Buying a Home with Kids in Mind
Posted by Guest Blogger on Thursday, September 16th, 2010 at 11:14am.share the Houston Real Estate Blog!
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Purely a personal observation by this homeowner, mother, and educator, but when a young childless couple buys a home there is almost always some discussion of future children. For some couples, the child might already be in the works and the house needs to be purchased, closed and settled within the next nine months. Others are looking down the road a bit and want to be sure there is plenty of room for the family to grow when the couple is ready.
As a younger woman, I was convinced I knew what I needed in my home in order to be ready for my family to come a few years after buying. After the birth of my second son, I realized how clueless I really was before children. This applied to me as well as other future parents out there. Before you have children, it’s very hard to know what it is you need to buy to accommodate them. Bedrooms matter, but there is far more to consider in your house-buying decision.
Opt for Separation of Living Spaces
The open concept home is beautiful. Why wouldn’t you want 2,000 square feet of your home dedicated to just three rooms? Sure, the bedrooms might be small, but the living/dining/den/kitchen/breakfast room is so impressive and spacious, it doesn’t really matter. I’ll admit this is the exact reason we found ourselves buying a new house just months after my second son was born into my open concept home.
We should have had plenty of space in our beautiful new construction home, but when the giant plastic toys started moving in and the computers needed to move out of the spare room, there was nowhere to put them. Not only was wall space limited, there was nowhere to “tuck” anything away. It was all there, all the time. Our second home has plenty of rooms – with doors – to hide away the mess that accompanies children and a busy lifestyle.
Consider Storage
We all know it’s important, but who cares if there’s not a hall closet so long as there is a beautiful two-story entryway? You will once you realize the vacuum will now be stored in the nursery or in the garage since there is no other closet in the house to put it in. While you might catch the lack of closets early on, also look for storage that is accessible to the backyard.
If you have an attached garage, is there a way to drag the plastic wading pool, plastic car, sandbox, and other assorted toddler toys from the garage into the backyard? A shed or storage building can help store things like toys and other kid items, but if you’re faced with a trek around the house or through the house to deliver the tricycle to the safety of the backyard each time, it will get old – very fast.
Unusual Safety Concerns
There are a few safety concerns you might not think of initially when you’re looking at possibilities for your new home. Swimming pools and busy streets are obvious, but have you considered what else might be included with the property? A large raised mantle on the fireplace might not be a deal breaker, but it can be a head splitter for the toddlers. Large fireplaces in general that are easily accessible are tempting caves for little ones (I speak from personal experience.)
Split levels with short staircases can be hard to barricade off, and even homes with a single step down into another room or up to the entryway can be a problem at times. Homes with attached garages are often perched at the top of a short driveway, especially in Houston were we are concerned about flooding. Just try sending a three-year-old down that driveway on a new Big Wheel.
The easiest places to raise young children are homes on a single level with plenty of places to stash the requisite stuff of infants and toddlers. As your family grows, your personal stuff will move out of those extra bedrooms. The ultimate test should be this: If you can fit in the home as a couple without even touching the extra bedrooms, the house is perfect for a family. If one of those bedrooms is already a media room, music room, computer room or den, you should be ready to give up your toys or move just as soon as your family grows.
About the Author:
Rebecca Garland is a freelance writer who enjoys in a range of topics from Austin real estate and Austin condos to parenting advice for busy working moms. Rebecca is a Houston resident currently enjoying her busy life with two boys in a Clear Lake fixer-upper that hides toys and the vacuum cleaner beautifully. You can read more about Rebecca on her professional writing website.
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The views expressed by Guest contributors to this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of 2M Realty Advisors, LLC, it's broker, agents, employees or affiliates.
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Share4 Responses to "Buying a Home with Kids in Mind"
Interesting post, Rebecca. You make some great points about the value that extra closet space brings, and about the way a seemingly safe shelter suddenly sprouts sharp edges everywhere when a little one comes along. (Hey that's nice alliteration! :) ) I've long been a believer, having raised three daughters, that some level of hazard is necessary and even healthy, to help them learn how to recognize and cope with some dangers. Still, there is of course logic in keeping our homes safe. Hopefully your post will help a lot of families do exactly that!
Posted on Thursday, September 23rd, 2010 at 5:04 PM.
Storage is definitely key with kids. I wish we had more. I would also highly recommend a 3 car garage. Kids bikes, big wheels, kiddie pools, etc take up a TON of space.
Posted on Saturday, October 2nd, 2010 at 9:57 AM.
That's the most important thing to remember when buying a home.Owning a home is great! This creates an ability to achieve personal dreams and participate in a community full of other owners. The owners have an interest in the neighbourhood where they live and own a home can be a very valuable and lucrative.
Posted on Monday, October 4th, 2010 at 2:29 AM.
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Indeed, parents with children should consider when buying a home. I have read somewhere that most accidents in children happened at home, so it would be great to have a safe home for your children.
Posted on Monday, September 20th, 2010 at 12:49 AM.