What to Know When Hunting for a Family Home

House hunting can be hard work – especially when you are looking for a family home.

Knowing what you want and need in a house is an important first step, especially when making a decision that will impact everyone in your family.

Knowing what you need now is only half of the equation – children grow up fast and your needs a few years down the line from now may look quite different, so planning for the future should be an important part of your wish list.

Are you a new family looking for more room? Is your family likely to grow by any more heads in the next few years? How many bathrooms will you need as your children become teenagers and young adults? Are your children likely to live with you into their 20s? 

If they are, have you enough parking space for a small fleet of cars as they become drivers and need to get to college or work? What is the commute like to your jobs? Or are you going to be part of the work-from-home labor force and need a suitable home office?

Does your family feature furbabies? If so, outdoor space may be essential for appropriate exercise for dogs.

With families - especially younger families – the wider community around the dream house also becomes much more important in the decision-making process. Are there parks nearby? What is the school system like? Is the city’s recreation department active in its programming? Are the roads busy and are there safe sidewalks? 

These things matter to a family, and a good realtor will know the answers to your questions just as much as their ability to tell you about the house’s key features.

Is your family dynamic going to feature welcoming parents to live in your home? Do you need an in-law suite? Will ground floor bathrooms and bedrooms be an important factor to consider? What is community care like in the city? Are there good community facilities for elders to enjoy?

Once you start answering these questions, you can narrow down locations for where you might want to live. Finding the right few communities that offer the sweet spot for available houses, commute to work, closeness to extended family, good schools and parks is the first major step.

But coupled with this is the need to build – and stick to – a realistic budget, which may rule out some of the communities you highlighted. 

There are some tough decisions that will have to be made, and as you build your wish list for everything you want in both the house itself and the neighborhood you have chosen, you will have to prioritize the list. Which features are deal breakers and must haves? Which ones are more of a want than a need? Where can you compromise to match your dream to your budget?

It helps enormously to be pre-approved for your financing, so you are in a strong negotiating position when you find that dream house. You will know exactly what your maximum offer can be and ensure you have enough left every month to pay the bills.

If you are thinking about a move for your family, you do not have to do it alone. RealtorsⓇ are experts in their field and can help you consider all the questions you need to answer – including ones you have not even thought to ask yet. Bring a realtorⓇ in to help you from the very beginning of your house hunting journey and they will soon have you in the right home for your family.