Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
If you have kids and you’re buying a new home, then you should look for a property that can suit everyone’s needs. In addition to finding something that your kids will love, the home should also be one that can age with you as the kids grow up and leave the nest. It may seem difficult to balance everyone’s needs today against your changing needs for the future, but it’s easier than you think. Here are a few things that your kids will want you to know when looking at houses.
When you look at luxury homes, you’ll find that most of them focus on the size of the bedrooms. However, only about 16 percent of kids are worried about having a large bedroom. Most kids are pretty happy as long as they have enough space for their bed, dresser, and some of their favorite things. This means that you can forego the bedroom space if it means that you’re getting some other key features that everyone will agree on. If you’re worried that that sounds too simple, then sit down with your kids and a realtor to discuss what exactly they want in their next bedroom.
Most kids are actually looking for cool spaces to hide and a yard that has tree house potential. The tree house can be a prime spot for hiding out in the afternoon, so you may want to put it at the top of your list. Once the kids leave home, you can easily have the tree house removed without harming your property value.
A good number of kids are also wanting pools. However, you don’t have to look for a house that comes complete with pools. When filling out your real estate forms, simply check off that you want a community that has a pool. That way, you can get the benefits of a pool without the upkeep later on. Another option is to look for a home with an above-ground pool that will be easy to remove later. Of course, you may love the idea of having your own in-ground pool, in which case you should add this feature to the top of your list.
What your kids are really interested in is having a place where they can hang out, relax, and have their friends over. Children can be happy in large and small homes alike. The most important thing is that they feel like they’ve had some input into the final decision. Rather than taking them to look at every single house, you may want to narrow down the list and then invite them to view your top two or three favorites with you. Then you can all sit down as a family to make the final decision together.
About the author: Hannah Whittenly is a freelance writer and mother of two from Sacramento, CA, writing on behalf of Adams, Cameron and Co., Realtors. She enjoys kayaking and reading books by the lake.
