3 Helpful Strategies for House Hunting with Kids

Finding the perfect home for your family can be an exciting endeavor. As you tour properties looking for the house with the right number of rooms, the kitchen of your dreams, and a generous backyard, you’re making memories that you’ll always associate with the home you eventually find. However, house hunting while you have children to care for isn’t quite so enjoyable for every family.

Kids tend to find house hunting rather boring. Others may find the idea of leaving your current home nerve-wracking and may act out during the house hunt if you can’t help alleviate their anxiety. Still, other children may want to be overly-involved in the process, making it difficult for you to do what needs to be done to buy a house. No matter how your kids are reacting, check out these helpful strategies to make house hunting with children easier for everyone involved.

Look Online First

Before you step foot in any potential houses, sit down with your kids and look at the properties listed for sale online. You’re likely doing this anyway and it doesn’t take too much effort to invite your little ones into the process as well.

As you browse, ask your kids for their input. By allowing them to give you their perspective on what they like and don’t like about the houses online, they’ll feel that they have a role in this process.

They likely won’t be involved in the initial decision to move or in working with moving companies during the actual move. This feeling of inclusion in viewing homes online can help reduce any helplessness or frustration kids may feel when they aren’t involved in other steps of the moving process.

Don’t Bring Them to Every House

By having your kids look at homes online with you, you can avoid dragging them to every single property you tour during your initial search. While many kids will want to go, it’s in everyone’s best interest to wait until you’ve narrowed your search to bring them to the houses.

For adults, having kids at every house you tour can be distracting and exhausting. It’s very difficult to watch your children and evaluate the suitability of a potential house at the same time.

For kids, it can be very emotional if they get attached to a particular house and it doesn’t end up being in the running. Avoid this emotional distress by having a friend or family member watch the kids while you view the bulk of the houses.

Think About the Location

Any good house hunter knows to keep their potential property’s location at the front of their mind. When you’re house hunting with kids, remembering to think beyond the house is extremely important.

You’re already asking them to leave behind the friends, school, and neighborhood they’ve known for their whole lives. Ensuring that they feel comfortable in the new town or neighborhood you’re moving to is essential for making them feel less anxious about the move.

As you work with your real estate agent during your house hunt, ask them to stop at the local parks, schools, and stores so that your children can see their new community. You can also plan side trips to check out the spaces for extracurricular activities your kids love, like dance studios or sports fields.

As you’re touring the area, remember to keep an eye out for the more practical services as well. At the very least, you’ll want to make sure there is a grocery store, pharmacy, doctor’s office, and dental practice nearby.

As the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children visit the orthodontist when they’re about seven years old, you may want to look for orthodontists in the area too. Any type of practical resource your family relies on needs to be in close proximity to your new home.

While you search for a family-friendly home with your kids in tow, using these strategies can make the process more enjoyable for everyone. Remember to keep these tips in mind and everyone will feel happy and included when it’s finally time to move into your perfect new home.

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