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Single-family homes are among the most common types of homes that people shop for when house hunting. Owning a home is more cost-effective in the long run than renting is, as you can build equity in your property and have more of a say in how you live when you own versus renting from someone else.
Whether you rent your home now and you want to buy a home in the future or you’re looking to sell your home and upgrade to something more family-friendly, one thing rings true: it’s worth it to invest in something more family-friendly than where you live now. But, with so many features to consider in real estate, how do you know what will work best for your needs? Here are some factors to consider the next time you go shopping for a home.
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Family-Friendly Home Features: What to Look for in Your Next House
Fencing
Fencing is one of the biggest benefits of having a property, as it helps protect your family and keep intruders out. A classic chain link fence is a cost-effective solution to fencing on a property, while a wooden fence or vinyl fence offers more privacy and may be easier to maintain. Keep in mind that choosing a home with fencing isn’t just family-friendly when you have younger kids in the home, it’s an ideal type of fencing to consider when you have pets and family members who like to spend time outdoors as well.
Family Room
Lots of modern homes have family rooms in them. These are rooms that can be used for a variety of purposes and often serve as an additional living room. Family rooms give extra gathering space for kids’ toys or to use as a quiet TV room, freeing up the living room for more casual or adult gatherings.
Family rooms are often on other levels of a home for added privacy and to make them more of their own space for play or entertainment. Still, other family rooms are more informal extensions of other living areas, such as living rooms or great rooms. However, your next home is outfitted with its family room, know there are several ways you can decorate and renovate the space to suit your family best.
Kitchen Island
A kitchen island is a must in family-friendly homes. This is because the kitchen is often one of the most gathered-in and busy rooms of the house and having an island makes the room easier to walk through and around. A kitchen island can be a stand-alone feature to be simply used as additional counter space, or it can contain a sink, stove, or even the dishwasher.
Another option in a kitchen is a bar. An open bar area that goes into a dining room space helps bring two gathering rooms together, offering even more relaxing space for families to get together and enjoy meals. Smaller kitchens in particular can benefit from either a kitchen island or an open bar concept to make an intimate space more welcoming and versatile.
Location
Being located next to local parks, walking paths, family-friendly restaurants and other establishments, as well as sidewalks for bike riding and playing, is key when buying a family-friendly home in Pennsylvania. It’s important to choose a location close to desired schools as well. Often, home buyers choose to buy a house for sale in Philadelphia that is near facilities that can benefit their needs as a family best.
Think about what your family needs in a Philadelphia home. Is it walking paths for easy biking and riding? Close access to the local library? Is there an elementary or other school you want your kids to attend? Is a quiet and mostly family-centered neighborhood your goal? When you look for family-friendly places to live, you’ll be able to better tune into what you need.
Bathrooms/Laundry Rooms
No matter how many children you have in your household, having access to multiple bathrooms can make living much easier. Having a bathroom for the adults and another for the children makes getting ready for the day and overall hygiene much easier (just make sure any home you consider also has a sizable water heater so you don’t run out of water quickly during showers and laundering clothes).
On the same note of bathrooms, it’s wise to select a family-friendly home that has its own laundry room. Modern amenities in homes often include laundry rooms with cupboards, countertops, and the ability to either stack or have side-by-side laundry facilities to make handling the daily chores of clothing and linen washing easier.
Yard Space
When you choose a family-friendly property that has plenty of front or backyard space, you make your home more inviting for kids to get outside and play, therefore limiting their screen time and making them more active. Choose a home that has a sizable yard for planting a garden, installing a volleyball court, or for doing other recreational things that can keep your family active and not just indoors relying on devices and social media. The right yard will help bring balance to your home.
Choosing Your Next Home
A real estate agent can help you choose your next home and you can accomplish this based on your budget, family size, and more. Whether you’re buying a home in Philadelphia or elsewhere, upgrading to a family-friendly home has many rewards.
Image Credit: depositphotos.com
