Finding the Perfect Home to Raise Your Family

 **Collaborative Post**

AD: When you have kids, your life changes. This is true in so many different ways but one of the main ways it changes is the way you begin to prioritise things differently. You put their needs above your own wants. You change your routine. You change your schedule. You change your lifestyle in almost every way imaginable to cater for them, you are no longer a single person you are a family and that means that things often work differently. So, it’s not all too surprising that kids can have a big impact on decisions regarding your home too. Before kids, the house you’re in may have seemed perfect. You may have found that it ticked every box.

But as your family grows and your needs change, you may be in a position where you want to actively seek a new place to live. Here are a few ideas that can help with this journey.

Size

One of the most common reasons that people start browsing property sales pages is the size of their home. While a studio or one bed may have been fine before kids, you’re probably going to have upgrade and find a larger home once you have them. As kids grow older, they begin to need their own space and, if possible, by the time they reach 10 they should ideally have their own bedroom, not shared with siblings. This allows a sense of privacy and gives them some room to call their own. Consider how big you want your next home to be, not only in terms of bedrooms. Do you want more than one bathroom? Perhaps an ensuite? Do you want a playroom? A nursery? A home office that can serve as a study space for homework.

Location

Another common reason for moving home is location. When your kids reach 4, you’re going to find yourself looking into the best schools to meet their needs. Of course, places can be competitive, so you may want to move into the catchment area of a good school with great facilities and impressive average grades. Make sure to do your research so you know what school in particular you want to target and what spaces fall within its catchment area.

Outdoor Space

Want to provide your kids with an outdoor space to enjoy in the summer months? Maybe you’re looking into getting a family pet who will need the space to be properly housetrained and stretch their legs. This is where a garden or yard can come into play. Browse properties that have their own, dedicated outdoor space.

Safety

The sad truth is that some neighbourhoods are safer than others. If you find that there’s a lot of crime in your current neighbourhood, you may want to seek out somewhere safer for your family to relocate too. You can find statistics on crime rates and the types of crimes that are more common in particular areas online. Again, this is an area that will require a level of research on your part.

Hopefully, some of the areas of focus listed here should help you to find and secure the right property for your family!

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