Hi Dana, nice simile, I never thought about it this way before, but now that you mention it, I recall always having very intense and passionate love/hate relationships with the places where I lived. I've always considered the place where you live very important. I've always spent more than my friends on rent and rather saved money on other things. I consider it an investment: the flat is where I spend most of my time (I often work at home), it's the place where I'm naked and vulnerable and alone. Hence it must be welcoming, feel really mine, be a nest. To me your question (which I understand perfectly: my neighbours are noisy and I can't get rid of ants, but who guarantees, if I change house, that something much worse would not happen?) can be reduced roughly to the following: is this your nest, does this place represent you? Or have you in 4 years moved on to a different self which is not consistent with this house anymore?
Strangely enough, every time I've moved house I've felt it was a definite improvement (and the same with love relationships!), never had any regrets. You miss single things, but the on the whole you are moving on (that is, you gain self-awareness, you learn something new about yourself, hence it is automatically an improvement). All this just to say that, personally, I would listen to that itch, unless you are one of these people who are happier settling down for what they already have, being able to give it a second chance with renewed enthusiasm (see my post ).

Well, luckily you are in the position of being able to take your time while looking. I know some people who like to go to open houses just for the fun of it. Why not try it? It may take a few afternoons, but quickly you will either decide that there are better options or you will be delighted to return to your home. I am sure everyone will see the relationship metaphor is still holding, with the exception that your house doesn't mind if you check out other houses.

Hi Petra,
I have to disagree with: "with the exception that your house doesn't mind if you check out other houses."
I can't say with houses, but from my personal experience with cars and electrical appliances, if they feel threatened or neglected they start to act up and malfunction. I can say that with cars I was especially careful not to discuss a possible new car while sitting in the old car as that would all but guarantee a trip to the garage.
People see the relation as one sided, as only us with them, but they are also with us and they usually don't like if you are starting to think of going your separate ways.
Maybe it depends who they are with and they simply like me?
 I don't know if this experience is shared.

(One can say that at least in the example of cars there might be a "logical" explanation like why did you think of changing cars in the first place, which is also true. Still, examples like my brother's car suddenly breaking down a couple of hours before giving it to the person who bought it are suspicious, as well as other examples I have in mind.)