How to Pick the Right Suburb for Your Family

Moving to a new city is exciting for all members of the family. There are new friends to meet and new areas of town to explore. However, picking the right place to live isn't always easy. Cities typically have multiple suburbs, each with their own personalities, home styles, and demographics. Make sure you pick the right suburb for your needs by following these tips.

Each suburb has its own personality based on its history. Older suburbs might be located closer to the center of the city and feature more town-homes or historic houses. Meanwhile, suburbs farther away from the city might have more land and space for kids to play. Explore the real estate in different neighborhoods and see which ones you like.

You can also look at new neighborhoods that have yet to fully establish themselves. You can find display houses for sale in areas that are considered "up-and-coming." This is a great way to move to an area you want before the demand for homes makes it hard to find a house.

Consider the needs of your family when you buy a home. How many kids do you have or want to have? How will their needs change as they get older? These criteria will play a significant role in the houses available to you.

For example, if you need a larger home, you may not find many in certain suburbs--especially those that predominantly have small bungalows and cottages. If having a garage is non-negotiable, you may have more luck in some parts of town than others.

Living in a certain suburb might seem like a good plan, but you won't enjoy it if you aren't in the right house for your needs.

If you have kids or are planning to have kids, make sure you are happy about the schools nearby. You may not be ready to think about your toddler attending high school one day, but that needs to be a real consideration if you plan to stay in the area for a long time.

Some school boundaries can be difficult to follow. With each subdivision that you visit, ask which schools the students attend. Even moving a few blocks down the road could put your child in a different district than other kids in the neighborhood. There are multiple online resources you can use to evaluate nearby schools. You can see local and state school ratings as well as different learning opportunities like magnet or private schools for your kids to attend.

You may find a suburb that you like at first, only to find that it doesn't have any groups or activities that you would want to join. As you look at homes, visit the local community centers and churches to find places that you like. For example, if your kids love playing baseball, look for a suburb that has a strong youth baseball league.

Another strong example is finding a church you like. You want to make sure your church close by so you can form strong connections within your bible study and with the church leaders. Test out a few different churches and may send your children to a Sunday school class or two to see if they like it. How does each church teach about scripture? What Sunday school books do they use? When you find a church you like, explore houses in that area.

Moving to a new area and buying a home is an exciting part of your life. Take time to find the perfect suburb with the right schools and communities to keep your whole family happy.

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