What's Your Move Language™?

Buying a home looks like a practical decision.

How much can we afford? How many bedrooms do we need? What neighborhood makes sense? What are homes selling for? How long will the commute be?

All of those questions are important. And after looking at more than 100 homes with my hunny while searching for the house we'd choose together, I started to realize there was something else happening underneath all those practical decisions.

We weren't considering a house in the same way.

I wanted a home with personality. I didn't like boxy houses where every room seemed to look and feel the same. I wanted character, interesting architecture, and little details that made the house different. My hunny wanted a home that met different criteria. He didn't want to buy a house at the very top of its worth. He wanted room to improve the value.

We’d walk through the exact same house and notice completely different things. Things that excited me turned him off. Something that made perfect sense to him left me feeling uninspired.

The problem wasn't that one of us was right and the other was wrong. We were looking for different things.

The Idea Behind Move Language™

I began thinking about all the things that influence our decisions when we’re choosing a home. Some are easy to put on a spreadsheet. Others are harder to explain, even though they can have just as much influence on whether we say yes.

Your Move Language helps you understand what you’re paying attention to when you make decisions about a home, and what you need to feel confident moving forward.

For some people, Value comes first. They're looking at what they're getting for the money, how the home compares to others, whether there's room for improvement, what the payment looks like, and whether the decision feels financially sound.

For others, it's Timing. Is this the right moment? What else is happening in life? Does moving now create an opportunity, or would waiting make more sense?

Some people are led strongly by Feeling. They notice the light, the energy of a space, the personality of the home, the neighborhood, or whether they can picture themselves living there.

For some, Ease rises to the top. That could mean move-in ready, plenty of storage, rooms that flow well, less maintenance, a manageable commute, or a home that makes everyday life smoother.

Others prioritize Protection. They want to understand the condition of the home, inspections, safety, neighborhood, financial risk, future repairs, and what they may be taking on before they feel comfortable saying yes.

And sometimes the decision is deeply connected to Story. A home may represent a fresh start, more room for family, freedom after a difficult chapter, downsizing into a new phase of life, or creating a space that better fits the person you're becoming.

Most of us care about all six Move Languages. We just prioritize them differently.

Home Decisions Can Get Noisy

Buying a home can bring up a surprising amount of anxiety. You're making a huge decision after spending just 30 to 60 minutes inside the house.

What if you overpay? What if there's a major issue you don't know about yet? Can you afford the payment? Is the neighborhood safe? What are the neighbors going to be like? What if you choose this house and something better comes along next week?

Then there's the fear of missing out, the fear of making a mistake, and all the opinions coming from other people. Family members may have ideas about what you should buy. Your partner may care deeply about something that barely registers for you. You may even find yourself pulled between what you think you should want and what you actually want.

That can create conflict inside you, and it can create conflict between those making the decision together.

Move Languages Give You Another Way to Look at the Decision

Knowing your Move Language helps you understand the criteria you're already using to evaluate a house. It can also call attention to the things you might be overlooking.

I think of the six Move Languages almost like different thinking hats. You can deliberately look at the same house through each one.

Value: What do you notice when you look at this home through Value?

Timing: What does Timing make you consider?

Feeling: How do you feel when you picture yourself living here?

Ease: What stands out when you consider Ease?

Protection: What concerns or questions come up when you consider Protection?

Story: What does this home represent to you?

You don't have to weigh every Move Language equally. Understanding your priorities helps you recognize what you need most from a home.

Looking through the other lenses can help you make a more informed decision, too. Maybe a home checks a lot of boxes for Feeling and Story, while Protection raises a concern you need to investigate. Maybe it makes perfect sense from a Value perspective, yet you know you'd be consciously compromising on Ease.

Consciously is the key here. You’re aware of the compromise and choosing it intentionally rather than realizing it in hindsight. I’m sure you can relate to making a decision and realizing six months later that something important to you never made it into the decision at all. Oops!

Move Languages can be especially helpful when you're buying with someone else. Instead of assuming the other person is being difficult or doesn't understand what makes this house so obviously right, you may discover that they're evaluating it through a different lens.

Neither of you has to be wrong.

So, What's Your Move Language™?

I've created an interactive tool that lets you rank the six Move Languages and see what drives your yes, what helps you trust your decision, and how those priorities work together. If you're buying with someone else, have them take it too. Comparing your results may help you understand where you're aligned, where you see things differently, and what you'll want to talk through before choosing a house.

There's no right order. Your priorities can also change depending on the move you're making and the season of life you're in.

The goal isn't to find a house that checks all the boxes. It's to make a conscious decision about the home that supports your life now and the version of you that you’re becoming.

Before you choose the house, understand your yes.