Pet & Kid Friendly Neighborhood Necessities When Looking To Buy A Home
Ideally, the #1 factor that goes into purchasing a home is whether or not the surrounding areas are safe. It doesn’t matter if you're by yourself or looking out for your partner, pets, or kids, safety overrides all other concerns.
That doesn’t mean other factors don’t contribute to whether or not you’re going to purchase a home in a specific neighborhood, though.
If you’re alone, you may be looking for a home in a town or city that has off-street parking so that you’re not walking long distances late at night. If you’re a pet parent, you may want to know that there are no aggressive animals lurking around. If you’re a mother/father to a child, you may want to consider if the neighboring school district’s line up with your wants and needs as a parent. The list goes on.
Here, we’re going to focus on some necessities you may want to keep in mind when looking for a house - pet and kid friendly specific. We aim to make weaning out unwanted options easy, so that you can be in a safe environment with your puppies, kittens, or kids without a worry in sight. Without further ado.
Ask yourself: What’s the yard like?
Pet parent or child parent, it doesn’t matter. How does the yard look?
If there’s room to grow and play, you’re golden. Furthermore, if there’s already a fence in existence, your safety increases sufficiently. The right amount of room in combination with a fenced in back and front yard points towards a safe space.
Think: No strangers will be cutting across your grass. No wild animals will be hiding in the backyard shadows. Your privacy will be enhanced and you’ll feel more at peace.
Ask yourself: Is the neighborhood pet and kid friendly?
Pet and kid friendly requirements may differ depending on your specific situation.
For pets, check if there are nearby parks to play at, shade to keep cool during hot days, and non-poisonous plants. The non-poisonous plants may wig you out, but believe it or not, some plants don’t digest well with animals. Check out what your neighbors have in their yards just in case your dog starts chomping on it like a hearty snack.
For kids, make sure sidewalks are easily accessible. If they’re small, you’ll want a dedicated area to use a stroller. Sharing the road while you protect your kid is no easy task; sidewalks take that scariness away. Also, look for a good school district, surrounding traffic laws, and other little kids so that yours has some friends to grow up with.
Ask yourself: How close are emergency services?
Living in the sticks may seem great for the peace and quiet in the country, but if an emergency is going down or about to go down, the last place you want to be is half an hour from your nearest hospital or urgent care.
When shopping for a new home, take into account where your nearest doctor’s office, urgent care facilities, hospitals, vet’s office, and animal hospitals are. The closer, the better.
Check out: If the house has appropriate flooring.
Checking the flooring in your potential future home may sound like an odd suggestion, but in the end it’ll help you more than it’ll hurt you.
Think about it this way: If you’re a pet parent or a child parent, you’ll want flooring that’s relatively easy to clean up. If the dog, cat, or child has an accident or causes some type of spill, the easiest clean up would be off a hardwood floor. Carpeting may easily be cleaned with a vacuum and some spray or spot cleaning, but if the stain seeps in quickly, you’ll definitely have a hard time getting it out.
Ask yourself: Is there space to play inside?
Internal space is just as important as external space. Which means you have to make square footage an important part of your decision making.
Something too cramped won’t give animals or kids enough space to play and roam around their surroundings. The same goes for us adults; if we’re placed into a tight knit spot, we can’t flourish and get comfortable.
After careful consideration of the points we brought up, it should be relatively easy for you as a parent and homeowner to determine if the house you’re currently looking at is right for you. Additional circumstances may come into play, but the most crucial were laid out above. Good luck in your shopping endeavors and be sure to scoop something that fits your needs!
