5 Tips to ease the trip when House Hunting with children
When we were house hunting (which took over a year), we brought the kids on every house showing except one.
We quickly learned that holding young children’s attention and keeping them out of trouble can be manageable with a few easy steps.
Learn from my own personal experience and be a pro at house hunting with your children.
Tip #1: Set some ground rules
Whether it’s the first house or the 50th house, remind the kids that you are a guest in someone else’s house. Be respectful. Take of your shoes when asked and “look with your eyes and not your hands”.
Also, if there are pets in the house, remind the children to leave them alone. They may be friendly, but you are a stranger in their space and it could cause a normally calm animal to be scared and act out.
Tip #2: Bring Entertainment
Unless your children are older and enjoy looking at the houses, bring some form of entertainment. Books, coloring books (Crayola Color Wonder is mess free magic) or tablets. If you chose tablets, remind the kids there will be no wi-fi in the houses and be sure to download a few shows or games ahead of time.
Tip #3: Bring Snacks (lots of snacks)
It doesn’t matter if you just finished breakfast. Bring snacks. If you have a several houses to see this is extra important….bring extra snacks they don’t know about in case of a melt down.
You also must remind the kids of Rule #1, they need to eat their snacks in the car or outside the house. Some Open Houses offer snacks…take them to go if you have young children. Don’t risk making a mess in someone else’s house.
Tip #4: Make time for Potty breaks
Never assume you will just be able to use the bathroom in a house. I’ve seen houses with no toilet paper or others that have been winterized and the water was shut off. Also, most owners prefer you do not use the bathroom unless it’s an emergency.
We once stopped at a Fire Station because my daughter was suddenly desperate and we couldn’t find a fast food restaurant or gas station. The firefighters were very kind and understanding. We were able to get back on the road and head off to our next house without an accident.
Tip #5: Moderation is key
No matter how many snacks and games you bring, you will eventually hear, “are we done yet?” Do not schedule too many houses for one day. Remember everything takes longer with kids.
Seeing five homes in one day can be a lot, even without children in tow! After a while, it’s hard to remember which features were in which house. It’s better to schedule two days with a few homes each day then cram too many into one day and suffer multiple meltdowns due to your children’s boredom.
Come on kids, let's go find your dream home!
Remember, if you have friends or family that can help with childcare when house hunting, it’s always a better option.
Save the trips with the kids until you have narrowed down the choices to one or two.
As a mother and real estate agent, I’ve learned to have a lot of patience. If you need to bring the kids, I promise to make it a fun adventure for all of us!