What Are Customers With Families Looking For In A Home? 

When dealing with family oriented buyers, which may include grand parents, there are many areas to keep     in mind when chosing homes for the buyer to preview. 

Buyers think in terms of safety when a growing family is involved.  Considerations should include, traffic   patterns, fenced in yards, proximity to schools. Other considerations would include extra bathrooms,  extra   bedrooms and quiet ares to study and learn.  We also have to allow for indoor and outdoor recreation with safety again, being the highest priority. 

Kids - Their Space

Age & gender play a big part in deciding the size and the location of kid's bedrooms.  Do the parents want the kids rooms to be a shared experience or multi-purpose rooms or do they want the children to have separate spaces for study and play time.  These are all key points for a realtor® to address with the parents. 

Based on their age, we have to make sure there is sufficient space for the child to grow into.  Most parents want their children's rooms on the same floor as the master bedroom. However, a teenager may want their space to be away from the family as they mature.  For example, a room or two in the basement.  They also may want to entertain their teenage friends and a multi purpose room for study and entertaining may be appropriate. Let's not forget that extra bathroom.  Teenagers are looking for privacy. 

Other areas to consider: 

1) Storage space, 2) Safe exit for emergencies 3) Convenience & accessibility for adult supervision

Multi-Purpose Rooms

Families want their space together and apart from each other.  Depending on the price-point of the buyer, this may be a tall order to fill.  Consideration should be given to rooms that allow the family to participate as a family.  The dining room should be large enough to accomodate family and guests if possible. A room near the front of the home to greet guests that will not inconvenience or disrupt the rest of the family is an added bonus.  Some homes have a multi-purpose or bonus room on the same level as the bedrooms.  This allows the children to study or entertain their friends away from the main area of the home such as a great room or family room. 

Outdoor Play Areas  

The prime consideration for children should be their safety. If a home has a playgroud or play set, it should be inspected.  Is there a risk in using the equipment. This is no different than having a pool.  The home owner needs to have essential precautions in place.  A pool safety expert might be a great step to help make an informed decision as to the best safety equipment to have installed.  Besides suitable fencing, a pool cover and more specifically an electronically controlled cover might be a great option to ensure a safe environment.  Make sure that you meet the minimum standards of pool safety for your area.  Check with your local government agency. 

Let's remember, nothing is more important than proper and constant parental supervision to keep your kids safe.

Safety - Comfort - Privacy - Expansion

As with any buyer, the key for the realtor® is to ask the right questions and listen to the answers to determine the priority to the customer. But looking for a home that is safe, comfortable has the right amount of privacy and room to expand for a growing family are important to finding the right home for your family oriented customers.

As our population continues to age, we have to be very cognizant of those young families who are looking for their peice of the American Dream. As you have read in this article, there are different priorities for families than those buyers who are single or empty nesters.