Without even realising you have been handed one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make in your lifetime, finding a family home for you and your loved ones. When you start a family you never quite come to terms with how much of an impact your home can have on your entire quality of life. It’s the place where you’ll watch your children grow up, experience some of your happiest moments and go through some life changing scenarios too, so you want to get it right the first time. Buying a property is no small investment, so you want to take your time and make sure you’ve completed all of the relevant steps before taking the leap. When it comes to settling down in your first family home, you want to make sure you’ve considered everything before putting in an offer, from storage space to local amenities. If you are looking for a little reassurance and guidance, here are a handful of items to tick off your list so that you can be certain you’ve found the perfect family home.
Check Out the Neighbourhood
Liking the area you live in and making sure it’s safe for you and your children is paramount. Make sure you take the time to explore the area during all times of the day, so that you can get a sense of the local community. Hopefully, you’ll experience a peaceful, supportive and enjoyable environment that is perfectly suited to your family.
Explore Schools and Nurseries
If you’re moving as a family into a new home, it’s likely that you’ll also need to research schools and other childcare facilities in the local area. You may want to narrow down your property search according to the best schools you find. With that being said, don’t rule out an area completely just because it doesn’t have a lot of information on local schooling. You will be able to speak to local people, join online forums and even speak with headteachers to find out more information.
Does The House Have Good Storage?
Storage is truly everything when it comes to buying a property these days. If a house doesn’t have adequate storage in certain areas of the home, you may quickly outgrow the house and find it frustrating to keep tidy. When you’re looking around the property, make sure you take a good look around all of the cupboards, wardrobes, attics and drawers so that you get a good sense of what you’re working with. Storage is a huge selling point for family homes, so this should be something at the very top of your list.
Get a Second Opinion
On the surface, you may think you have found the perfect family home. It has every feature you could ever wish for and it feels like a good fit for your loved ones. However, before you rush to put an offer into this property, you may want to delve a little deeper and make sure the property is as structurally sound as it appears. Getting a second opinion from a Chartered Surveyor can help to uncover any potential repairs that may need to be done, and it can also tell you whether the value of the property is accurate. Asking a professional for their impartial opinion on a property before you buy it will give you peace of mind that you’re making the right choice.
Take Note of the Decor
If you’re the type of buyer who wants to walk into a property and live in it in the way it’s currently decorated, then you need to like the interior design. Moving into a fixer upper property is a big project and may not be the ideal way to kickstart your new life in the family home. Some people love a project, but it’s not for everyone. Make sure you like the bathroom and kitchen decor as they are usually the most expensive renovations to undertake.
Consider Bathrooms and Bedrooms
The number of bathrooms and bedrooms in a property will give you an instant impression as to whether it’s the right place for you or not. Although this may help you to make your final decision, you also need to have an open mind about the rooms in the property. If you have flexibility it’s always worth looking at everything so that you can really see what you like and dislike about the place.
Find Out About Local Amenities
When you buy a family home to live in for the long term, you need to know what there is to do in the surrounding area. Whether you want a gym to join for your regular workouts, or you’re keen to join a social or sports club, now is the perfect opportunity to check out the local amenities.
Are You Close to Friends or Family?
Believe it or not, people who choose to move closer to their friends or family are actually much happier in the long run. You may find it more comforting to know that you’ve got familiar faces nearby, or you may rely on family members to help you out with childcare. The location of the property is just as important as all of the aesthetic and logistical features.
As you can see, there are so many different areas for you to look at when deciding if a home is right for you or not. Putting an offer on a house is a decision you will carefully consider until you are completely sure it’s the right property for you and your family. You must never rush the process, or feel pushed into making a decision, especially from the buyers or an estate agent. Don’t be afraid to shop around and ask for advice from people you trust before you put in the offer. Once you have made your final choice, you will have full peace of mind that you’ve made the best possible decision and you’ve found your family’s forever home.
