If you’re in the market for a new home and have children, you’ll want your home to have certain features to help keep kids safe and save your sanity! Here are some considerations to keep in mind that may influence your choice of home when you’re moving with the whole family.
Here’s What to Look For in a New House
1. Plan for the future
Your kids may be happy to share a bedroom while they’re young, but they’re bound to want their own bedrooms when they get older. A third or fourth bedroom could be a lifesaver in the future and prevent a lot of sibling squabbles. In the meantime, you can use the extra room as a playroom, guest room, or hobby room.
2. Safety comes first
Radon, lead, and mold are some of the more common health hazards in homes, old and new.
Radon is a radioactive, invisible, and odorless gas resulting from the natural breakdown of radium in the soil. It can seep into a home through cracks in the foundation, basements, and other openings. Learn more here.
Lead-based paint was banned in 1978, so any paint in a home built before this could be suspect. In fact, “lead-based paint and lead contaminated dust are the most hazardous sources of lead for children in the U.S,” according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).
Mold has found to be a leading cause of allergies in children, and can be found both inside and outside the home. Mold can enter the home through doorways, windows, heating and air conditioning systems, and vents. The CDC has reported that mold “in the air outside can also attach itself to clothing, shoes, bags, and pets can and be carried indoors.”
Be sure to hire a professional to complete a thorough inspection of before any home purchase.
3. Plenty of storage
A house with plenty of built-in storage is a lifesaver and spacesaver! Whether it’s hall cupboards, or a living room with extra shelving, any extra storage is a boon in a new home. Store clothes, toys, books, and other items without having to buy bulky stand alone storage units that could be prone to topple.
4. A functional bathroom…or two
Keeping kids clean is a fulltime job, and as such, we suggest looking for a house with bathrooms featuring both a tub and handheld shower. Showers with a handheld option makes hosing down a muddy toddler easy and uses less water than running a bath. A kid-friendly bathroom allows room to maneuver and has secure cupboards in which to store cleaning products. It should also provide ample storage space for towels, bath products, and toys.
5. Easy access to the laundry
It may not be the most exciting, but considering where the laundry room is located in the floorplan can help you out a lot. Having laundry in the kitchen, or simply on the main level, is incredibly handy when you have kids. You can easily pop in a load of washing, or transfer it to the dryer, without having to trudge up and down stairs. Some older homes may even include a laundry shoot!
6. Space to roam
Having kid-friendly space both inside and outside the house is important. You may have thought-out what you’re looking for inside the home, but what about outside? A fenced-in backyard is always optimal when you’re moving with kids, but what else should you keep your eyes peeled for?
We recommend thoroughly inspecting your potential new backyard for gaps in the fence or exposed nails, poisonous plants, in-ground sprinkler heads (easy to trip over and may be rusty) and water features, old tools, or other left behind gardening items, such as fertilizer.
Moving with children and choosing a house you and your family will love, isn’t an easy task. But if you keep these considerations in mind when house hunting you’ll narrow the search to find something that ticks all the boxes for a safe, functional, and kid-friendly space.
Need help with your residential move? Our expert team is at your service! Contact us today to learn about the many services we provide.