What are your goals of homeownership? Whatever the reason is for owning a house will certainly affect your home buying process. A single person, a couple of friends, a married couple, and a young family will have very different sets of features that are must haves. If you’re shopping to provide a home for your child, there are certain things to consider. Below are a few tips, tricks, and things to ponder.

The first pointer in shopping for a home with a child in mind is to bring them along with you. You may or may not want to bring them with you to every single house but when your home search gets narrowed its important to include them in the decision making. There may be things that they really love that you never noticed or likewise there may be something within the home that they don’t like. Your child may also have special insight into who lives nearby and that can also affect their decision. It’s important to not give them total authority on making the decision but it’s a valuable exercise to allow them to be a part of the process.

The other big tip in buying a home with a kid is to carefully consider the school districts. There are many websites with ranking systems, grades, etc that you can use to begin your research. As you utilize these websites it’s important to look at the metrics they’re using to arrive at their results. Ratings may be helpful during your hunt but it may be best to talk to actual parents of students who attend the schools. Speaking with teachers and/or administrators may also help when deciding. Having a few school zones in mind will be a huge tool in refining your search.

Another important feature to consider during your home search is the yard. If you have a child, the backyard and/or front yard may have a higher importance than others. Ample space for him/her to run around, kick the ball, have a playset, etc is typically desired. A yard space that is flat and conducive for those activities is also valuable. A home may have a large yard but it also needs to be safe. A busy street in front of the house or behind the house may be a deterrent for those with children. Other elements of danger adjacent to the property will also need to be carefully evaluated. As a purchaser who is shopping with a child in mind be sure to pay special attention to the outdoor yard space.

Just beyond the yards, is the neighborhood (or not) in which the home resides in. Most buyers look around to see what the surrounding area has to offer for their offspring. Are there other children nearby? Are there playgrounds nearby? Is there a neighborhood pool or other community amenities? A sense of community, friendships, and other relationships that will last for the long haul are some of the intangible qualities that are often considered.

Lastly, buyers with children traditionally evaluate the amount of and arrangement of bathrooms. The total number of children will certainly have an impact on how many bathrooms are needed. Perhaps the gender(s) of the children will also affect the importance of bathrooms. Often times, buyers plan out bedroom arrangements but may forget about how bathrooms will be occupied on the daily activities. Bath time routines for the younger kids and sharing of showers for the older ones need to be considered.

So whether you are buying your first house or not, if you’re shopping with a child in mind there’s a few nuisances. There’s a high likelihood that your target location will be focused on school districts, neighborhoods, and or other family friendly perks. The backyard and front yard will be important features to consider outside of the home itself. And within the home, special attention should be given to the bathrooms. And of course, it’s a great idea to get the home approved and sanctioned by your little one if possible. For other helpful tips in the home buying process be sure to check out “I’m Ready to Buy, Now What?” or other helpful home buying articles found here.