Read below to find out five things that new parents and first time home buyers should look for when purchasing a home that is kid-friendly…
- Bedroom Placement
Although you are searching for a home with enough bedrooms for all of your kids or future kids, the placement of those bedrooms is just as important. You might want a home where your kid’s bedrooms are close to your own or you might need to have a floor in between your bedrooms with a first-floor owner suite for some peace and quiet.
2. A Backyard with A View From the Interior
When you are looking for a home, having a backyard is important, but you don’t necessarily want to go outside every time that your kids go outside. Since our schedules can become hectic throughout the day with work tasks, interior cleaning, mowing the grass, picking up the kids from school, etc. it is important to have a yard that is visible from the interior of the home so that you can get your daily tasks done while also watching your kids play in the backyard. Check how much of the yard you can see from the windows indoors to see if this home has the views that you are going to need.
3. Hot Spots
How your home is heated is important for more than just one reason. You definitely don’t want your kids to accidentally get burned from a fireplace and you want to make sure that the thermostat is displayed high enough on the wall so that the kids cannot reach it to press the buttons. Radiators and fireplaces can become extremely hot and while they are cozy and presentable in the home, they are also a danger zone for kids with hands that want to touch everything in sight.
4. Amenities Within Walking Distance
If you want to have the ability to safely walk to places with your kids, be sure to check and see if there are sidewalks and bike paths that are nicely kept throughout the neighborhood. Take a stroll through the neighborhood and see what is nearby, like restaurants, stores, parks, and sports facilities. You can even time the walk to get a feel for how long it will take to get to each destination. Having nearby attractions will also save you from having to pack up strollers, bikes, and what not inside of your car.
5. Potential New Neighbors
Do some research on the neighborhood before making any final decisions. The last thing that every parent wants to do is move into a neighborhood where there is a registered sex offender a couple of houses away. To be on the safe side be sure to look at public sex offender websites which allows you to see any registered sex offenders and their locations to see if there are any in the neighborhood you are looking in. Introduce yourselves to the neighbors if they are outside and see if they appear to be friendly around kids.
Before you write an offer on any home, you should make sure to bring up any concerns that you have. You can always ask your real estate consultant for advice and they will be able to walk you through any possible fixes to make sure that this new home will be the perfect fit for you.
For help with your home search, call us today at 614.855.8700!
