A growing family is one of the top reasons people buy a home in Austin. When shopping for a home while pregnant, there are lots of tips and tricks that can make the process much less stressful. That’s why we’ve created our Buying a Home While Pregnant Series. We’ll be covering a long list of common concerns and questions, but if you have a specific issue we encourage you to email us so we can help!
As we’ve mentioned in previous posts, one of the most important questions to answer is are you looking for your forever home or a starter-type home? Clients looking for forever homes tend to be very particular in what they expect to have in the home and have done a great deal of research on this. The biggest mistake we see though is people looking for a starter-type home who don’t fully have an idea of what is truly going to work for them. They often settle for something that’s “good for now” without considering how long “now” will last. We usually see these people back in our offices within two years having to move again. The good news is that this is easily avoidable. Most people in this situation usually didn’t consider one of the following:
How Many Bedrooms Do You Really Need?
A couple expecting their first child may think that two-bedrooms is adequate, but this often becomes problematic quickly. Even if you haven’t had too many visitors before, babies have a way of attracting grandparents, aunts and uncles to come visit. Do you want an extra bedroom to give your family some space to spread out? Is a grandparent going to stay for long periods of time? Perhaps a bedroom/bath on a separate floor might help keep the peace there.
Another issue tends to arise – additional children. While you may think that one child is enough, having a baby tends to spark people to consider more children. Many new moms want to consolidate their pregnancy years and/or have children close together who can play with each other so usually this second child comes not long after the first. Unless you are super confident you won’t have more children, we find it’s best to get the third bedroom just in case.
Also Consider Bathrooms
When people think of space they often think of bedrooms, but bathrooms cause an issue too. Where 1 or 1.5 bathrooms might seem adequate with only one child, visitors or other children quickly outgrow this arrangement so we always recommend looking for a home with two full bathrooms if you can afford it.
Storage – The Extra Space
Finally, new moms and dads may not realize just how much stuff is really required. Having adequate storage space so you can buy things like diapers in bulk will help make your home that much more livable. We recommend looking for homes with large closets and/or indoor storage rooms vs. garage storage (which isn’t temp regulated.
Considering Buying a Home in Austin?
We can help! We have a combined 55+ years of experience in real estate and can help you get a great deal. Check out our Austin Home Buyer page to learn more about who we are and how we work. Then, call us at (512) 827-8323 or email us at info@11OaksRealty.com to schedule a no obligation consultation.
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