3 Tips for Expecting Parents to Find the Perfect Home for Their Growing Family

Don't buy a new family home without reading this.

Buying a home is a big decision. It's also a choice that many people make when they are expanding their family. Purchasing a property when having a baby may seem like the ideal time because you can set down roots and start making family memories in a place you'll call your own for the long term. 

But before you move forward with getting a mortgage and making an offer, you'll want to make sure you know how to find the right house. These three tips can help. 

1. Stick within your budget

One of the single most important things you'll need to do when looking for a home for a growing family is set a budget for what you can spend and make sure you stick to it. 

It may be tempting to buy a home that's a stretch for you -- especially if you can justify it because it has a perfect future nursery or great backyard for your child to play in as they grow up. But remember, a baby also brings tons of extra costs into your life. You don't want to buy a house that's going to come with mortgage payments you have to struggle to make when you're also going to have new food, clothing, and childcare costs to contend with. 

To avoid buying too much house, take a careful look at your budget, see what you can pay for easily, and buy a house that comes with a mortgage in that range. Remember, this doesn't have to be your forever home. You can buy a starter property and move up to a larger one if you need to as your family and income grow.

2. Consider the school district

Although your future child may be a long way away from going to school, time flies and he or she will be boarding the bus to kindergarten before you know it. You don't want to be stuck choosing between moving or paying for an expensive private school because the schools aren't good, so be sure to look at the district's ratings.

The school district also matters a lot for resale value, so even if you think you'll homeschool or you are 100% committed to moving before your child is school-aged, this still matters.

3. Think long term 

Finally, it is important to consider whether the house you are buying will work for the long term. For example, having a nursery connected to the master bedroom may seem great but is there another room for your child to move into when they're a teenager? 

It can be easy to forget that children grow up and their needs change -- and you don't want to get stuck with a house that works for your family just for a very short time and be forced into moving later. Of course, a future move may be in your plans, but if you decide you love the neighborhood or it turns out you want to be a stay-at-home parent so you don't have the income to buy a bigger place later, you'll want to make sure your current home will work for you.

By thinking about these issues, you can find the perfect house for your little bundle of joy to call home.