Things To Look For In A Neighborhood That Benefits Your Kids

That cute little pad you’re living in, the one smack in the middle of downtown, close to all the nightlife, might be very cool and just what you need, but now that you’re a parent, it might not be suitable anymore.

Becoming or being a parent is a big milestone in your life, if not the biggest, so you can expect some changes to come with it. You can no longer think only of yourself. Many things that suited you before will often not suit you now and where you live is one of those things.

Have a read on the 6 things you need to look for when choosing a neighborhood, to provide a good environment for your children.

Security

There’s really no way to get around it. Even with no kids, you would want to live in a safe neighborhood, so just imagine how that desire multiplies when you’re a parent. If you’re not sure about the safety of the neighborhood, there are several tools you can use right now to check.

You can use an online crime mapping service that will show the crimes that have been reported within a certain vicinity. You can also check public information on known sex offenders. Another way could be to find out how many houses were sold in the near past, as that might indicate a rise in crime that people are trying to escape from.

Schools

For most parents, the type of education they can offer their children is a major criterion when choosing a neighborhood. You want to see well-kept schools within the area with a good academic record. There are also other factors to consider such as how close the school is to your new home.

Is it walking distance and is the route safe to walk in, or would your kids need a school bus or someone to pick them up and back and forth? It’s also a very good idea to do some research for the schools in your area, or even schools from all around the world just to draw comparisons and see what fits your lifestyle.

According to Jeff Stewart from HomesInMeridian.com, Meridian, Idaho has an impressive number of great schools to choose from when deciding where to send your kids. It’s always good to take on several reviews and see if they match up to make a better decision. One of the signs of a good neighborhood is a couple of good schools for children to attend.

Commuting

You need to put into consideration how much and how long back and forth commuting you will be doing, whether to your job or any other place you go to often. If there is only one car in a family household, someone might need to use public transport, for example. Your children aren’t going to stay too young forever, and eventually, they will be out on their own. When they are old enough to commute alone, but too young to drive or don’t own a car, you might put this as one of your priorities.

Amenities

If you’ve been more used to city life and planning to move to a more remote area, you might still want the idea of having close by amenities. With children, a nearby hospital or clinic is important since children tend to get sick a lot, or prone to accidents. A supermarket or grocer and a pharmacy can also come in very handy if they are near you.

Cost of living

The budget for a new house or apartment is usually the deciding factor for most people. But besides the actual cost of just the residence, look into the cost of living in general. Note that taxes will differ from one state to another, from one district to another. The cost of transportation, food, clothes, and other essential and non-essentials need to be checked on in advance before committing to anything. The higher the standard of the neighborhood often means the higher daily expenses will be.

Future Developments

This is often an overlooked factor, but it’s just as important as any other one. You don’t want to move into something you chose because of the peace and quiet, only to find a construction of a new mall that will bring with it a lot of car and foot traffic to shatter your peace. Check with the municipal about future developments.

Choosing a new house is going to be a big investment. You are investing in the house and the neighborhood, so you want to enjoy that investment. Ask yourself what are the most important priorities for you. After that, drive through the neighborhood several times at different hours, and you’ll get a more accurate feel of it. You’ll know if it’s family-oriented enough for you, or if you need to search a bit more.

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