When you’re a single person, or married without kids, a good location for a home is all about proximity to the newest restaurants, bars, entertainment options, and nightlife. But that all changes when you start a family. Having kids causes you to change a lot of your priorities, and home location is definitely one of those shifting priorities. School districts suddenly become way more important than being close to the art district. If you’re wanting a more family friendly neighborhood, here are some features to look out for.
School Districts– Few things are more important than your kid’s education. Make sure the neighborhood is in a good school district by checking a few easy stats about the schools. You’ll want to know student to teacher ratio, test scores, and graduation rates. It’s also not a bad idea to check for the availability of extracurricular programs like music, art, theater and sports.
Sidewalks– One of the most underestimated neighborhood features are sidewalks. These concrete oases are your ticket to safe bike riding lessons, chalk drawing, evening walks pushing a stroller, and plenty of other activity you might take for granted.
Shortcut Streets– Before you buy, it’s a good idea to visit the neighborhood during morning and evening rush hour to see if commuters are using the neighborhood streets to dodge rush hour traffic. If you spot cars barreling down the streets, it might spell trouble when kids are playing by the street after school.
Parks and Pools– Having a place you can send the kids to burn off some energy is a wonderful thing come summer time when school is out. Neighborhood parks and pools are great for entertaining kids and keeping your sanity. These common areas are also a great way for you to meet and get to know your neighbors.
At Perry Hood Properties, we take pride in building top quality homes in top quality neighborhoods. If you’re in need of a new construction home in a family friendly neighborhood, give us a call.