Sources close to Britney tell TMZ ... she and Sam are planning to take their relationship to the next level by landing a place, but won't make the move until Britney has full control of her own finances.

We're told Britney's looking to move out of the valley and head closer to the Hollywood/L.A. area with Sam ... but they're keeping their options open as far as exactly where or what type of property they wanna buy.

Our Britney sources say one thing's for certain though -- she's more than ready to move out of her current home ... because there are too many bad memories there of being controlled in the conservatorship. She has said she felt like she was being held hostage at her current home, so the move makes a lot of sense.

As for price ... well, she'll make money off her current home and she has $60 mil in the bank, so money won't be a problem.

As you know ... Britney and Sam have been together for years, but back in June when she gave her explosive testimony at a hearing about her conservatorship, she claimed she was kept from marrying him and having children with him.

Though this was refuted by both her father, Jamie, and the conservator of her person, Jodi Montgomery, it raised serious red flags about how she was being treated.

Then, earlier this month after weeks of speculation, Sam did propose to Britney ... and she said "yes."

And, of course, then there was the monumental court hearing this week ... in which Jamie was removed from Britney's conservatorship and wheels were put in motion to dissolve the conservatorship completely.