I know what you’re thinking…based on the title of this post, I must be pregnant. Well, wrong. Just wrong. Haha! No, I’m not expecting, nor are we even planning, but having kids can be one of the most stressful things in and of itself, so naturally your house and where you live become one of those stressors. When we were first expecting, we knew that the place we lived wasn’t likely going to be where we raised our daughter. Knowing that, we spent a fair amount of time going over all the things we wanted in a house and a community to make sure our next move was the right one. So if you’re expecting a baby or planning to add another family member to your home, here are a few things to keep in mind to make sure your home is ready
Do you have enough bedrooms?
First things first, when you have a baby on the way you need to consider if you have space for them where you live. Without a spare bedroom for their nursery you may need to move into a new house- or at least you will eventually. Otherwise you have the option of renovating, or adjusting the layout of your current home in order to create the space you need. While a baby won’t need their own room right away, if you’re able to have this all set up ahead of time it can be a weight off your mind and help you to feel prepared and organized.
Is it accessible?
Any homes with lots of steps in and out are going to be problematic when you have a baby, they’re going to be in a carseat and stroller for the first few years of their life, so you want to be able to get in and out easily. When you’re looking at homes for sale or rent, consider how easy it would be to get in and out with a carseat or a stroller from the street, driveway, or garage.
What are the crime rates like?
None of us want to live in a high crime area, but chances are this will be more of a priority once you’ve started your family. Unfortunately, many larger cities tend to have higher crime rates, so you may want to consider moving to the suburbs or go with a luxurious location in the city from a site like William Pitt. It’s easy to find the crime rates of an area, run a zipcode search online and make sure you have an idea of what the overall place is like.
Are there good schools nearby?
Something that you likely won’t have ever considered before starting your family, but is incredibly important once you start thinking about it, is the nearby schools. Most schools have districts defined by geographic areas so if you have a particular school in mind then you need to live close to it. At the very least it’s worth taking a look at the schools aligned to each property you consider moving to, so it can help to make your decision when it comes to choosing between different houses on your shortlist.
Are you close to your support network?
If this is your first baby then you’ll be well aware that your life is about to completely change. As exciting as it all is, it can be a really challenging time and having your loved ones nearby can make the transition easier. Not to mention that once you have a family, it’s natural to want to spend more time with the rest of your family so you can all be close and they can know your child. If you currently live a long way from everyone you know, having a baby might cause you to consider moving a little closer to the people in your life that matter. Or at the very least, ensure you have enough guest space should your family to come stay with you for a period of time.
