How to Find the Right Home for Your Growing Family

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When you and your spouse first got married, the “live on love” saying probably seemed so romantic. So much so, that you didn’t mind being in a one-bedroom apartment (that was more like your love den) so long as you were together.

Over time, all of that “love nesting” produced a little person and you discovered that you needed some more space. Now, you have two or three children (with possibly more on the way) and you need to find just the right kind of home for your ever-growing family.

Are you looking for some tips? If so, we’ve got a few:

Do your research. On the onset, it might seem that looking for the right house is mostly about the house. But, when you have a family, there’s a lot more to consider such as the location, the safety of the neighborhood, the school zones and the amount of land that the house is sitting on. This is why it’s a good idea to at least consult with a real estate agent or if it’s a private seller, to meet with them a few times (if you’re serious) to inquire about all of these kinds of issues. If you find that you really do like the house, it’s also a good idea to find out detailed information about the preschool, elementary and high schools in the area by setting up a meeting to speak to someone directly in administration.

Be safety and security specific. It’s not enough to simply ask “Is the neighborhood safe?” and to have someone living in it say “Yes.” No, you definitely need to do a bit more investigating than that. Find out if the neighborhood is under Neighborhood Watch, if there are school zones and speed limits posted, if there have been crimes that have transpired within the last 24 months and also if the neighborhood is “kid-friendly”. By this, we mean, if there are a lot of dogs in the area, if they are used to children and if there are other children around as well (a good clue of if the neighborhood is embracing of children). Also, it would be a good idea to put the address into the local sex offenders list to see if any live nearby. However, being “kid-friendly” isn’t just about being cautious about crime. Also, check to see if there are parks or playgrounds in the vicinity and if there are community centers close where your children can be involved in child-related classes such as marital arts, gymnastics and arts & crafts.

Think like a child. When someone is thinking, “I need to find out how to sell my house online“, they are probably searching for ways to make their home more appealing to the people who will actually be paying for it: the adults. However, as the parents, you definitely need, as best as you can, to get into the mind of your children as you are inspecting the house. Are your children old enough to manage stairs on their own? Is there enough room in both the front and back yard for them to play in? Does the house have enough space for everyone to feel comfortable? As a child grows, one of their memories will be the home that they grew up in and so you definitely want to “paint a picture” that their house was safe, secure and full of happiness. That means more than simply “three bedrooms and two baths”. Bottom line: Choose what you’d like, but also with your child’s best interest in mind, too.