What Do You Look for in a Home?

Since last week, I’ve been looking at open houses for a . Which has got me to thinking: When it comes to buying a place, many moms look for a home that will be best for their kids. In fact, Coldwell Banker Real Estate  surveyed 1,000 homeowners and discovered that women are more likely to consider their growing family when buying a home than men are.

My husband I bought our house only a few months before we were parents. We did think about how our home purchase would affect any children we would have – such as which schools they would go to – but I have to admit that because we weren’t parents yet, we didn’t really know what home qualities would be best for raising kids.

For example, I love our home’s open-concept floor plan, since it allows me to watch the kids while they are playing in the family room when I am cooking. I also like our cul-de-sac location and our proximity to a local park. But I do wish that we had a separate, closed off space for a playroom, so we’d have a place to stash all their toys. Right now, our living room serves as a playroom and is an eyesore when guests enter it from our front door. I am working on creating a play space in our (unfinished) basement.

So, for any moms out there who may be in the market for a new home and are wondering what kind of house would suit a growing family best, I took a poll of my Facebook friends and found the features that moms find are the most important in a home:

 ● Location is very crucial for most moms. Many moms prefer a home on a cul-de-sac or quiet street, a home that’s close to schools (within walking distance is ideal) and in a friendly neighborhood with safe sidewalks. For instance, a friend of mine purchased a great family home in West Windsor, but wishes that her neighborhood – which is isolated from other neighborhoods and is located off a busy road – offered a park within walking distance. Also, the home is located in a community of older families without young children, so her kids don’t have any playmates on their block.

● Safety is very important. Moms want a home that doesn’t pose any safety hazards for their children, and are on the lookout for dangers like lead, mold and radon. “A lot of people we deal with are looking for houses that are safe for their kids  not too close to busy roads, no crazy stairwells, no environmental hazards like lead paint,” said Valerie Patterson of Kurfiss Sotheby’s International Realty.

 ● Plenty of kid space is a help. Children need a place of their own, either their own room or a playroom. With kids –especially the little ones – comes lots and lots of toys. Teens and older kids don’t generally need a lot of space for toys (the “toys” they want, like Gameboys and electronics, get smaller each year), but could still use a room to call their own. Now that I have children, I recognize the importance of storage space  – in closets, in the garage and in the basement. There’s always plenty of stuff (bikes, toys, playhouses, etc.) that need to be put away!