What your family should consider before buying a new home

It takes a lot of thought and planning to move your family to a new home. A move can affect your child’s education, your commute, and even your social life. So before you and your family decide to pick up and move, it’s important that you consider all the factors involved before making a final decision. Here are four important things to consider before buying your next home.

Affordability

Consider the overall costs of your home. Location, property taxes, utilities, repairs, and homeowners insurance are all factors to consider when deciding whether a house is affordable.

Property taxes and homeowners insurance play into affordability because they’re both additional fees that, even if they have nothing to do with actual repairs or maintenance, add considerably more cost each year. It’s best to meet with your banker early on in the home buying process to plan your budget and get pre-approval so you’re ready to move forward to make an offer.

Also, talk to your realtor about having a handyman or contractor check out the property to get an estimate on the cost of any remodeling you plan to do.

Convenience of Everyday Activities

Convenience is of utmost importance for on-the-go families. Make sure that moving will not interfere with any of your family members’ daily routines, such as going to work or school, running errands, or working out.

As an example, it’s a good idea to buy a home that’s close to a school if you have school-age children. Having the ability to quickly take kids from school to an after-school activity can save you a lot of time in the long run. Being close to a commercial plaza with a grocery store and restaurants from where to quickly grab a bite can also save you precious time. However, if you decide to purchase in a scenic location farther away from schools and urban amenities, make sure you take the driving time into account when you plan the activities for your family.

You should also give some consideration to the kinds of recreational spaces available in the surrounding area, such as parks, lakes, playgrounds, and walking trails. Are they within walking distance or not? When it comes to getting around without a car or having to drive everywhere all the time, it can have an impact on your quality of life.

Amenities & Education

Amenities are the services and facilities available in a particular area. They can include schools, parks, hospitals, shopping centers, etc. If you’re thinking about moving to a new home, it’s important that you consider these amenities before making your final decision on where to live. Ideally, you’ll want your home to be close to places you frequent. For example, if you go to the gym a few times a week, you should time how long it takes you to get there. Check to see how far you are from places like the hospital or fire department in your future neighborhood. That way, if an emergency arises, they will be nearby.

If moving with young children, you should also consider the schools in the area. What is the school district like? What are their ratings? Do they have after-school activities for your children to join? This can be an important consideration when moving to a new neighborhood as it can determine whether or not your children will have a good education and enjoy their time at school.

Safety

Safety is probably the biggest concern for many families. Before moving to a new home, consider the safety of your neighborhood and community. Are there areas you should avoid? Is it near a busy street? Does it have a lot of crime? Consider visiting at different times of day to see how safe it feels at different times. Also, ask your real estate agent about any concerns she has about the area and what she thinks might be good to know about in terms of safety.

Are you ready to make your next move?

If you’re considering a move for your family, there are many factors to consider before you make the leap. While it can be exciting to start fresh somewhere else, it’s important that you keep all of these things in mind so that when the time comes, you know what will be best for everyone involved.

When you are ready to make your move, contact South Dakota’s most experienced real estate professionals at Century21!