4 Simple Advice on Choosing the Best Places to Live for New Parents
Image by Abbey Hendrickson via Flickr
As if you don’t have enough to worry about as a soon-to-be new parent, you’ve got to upgrade your housing. That one-bedroom apartment isn’t going to cut it now that you’re expecting a new addition. Searching for a new place on top of clothes-hunting, crib-buying, and diaper-stocking may seem overwhelming, but remember that your family is about to grow in a big way. You need a place that can grow with you. Here are four simple pieces of advice for choosing the best places to live for new parents.
- Research the market first.
You need to have a good idea of the market before you can decide if something is a bargain, a steal, or outrageously overpriced. Markets differ by area and neighborhood: Fort Myers apartments are going to be vastly different than apartments in Orlando, for example. Spend a few days browsing through listings before you act. You’ll start to get a good feel for prices and you’ll have a good idea of which landlords are trying to rip you off. - You get what you pay for: beware of too-cheap apartments.
Remember, if a price is vastly lower than similar properties in the same area, ask yourself why the price is so cheap. Those too-low price tags usually indicate not-so-stellar features like property damage, rowdy neighborhoods, or undesirable locations (a train running by every morning at 3 a.m., for example). - Check out the school system.
School? You cry. I’ve still got five years to go before I need to think about that!A school system is something you inherit along with the property. You need to make sure you’re okay with what you’re investing before you move in: it’s a lot easier to move once than twice.
Good school systems come with plenty of other benefits, too. You’ll have plenty of fellow parents to bond with (and neighborhood children for your child to play with). Good school systems also indicate that the residents care about their children’s future, so crime rates tend to be lower and community cleanliness and amenities tend to be higher.
- Choose a quiet neighborhood. Both new parents and babies need all the sleep they can get. Save both of you some grief and choose a quiet, sleep-friendly neighborhood.
Readers’ Response: What Advice Do You Have for New Parents?
Parents, share your advice: how did you choose your current home? What “sealed the deal” and made you choose it over the others? Share your experiences and advice for new parents in the comments!
