• Do you need a separate play area for younger children? A place for teenagers to hang out with friends? Look for a home that offers a separate living room and rec room.  A finished basement can be the perfect spot.  Split-level homes often have lots of room to spread out.  There is usually a formal living room in the main floor, a rec room, and a basement.  Bungalows and multi-storey houses of all kinds usually include a full basement level.

•  How does your family eat meals? If you love to entertain, or if everyone eats together, you probably need a dining room.  If not, a bar-top counter & stools, or an eat-in kitchen with a smaller table might be enough.

• Open plan? Or private rooms? Though an open floor plan is a modern trend, think about how you live.  Would it be more practical to have separations between the shared spaces, or is it better to be able to see the kids at a glance across the room?

2. BATHROOMS

We are sure you know how many bathrooms you need!  It’s almost always more than one in a true family home.

But will you need a second full bathroom? Or will a powder room be enough?

If you have young children, at least one tub is important for bath-time.

Does there have to be a bathroom on the main floor? Or is it ok if there are stairs to get there?

3. BEDROOMS

The number of bedrooms is often the first thing that comes to mind when house hunting.

You know how many you need, but think about these questions, too:

• Do you need all the bedrooms on the same floor?  You might, especially with babies or younger kids.  A multi-generation household, though, might prefer them on separate levels for privacy.
• Does the principal room need an ensuite bathroom?
• If there is a bedroom in a basement, is there a large enough window for egress/safety?
• How small is too small?  Bedrooms in some new construction can be very cramped, with room for only a twin bed.  If you need something bigger, check the dimensions of the bedrooms in any listings you’re interested in.

4. BUILDING MATERIALS AND FINISHES

If you are looking to buy a home that doesn’t need too much work, you’ll want to think about how well the building materials and finishes suit your family.

Do you prefer carpet (for a softer landing) or resilient flooring materials like tile, hardwood, laminate, or vinyl?

Remember that little kids (and the rest of us, occasionally) will spill things.

Carpet in the living room or hardwood in the kitchen could wear out very quickly if they are forever being soaked with juice and other spills.

Unless you’re willing to paint the whole place after you own it, take a look at the walls, too.

Flat or builder’s grade paint is often hard, sometimes impossible, to clean.  The bigger your family, the more important it is to have scrub-able painted walls!

5. BACKYARD

Is your backyard going to be a serene, landscaped oasis?

Or is it more likely to be a place for little ones to romp through the sprinkler and for pets to run around?

A large yard might be very important, and a fence may be a necessity!  (If you are thinking of buying a place with a pool or hot tub, always be sure the right safety measures are in place: A compliant fence and/or a locked cover.)

If your children are still young, and you can’t find a house with the perfect yard for them to play, look for neighbourhoods with nearby parks and playgrounds.

6. PARKING

This is a big one for city and suburban home buyers!

Some older city homes don’t even have a driveway or single car parking pad.

Unless street parking is readily available, this can become a real challenge when you’re bringing in groceries or carrying a sleeping toddler!

Figure out how many vehicles your family will have while you own the house, and know whether parking will be an issue.

Will you have teenagers driving soon? They will need a spot.

Or if you have an in-law suite, how many adults in the family will have cars? (A neighbour of ours recently got a ticket for parking on her own grass in Hamilton – so don’t assume that a large lot automatically means you have space for many cars.)   Rules for street parking vary in different neighbourhoods – so ask questions to avoid constant irritation about parking.

7. NEIGHBOURHOOD

Parents often want to raise their children in a specific type of neighbourhood.

Do you prefer a close-knit community, where all the kids play in the street together and parents watch over each others’ children?

Or do you envision privacy where homes are more spread out and neighbours keep to themselves?

It’s a good idea to drive around an area you’re considering.

See what kind of activity is going on, or how quiet the streets are at different times of day.

Ask neighbours, if you can, what they can tell you about what it’s like to live there.  Read small local newspapers to get a sense of the community.  This can help you know whether it’s the kind of neighbourhood where your family will be happy.

8. SCHOOLS

You might already know that you want to live in a specific school district.

A Google search will give you the catchment area boundaries for your chosen school, and your realtor can confine your search to this area.

If you don’t know the area or you aren’t sure about local schools, you can start here.  This site gives you school information all over Ontario.  Just enter the postal code of the house you’re considering, and you’ll see both public and Catholic school options.

9. A HOME OFFICE

It’s 2021, and the new normal includes working from home for many of us.  If you’re looking for a new home, be sure to include a practical space for your work station.  Do you need a fully enclosed room?  Or will a nook in a larger space in the house suit your purpose?  Check out some ideas here if you’re not sure how to set up your workspace!

There is lots to think about when searching for the right home for your family! Fortunately, many listings now come with excellent pictures, video, and even 3D tours to help you do much of your initial searching from home.  If you have questions about a neighbourhood or a specific property, please let us know how we can help you to decide whether it’s worth booking an in-person visit!