Have Sippy Will Travel

Disclosure: In any review for a product or service, products or compensation may have been provided to me to help facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” and "Terms of Use" tabs for more information.

Whether you’re currently renting a home, you may be looking for an upgrade when you find your family
expanding. Kids and pets certainly take up space in and of themselves, but they also come with a lot of
detritus like beds, toys, clothing, and so on. This can quickly turn your house into a storage unit that is
busting at the seams. But even in this current market it can be difficult to find the home you’re looking
for. Sure the monthly rates are great, but the market is so saturated with properties that you may not
know quite where to begin. So if you’re interested in starting your home search but you’re feeling
overwhelmed, here are a few tips to get you on track to the home of your dreams.

For starters you need to go into the process with a clear idea of what you want. You likely have some
basics in mind, but let’s start with the size of your house. Considering that the reason you’re looking
to make a move is that your growing family needs the space, the question of size is of the utmost
importance. You don’t just want adequate space for your current family; you may also want to consider
the probability that you’ll need more room down the line. For example, you could look for a three-
bedroom home for you, your spouse, and your two kids, but you might do better getting an extra
bedroom or two now that can serve as an office, guest room, or play room but transform into another
bedroom should babies three and four make their way into your home.

Of course, price is also a major consideration. In a way, you’re lucky to be looking in a recession
economy because the housing costs are so low. In any case, you’ll be able to get a lot more for your
money than you would have just a few years ago. However, that doesn’t mean you won’t have to sift
through the duds to find the perfect home. The trick is to create a list of amenities you want in order to
narrow down the number of properties in your price range that match up.

Finally, you’ll want to consider added value. Especially important to most parents is the school district
the home is in, as well as access to amenities like emergency services, library, post office, shopping,
parks, entertainment, and areas of interest like museums, for example. Of course, drawbacks like crime
or the proclivity for natural disasters (flooding, pollution etc) will also play a role, which can vary widely
from place to place. Adults can rent homes in Bristol, Boston, or Bombay forever without buying. So
think about what you want and what you can afford going in so that you can find a home that will suit
your needs for years to come.