Channeling those nesting feelings will serve your house search well! A growing family is one of the top reasons people buy a home in Toronto. When shopping for a home while pregnant we have a list of tips and tricks that can make the process much less stressful. 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.
Here are some of the things to think about:
School District
What score does the local school get? Check out the Fraser Institute’s school ranking system.
Layout
What is the layout of the home? Is there an open concept kitchen? The reality is that you’ll be spending a lot of time in the kitchen. Are there playing areas near or in the kitchen. Is there a direct view to the backyard so you can watch the kids play from inside the house? Are all the bedrooms on one floor?
Safety
Baby proofing will be on your to do list. How would you install baby gates? Make sure the batteries are fresh in the smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors and that they are installed on every floor of the home.
Storage
Are there built-ins or space for storage units? Having a place to put things will make tidying up so much easier. Toys do not need to take over your life when you have kids! Consider installing hooks and storage at your child’s level so that they too can contribute to putting things away in their proper homes.
When is the best time to close and move?
The answer is going to be different for everyone. There are many benefits to buying before the baby arrives, but equally they exist for waiting to purchase when your baby is a little older and they truly understand the demands of their new family. Whatever your thoughts, trust your gut. If you think waiting until after the baby arrives works better, then do that. If you are eager to get into a house before the baby is born, we recommend trying to time your closing date three months before delivery.
The 90-day rule allows you to get the nursery ready without rushing. The extra time to plan and set up the nursery will help you feel settled and confident before the baby comes. Your home search will most likely have you seeing a handful of homes before finding the one that meets all your criteria. If you start your home search early in your pregnancy, you can avoid having to choose a home that compromises some of your requirements just because you’re getting too close to your due date. Your home is one of the biggest investments you’ll make, so don’t settle because of timing. Be wary of new construction as while there are definitely perks to buying new construction, move in dates are almost always pushed back, so that nursery you had hoped to be decorating may still be months away from a reality.
Hire Movers
You’re going to have enough to think about so take the stress off and avoid potential injury. Leave enough in your budget so that you can hire professionals to do all the heavy lifting and move you into your new home.
Communication
Email can be an invaluable tool. This allows you to work the process whenever you have time rather than having to make time for long phone conversations or in person meetings.
Tours
We love kids! If you have kids already touring homes can be a challenge, but not if you hire the right realtor. We can work around your schedule (including naps) and will organize shorter tours that are either first thing in the morning or in the afternoon after nap time – so that everyone is happy! Keep in mind however that the most desirable homes sell quickly so you’ll want to get out and tour homes as frequently as your schedule allows to make sure you don’t miss out on anything. We can also preview homes for you so that you only get out to see homes that we know you’ll like.
