New Construction House Hunting with Children

New Construction House Hunting with kids

We will more likely than not start by looking at furnished models :)

As a Realtor I understand that families may want to bring their children with them when hunting for a new home. For families relocating to the area it is also a great way to get the children excited about the idea of having a new home and possibly moving to a new town and changing schools. By involving the children in the house hunting process they are also being prepared for the move and the excitement which comes with buying a new home.

It is fun as a Realtor to watch children get excited about floor plans and their potential new bedrooms. Children can also constructively contribute to the process and many kids will have seen details in homes that their parents overlooked. They are here with us so let them explore and get a feel for the homes and the communities. Let them know that parents have budgets and explain that you will see homes which my well be larger or smaller than the one which best fits your family needs.

Below are some suggestions to make the house hunting process a great experience for the entire family. I am a firm believer that you can successfully house hunt with children.

Be prepared

Pack some food and drinks for the kids. Don’t forget the baby wipes and all that fun stuff. We might have planned the day, but we could very easily get side tracked and be stuck in traffic or absolutely need to go back to a sales center. So a good Realtor will have built in some time to be flexible.

Here in central Florida there are so many new home communities that days are going to be long and exhausting, if you are from out of town and  before we decide on the favorite homes and areas.

Sometimes home builders have a media room in the model where the kids can sit and enjoy a movie. One developer I work with keeps the kids entertained with features like Nemo and Frozen. The kids find the media room quickly and settle down in the comfy chairs while the grown ups can focus on the home design and features. There is candy available for the children which of course is
popular with the adults too.

Most home buyers start their research on the internet, but everything changes when you visit the communities in person with your own Realtor. Always take your Realtor with you to the sales center on the first visit and if not call your Realtor ahead of time so he or she can pre-register you. A Realtor can be a great benefit buying a new home as they know the nuances of the business. The new construction builders factor real estate commission in to their bottom line and you don’t save by going it alone.

Have a friend or Family Member come along, where possible

The Buyer needs to focus. It is good to have a friend or family member come along so that while the buyers asks the Realtor questions and checks out the different floor plans available in a community, the children have a supervisor taking care of their needs. If they get too excited the friend or family member can take them outside the model and let them run around outside.

There are bathrooms in the model homes so take advantage of them before getting back in to the cars.

Drive in your own Car

When home shopping with a family you really want to have your children in your own vehicle.

You have the booster seats and the DVD players and all the gear that keeps the children occupied as you move from site to site.

Ground Rules

It is fine to go inside a builders model with children. But do tell the kids not to go jumping around on the furniture and an everything is not unbreakable so remind them that they should behave as is they were visiting anyone else’s home.  Don’t touch the stuff!

Have Fun - Enjoy

For older kids get them involved. Let them take pictures. If they complete a check list with things they like about each model they can then remind the home owner and the Realtor down the road what they like and don’t like. If they take pictures of the houses and the Name Sign of a model  and something they like inside the house it will keep them busy and maybe they can have some valuable input when it comes to decorating their own new bedrooms down the road. The pictures can be a great reminder when you regroup later in the day.

If the children are being accompanied by the friend or family member, they might want to check out the community pool or the play areas. It’s the parents making the decision but there is nothing at all wrong in the children being aware of the differences. Teenagers might want to know where the malls are and of course all children want to know where the nearest schools are.

Talk to your Realtor about your plans and requirements so that he or she know what works best for you. As a home buyer you shouldn’t feel pressured and after all this is one of the largest purchases of your life.

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