has jumped. It’s still slightly cheaper than nearby rentals but not by much - about the same cost as a 2-bedroom apartment. A smaller, low-maintenance place sounds so appealing. I haven’t had a recent appraisal but estimates put the house well over $300k. Even with needed repairs and concessions, I don’t care much about maximizing profit - I’d be relieved to sell for $200k and even $150k would make me happy. I owe about $8k on my car and have a bit of credit card debt (not accruing interest right now). If I can pay debts, cover moving costs, and put some savings aside I’d feel secure. I know moving won’t fix everything, but it would remove a lot of daily stress. The idea of starting the process gives me a lot of anxiety though. Brothers and sisters, please make dua for ease and give me practical advice or steps to find the motivation and courage to sell and move closer to my child. Jazakum Allahu khairan.