Buying a home is an exciting process, although sometimes, can be complicated. Even more so if you have kids. Besides taking into account your wants and needs, you also have to consider theirs. And there are just more non-negotiable criteria that need to be considered. Finding a child-friendly house can be a challenge. But here are a few tips to make it a little more bearable.

Location

When it comes to finding the perfect home for your family, location is definitely what matters most. If you’re planning to send your kids to public school, you’ll want to send them to the best one. When choosing your home, your house should be close proximity to a high-performing school district boundary.

Besides the obvious reason that you want to send your kids to the best school, see if the location of your potential house is close proximity to shops, malls, parks, and/or places for entertainment and extracurricular activities. It’s also important to consider if the place provides a strong sense of community — which is great if you have kids. 

Practicality & Space

There’s always room to grow your family. With that, you have to be practical when choosing your home. Don’t just go for that house just because it’s the cheapest option. As your family grows, consider your needs in the future. When looking at houses, a bigger home may be a better choice. Having a lot of storage space is very important. You also have to consider that once your kids start to grow up, you will want to make sure that they will have their own space in the house for their privacy.

So if you’re looking at your future home, consider the size of the dining area and the living room, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and the storage areas around the house.

The Neighborhood

Besides the obvious reason that you wanna live in a safe and secure neighborhood, you also have to consider if your potential neighbors are welcoming and friendly. You don’t wanna end up living next to a grumpy family next door. It reduces the quality of life if you’re around that kind of energy. You would wanna live in a neighborhood where there are friendly families that may also have kids — who your kids can be friends with. Get a grasp of what kind of community the neighborhood has. It’s an important factor in taking care of the well-being of your family.

Safety

As a parent, it goes a long way to know that your kids are safe and secure. This should be your family’s top priority. Have a safety measure checklist when going around looking at houses. Your list should include the location, the neighborhood, the floor plan, and the fixtures and furniture in the house. You may also consider the proximity between your house and your yard to the street. Childproofing your house could be a fix that you and your family can start working on as a project.  But it’d take that extra stress off of you if you find a home that’s already safe for you and your kids to live in.