Finding the Right Home for Your Family ? Real Estate News & Tips

Brought to you by our friend Amy McCarthy at?Parenthood.com

Finding the perfect home?isn?t?easy. When you have a family, especially young children, the equation gets much more difficult. These tips can help you ensure that your dream home is safe and family-friendly.

Buying a home can be a daunting process. From financial approval to curb appeal, there are hundreds of important decisions to make. When you have children and pets to consider, those decisions multiply. As a parent, there are a number of factors that you have to take into account to ensure that your child is safe and happy.

When you?re searching for a home, there are 4 major categories that you have to consider when purchasing for a family with children, particularly young children or infants. Safety, schools, space, and amenities can ?make or break? the perfect home.

1. Safety

- If you have infants or toddlers, make sure that dangerous areas (like the kitchen, stairs, or pool) can be outfitted with safety gates. If the home has low windows, make sure that locks are in good working order.

- Ensure that all proper safety mechanisms are in place, like scald-proof faucets, carbon monoxide detectors, and temperature regulators on hot water heaters.

- If the home has a pool, check that it is in proper working order. In some cases, it may be a good idea to find a home with a pool farther away from the home to keep little ones from wandering in.

- If you are buying an older home, make sure that stairs are sturdy and secure, and that paints are lead-free.

- Consider how close the home is to a hospital or emergency care center. A few precious minutes can really make a difference in the case of an emergency.

2. Schools & Education Opportunities

- Finding the right schools for your family is extremely important. GreatSchools.org can help you evaluate the schools in your area using criteria like student-teacher ratio and test scores. Also be sure to check if the school has activities that your child could need, like special education or gifted programs. Extra-curricular activities are important, too. Find out if the school offers activities your child is interested in, like drama or band.

- Choosing a home close to your child?s school and your office can save you invaluable time. If your child can walk a few blocks or take a quick bus ride to school, it can make hectic mornings much easier. As a bonus, you?ll be closer to home in the case of an emergency.

- Find out if there is a YWCA/YMCA or other facility close to the home that offers after-school programs, tutoring, or other enrichment. Being able to drop the kids off at the tutor and drive 2 minutes home to prepare dinner is a great time saver.

3. Space

- Making sure that the home has enough bedrooms for your home is a no-brainer, but if you are planning on growing your family, it can be important to consider a larger home. If a guest room or office is important to you, that extra bedroom can really make a difference.

- Don?t just consider bedrooms ? make sure that the home has enough room for your children to play, do homework, and store all their ?kid stuff? like athletic equipment and bicycles. One of the most common complaints from homeowners with families is a lack of storage, so a home with lots of cabinets and closets could help sway your opinion from one home to another.

- If you have a tween, garage space is an important factor to consider. Some neighborhoods have rules about parking in the street, so make sure that the home has enough driveway/garage space for your family?s vehicles.

- Family-friendly spaces mean more family time. If the kitchen and living room are in an open area, you can prepare dinner while you help the kids with homework or supervise them playing in the living area. It is nice, though, to have a distraction-free dining room where you can eat together as a family or do homework.

4. Amenities & Location

- Look for neighborhoods with parks or playgrounds. Being able to walk to the park to take the kids to play is a great benefit to a home.

- Check out what family activities are in the area. Many neighborhoods have their own Girl and Boy Scout troops, church youth groups, and even playgroups and dance lessons. Being close to your child?s extra-curricular activities can decrease after-school stress and increase the amount of time you have together as a family. If you?re looking for day camps or summer camps, check out Parenthood.com?s Kids Camps guide to find those types of activities close to your home.

- Though it may not seem like an ?amenity,? moving into a neighborhood with lots of children is really great for families. Kids who have children to play with in their neighborhoods spend less time inside playing video games and more time playing with their friends. It?s especially nice if your neighborhood has a flag football or softball league on the weekends.

For additional family focused information, please visit Parenthood.com.

Source: http://blog.homes.com/2012/03/finding-the-right-home-for-your-family/

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