5 Things Parents Should Consider When Buying a Home With Kids
NORWALK, CA – Buying a home as a parent is difficult enough, but do you know all the things you should check for when buying a kid-friendly house? Therefore, if you have children here are 5 things to look out for before you regret it.
1. Location of the Bedrooms
This might seem like an obvious one but most parents don’t check the bedroom placement until it’s too late. Obviously, you are looking for enough bedrooms and space for your kids but you also need to factor in where those bedrooms are located in the house.
Most parents want their small children’s room to be next to theirs, while other parents want a floor in between bedrooms for the bigger kids for some much-needed peace and quiet.
2. A View of the Front and or Backyard
Having a yard is important to let the kids and family dog(s) run around in but there will be times when you don’t necessarily want to go outside every time your kids go outside. To avoid this check how much of the yard you can see from indoors.
Keep in mind that not all yards have fences; this might cause a problem when you can’t see your children play. Small children or pets might go to the next-door neighbor’s yard or even worst the street. A big window that faces the front yard will reduce stress.
3. The Hot Spots
How your home is heated or cool is important for many reasons. You definitely don’t want your kids to get burned by the fireplace or heater.
Many homes located in colder areas of the U.S. have fireplaces, which are kept hot most of the winter. Small children might get too close to the fireplace and accidentally burn themselves.
Areas like Southern California where it gets cold but not cold enough to have a fireplace will have heaters on the walls or floor. These types of heaters get extremely hot very quickly. Small children might burn themselves by leaning against it and causing first-degree burns.
4. Amenities Within Walking Distance (Parks, Stores, Beaches, Super Markets, etc.)
Many people move to big cities like New York City, Houston, Nashville, San Francisco, and Los Angeles because a big perk is being able to walk to family-friendly locations like beaches, parks, supermarkets, restaurants, and more, unlike cities like Jackson, Seattle, Tallahassee, San Diego where transportation is required to go almost everywhere.
If you want to be able to walk to amenities within walking distance this should definitely go on your checklist. Make sure to check out the neighborhood beforehand and see what’s nearby.
Can you walk to grab something to eat and shop? It will also save you from having to pack up strollers and bags into your car.
5. Your New Neighbors: Friendly? Loud? Other Children In the Area?
Every parent’s nightmare is moving into a neighborhood and realizing that there is a sex offender in the neighborhood. Make sure to play it safe and do your research and look at national sex offender public websites like MegansLaw.gov, NSOPW.gov, FamilyWatchDog.us, and OJB.gov, which allow you to see the locations of any potential offenders in the neighborhood.
Before you give an offer on a home that has any of these concerns, make sure to bring it up with your realtor. They should be able to walk you through any possible fixes.