Searching for your next home offers a time of excitement and anticipation for your next chapter ahead. That said, if your decision also affects kids in your life, we've got tips for you of things to consider during your search:
- House layout matters. if you currently have, or are planning to have, a family one day a bigger space might be a better choice, if within your means. Important considerations include the size of the kitchen and dining area, as well as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms. Bonus if the home offers potential for a designated play space!
- Know your school districts and bus availability. Researching school districts before you begin your search will help you keep your house-hunting focused. Try using a site such as greatsachools.org or niche.com to research local schools. Also, it is not a given that the towns you are considering provide bus service to and from school so make sure to research this ahead of time!
- Evaluate the proximity of recreational activities. Check out the proximity of the nearest playgrounds, swimming pools, baseball fields, gymnasiums and other recreational spaces your kids might utilize currently or in the future.
- Test out the yard. You will be hopefully be enjoying lots of time outdoors with your kiddos, so make sure to thoroughly check out the backyard spaces when touring homes, even in the winter. Factors to evaluate include how level the yard is, is there privacy, is it fenced in or does it offer some safeguard from curious kids (and pets)?
- Check out the streets surrounding the home - at various times of day. Scope out how busy the streets are surrounding the homes you are seriously considering - and ideally during different times of day including peak traffic times, as well as after school commuter times.
Also, while we all love kids (and are parents ourselves!), our team strongly recommends lining up your babysitter when you are touring homes. That said, if there is a home you are seriously considering, by all means we'd be delighted to show to you a second or third time with your children, if you decide it would be best to include them in the home search process!