What To Consider When Searching For Your Dream Family Home

The place you live and raise your family is so important to everyone’s happiness. It’s not always about size, a great home is often down to how you fill it, and where in the world you’re living. Lifestyle is the most important thing to consider; however, with a growing family, parents often feel the pressure to get their house just right. Therefore, it’s vital to remember that perfect doesn’t exist, so stop looking for it. This doesn’t mean that you can’t find somewhere just right, and create a perfect place over time. If you’re in the process of buying a new house and are feeling overwhelmed by the pressure and responsibility of it all, take a step back and breathe.

Stress will only hinder your search, and you’re more likely to make a rash decision on impulse, rather than find somewhere you’ve considered carefully. Therefore, now is your chance to sit down with your partner and family, and go through some of the non-negotiables. These might include things like being near the grandparents or a particular school. Then it’s time to figure out what you can compromise on for the time being (things can always evolve, improve, and adjust over time). Grab your stationery and begin writing those lists so that you can narrow down your search and find something that you and your family will love to settle down in. The following are some ideas and inspiration for busy parents who want to do everything to ensure that they can find a dream abode for their little tribe.

Finding A Project

As previously mentioned, there is no such thing as perfect, especially when it comes to finding a property (unless you have an endless supply of cash, and who does, right?). Therefore, you need to be going through your search again with fresh eyes, and perhaps it’s time to start looking at previously viewed, and new, properties, as projects that just need some improvement. If you’re going to be somewhere for the years ahead, a home that needs work could be your ideal option. You’ll need to discuss and decide on the scale of work you’d be prepared to take on, but remember that you can save a lot of cash buying a home that needs extending and renovating, over buying it after someone else has done the work for you.

You can save, and improve your property bit by bit, until you’ve created a perfect abode for your family. Moving itself can be an expensive time, let alone the work you’re planning to put into your new purchase. Therefore, it’s worth checking that you have a good credit score beforehand so that you won’t find getting a good mortgage or a home-improvement loan, too challenging. Be realistic when it comes to your finances, it’s all very well saying that a house will be perfect after you’ve added a couple of bedrooms and a new garage, but, if you’re not going to be able to afford any of the work needed, you might be living on a building site for longer than expected. Take a look in magazines and online to find how people have renovated their family homes on a budget, and get some inspiration. The more knowledge you have regarding what can be done, and how much it will cost, the better equipped you’ll be to view properties and make an informed and smart decision.

A Decorator’s Dream

A house that doesn’t need much structural work, is in a great location, but hasn’t been decorated since the 70s, is an excellent option for families looking to invest in somewhere longterm. You’ll have the benefit of having a roof over everyone’s heads each night, and putting up with awful tiles and wallpaper for a bit will be character building for everyone (well, that’s what you can tell them). Tackle each room at a time; fresh walls and flooring can transform a space, and it will give you even more opportunities to save cash. Painting parties are still very much a thing, so get your extended family and friends over regularly, buy some pizza, pop on some tunes, and create a great interior space for everyone.

Kitchen cabinets can get a new lease of life with a little sanding, painting, and new handles. Therefore, when you go to view somewhere with a kitchen you can’t stand, don’t assume you’ll need to gut it. Many families are put off by kitchens and bathrooms that they feel would be too expensive to replace. However, with a little imagination and several weekends with your sleeves rolled-up, you can transform a space on a tight budget. Being open minded about what you can achieve with a rundown and perhaps unloved home, will allow you to benefit from somewhere that others will dismiss at a first glance.