Have Kids? 3 Important Things to Look for When Buying a Home

When my husband and I signed our mortgage on our current house, we weren't yet parents (unless you count the yappy dog who moved in with us). But we knew going into our home search that we wanted a house that would be conducive to raising kids and coexisting with them comfortably.

If you're a parent who's in the market for a home, there are different factors you'll need to consider. The first, of course, is affordability. You should aim to limit your monthly housing costs, including your mortgage payment, property taxes, and homeowners insurance premiums, to 30% of your take-home pay or less. You'll also most likely want access to good schools and other kid-friendly amenities, like parks and a nearby library.

But there are certain home features it pays to focus on when you're buying a home for kids to live in. Here are three I couldn't do without -- and you might feel the same.

1. Storage

Kids tend to have a lot of stuff. There are uniforms for sports teams, toys, school supplies, and more. So if you have kids, I highly recommend looking for a home with generous closet space. Otherwise, you might end up having to do what we do -- use our garage for storage rather than a place to put actual cars.

And to be clear, my house has plenty of closet space. We just have that much stuff.

2. A fenced yard

While I do enjoy hanging out with my kids outdoors, I don't always have the time to run around in the backyard kicking a soccer ball or tossing a football. Since I have three kids, I figure they can be each other's entertainment in that regard. But since my children are also pretty young, I feel a lot more comfortable releasing them to the backyard on their own because there's a privacy fence around the property.

If you have kids, you may want to focus on looking for a home with an outdoor area that's fenced in. Otherwise, you might feel compelled to make a rule stating that until your children reach a certain age, they can't play outside without you.

3. An area that can be a separate playroom

My son is finally at an age where he doesn't really play with toys. But my daughters are still in the toy phase of life, which means there are dolls, crafting sets, and random blocks and Legos in every corner of my basement.

That's okay, because the basement is my kids' designated toy area. But if I didn't have that separate space, my entire house would be overrun with toys.

If you have kids, you may want to try to find a home that allows you to create a playroom. An extra bedroom could serve that purpose, as could a main floor den. You don't necessarily need a basement like I have, but I'll be honest -- it helps. That way, if my lower level is a complete mess, I can sort of ignore the problem and pretend that it doesn't exist.

There are lots of considerations to keep in mind when buying a home. But if you have kids, these features might make your life a whole lot easier once you move in.