While some first time home buyers are couples who have chosen not to marry, and others are not able to legally marry, still others have just gotten married and haven’t started a family yet, there are many families with one or more children who are looking to purchase a house. These families will have slightly different priorities than families without children. If you’re in the market for a house and have children, you’ll need to keep these things in mind:
What school district do you want to be in? This determines which schools your kids will attend, and for some parents, that’s a major deal. In fact, some parents will want to move into a specific area just to get their kids into a certain school. Find out what district a house is in before you put a bid on it.
- If you have more than one child, you may want to look for a house with at least two full bathrooms. Being in a home with only one shower or one toilet with four or five people can create some major issues.
- Will each kid have his or her own room? Are the rooms large enough for two kids to share? What about closet space? You have to take all of this into consideration. Otherwise, you may find that your kids are constantly in each other’s way or have clothing all over because the closets aren’t large enough.
- Are you planning on having more children? You may have found a home that’s the perfect size for your current family, but if you’re thinking about expanding anytime soon, be sure to keep that in mind. You should think at least about five years out. Otherwise, you’ll just be truly settled into your home and have started making changes to it when you’ll need to move again.
- Is the house fairly friendly for children? If you have a toddler, do you really want a two-story house? Can you easily block off the stairway? Is there any area of the house that may present an issue for kids just learning how to walk?
- How large is the yard? Kids often want to run around and play, and most parents prefer they do that in the backyard instead of the front. Will they have room to do much? Could you fit a swing set or other play area in the yard?
- Is the property on a busy street? If your children will have to play in the front yard, a lot of traffic may be a concern.