Wednesday, 4 July 2018

If you’re house hunting during the summer holidays, and you have a family, chances are you’ll be viewing potential homes with the kids in tow. If this sounds like a recipe for disaster, think again. Viewing houses with your little (or big) ones can be a really positive and useful experience.

Viewing houses with your children means they feel included in the process from the start, and since they will be living in the house too, their input can be really valuable. Kids often feel anxious about the “unknown” aspect of moving house, so actually being able to have a say in what happens can help them feel calmer and more in control.

Seeing your kids in a property can also help you visualise how comfortable the whole family may (or may not) be there and give you a clearer picture of how family life would work in the house.

To make your summer holiday run a little smoother, we’ve put together a list of ways to keep the kids happy and engaged whilst house hunting.

• Give the kids something concrete to do at each house. For example, you could ask them to take photos of each room or make notes on what they like/don’t like about the house. As well as making them feel like they’re part of the process, it will also keep them busy and occupied, giving you a little bit of freedom to explore the house yourself.
• Try to arrange morning viewings and limit yourself to no more than three a day. This will help avoid tiredness and boredom setting in for the kids – and for you!
• Make a day of it! If you’ve spent the morning viewing houses, why not spend the afternoon doing something fun to sweeten the deal? If the kids aren’t finding the house hunt too thrilling, having something to look forward to afterwards can really help.
• Snacks, toys and distractions are never a bad idea when you’re out and about with children. House-hunting is no exception. Bringing some tasty treats, favourite toys or an iPad loaded with children’s shows and games can be really useful, especially for smaller children.
• Set the rules before you go. Little ones may not understand that certain behaviour isn’t acceptable in someone else’s house. It’s important to spell out the rules before you go to avoid potential “disagreements” during the viewing.
• Make it fun! Think of some creative ways to get your kids excited about the process. How about a star rating system for each house? Get your kids to give each house a star rating out of five and three reasons for their score. This will help keep them entertained and also provide an opportunity for them to really express their feelings about the property.

If you’re planning on putting your house on the market and moving to a new home this summer, give us a call for a free, no obligation valuation – we’d be delighted to help you.