It’s little secret that buying a property can be stressful at the best of times. The market is so confusing, there is a tonne of legal jargon to get your head around, and there’s no guarantee you will even walk away with a house at the end of it all, either! If you are already a homeowner, you will know this only too well. But there’s one thing that can make the whole process even more difficult than normal, and that is having children. Buying your home was hard enough, and that was when you only had yourself to think about. If you are currently pregnant, or if you already have kids and desperately need to move to a bigger house, you automatically have a lot more responsibility on your shoulders. We all know how easy it can be to get carried away by big, dreamy family homes – and due to the competitive nature of the market, many people end up putting deposits down in a panic on a house that doesn’t meet their family’s needs. If you are someone who is wanting to upgrade their family home but who doesn’t want to rush into an unsuitable sale, take a look at these tips below for finding your perfect nest.

 

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Choose practicality over your emotions

How our homes make us feel is a huge part of why we love them, and what draws us to them in the first place. For example, you may be entranced by a property you view with a stunning garden, one that looks as though it is straight out of a fairytale. Or you may fall in love with a period property that still retains plenty of its old Georgian decor and fixtures, such as adorned worktops and a spiral staircase. All of these sound breathtaking and can add a whole lot of personality and vibrancy to your home. But try and step back from your emotions for a second and look at the practicality of such features. Sure, the property with the amazing garden might capture your imagination. But if said garden backs onto a busy highway, and you have two or three ruthless children, is it the best option for your family? The same thing goes for the stunning period property. All those Georgian features might make you melt, but are those cabinets at just the right height for your child to bang their head on, and the staircase impossible for your three-year-old to navigate? It might pain you to do so on a personal level, but disregard properties like this that simply won’t work for everyday living. Your future self will thank you for it!

 

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Bear in mind all aspects of the neighborhood

When you move house, you are not only moving to a new set of bricks and mortar. You are also moving to a new neighborhood, which will be full of new people, new amenities and new sights. As a general rule, always consider the area before you even look at any properties. You need to make sure it is a family friendly neighborhood – somewhere that your children can thrive in. Of course, everywhere has good and bad in it, and reading online forums are unlikely to give you a real view of what a particular place is like. Instead, read up on the practical things you know you can trust (like the ratings of the local schools), and then visit the area with your children in tow. Sometimes you just get a good feeling from certain places, and if you get that when you visit a prospective neighborhood, you know you can go ahead and start looking at properties.

 

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Make sure you have enough room

The number one reason why families move home is because of a lack of space in their current property. Children may be small, but they sure do come with a lot of stuff! You also need to be aware of any privacy your children will start to require as they move into their teenage years. For example, there is no point buying a two bedroom property just because your two young twins still currently share a bedroom. By the time they reach puberty, they are going to want some of their space, so invest in a three bed instead. This will save you a lot of hassle in the future. It can also be worth buying a home with an attic or a basement, as this gives you the option to carry out a future conversion if you so wish. Attic and basement conversions can add thousands of pounds onto a property’s value, so don’t rule this out when buying a family home.
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