Since purchasing a new home is a monumental decision, house-hunting can be a stressful and emotionally draining experience. Add kids to the situation, and it can get even more complicated. However, involving your children in the home-buying process can make it more meaningful. Moving into a new home is a major family milestone, after all, so kids shouldn't be left out. 

In this blog, we list five tips to keep your kids involved and informed about the home purchase. They may not fully understand its many aspects, but making your children feel included and valued can help ease the transition and get them excited about relocating.

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Establishing open and honest communication is the first step if you want to involve your children in the home-buying process. While this might depend on their age and level of maturity, it's crucial to make them understand the reason for the move and what to expect during the house-hunting journey. Allow them to ask questions and share how they feel, especially if they’re anxious or excited about the upcoming transition.

Help them understand the realities of home buying, such as why some homes might not fit the family’s needs, delayed timings, possible setbacks, and so forth. Let them know that you will value their preferences and input and acknowledge their emotions throughout, but you will still be the one to make the final decision since there are several factors to consider.

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One of the most exciting phases of your home search is the initial research. Aside from looking at possible properties, you also search for neighborhoods, school districts, and local amenities and features that are important to you and your family. When envisioning (and listing down) your needs and wants, don't be afraid to discuss it with your kids. Create a family wish list that includes must-haves and nice-to-haves to help narrow down your search. 

Understandably, your children’s needs and preferences for a new home can vary greatly depending on their age, interests, and priorities. And surely, it will be impossible to cater to all of their requests. But listening to their opinions and acknowledging their preferences help them feel heard. It gives them a sense of importance in decision-making. Also, it teaches them to understand the factors that go into choosing the most ideal home for your family.

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Get kids excited by giving them simple, relevant tasks that will further help them feel involved. Older kids can help with online research, especially when it comes to checking out nearby schools, parks, restaurants, and other neighborhood features and attractions. You can also let them become their own design consultant when selecting furniture or decorations for their future room. 

For younger kids, let them work on small crafts or projects that they can decorate their future space with. Other simple activities include creating a “moving map” that will track your journey from your old home to the new one or making a personalized calendar that will highlight important milestones like property showings and the moving day. These will help kids visualize the transition and make the journey seem easier and more exciting.

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Here comes the most exciting (but also probably the most tiring) part: viewing homes. Especially when it's a full day of getting in and out of the car, driving between multiple neighborhoods, and discussing the potentials and drawbacks of each property. Since you need to be focused as you look at and assess each house, consider attending initial viewings without the kids tagging along. Have them stay at home so you can concentrate on checking potential homes and whether they match your needs. This way, you can avoid being in a situation where your kids become attached to a property that doesn’t meet most of your preferences.

Take the kids to tour homes only once you’ve narrowed it down to a few choices, during your second or third viewing. There will be less decision fatigue among the family, and you can have ample time to discuss each home’s pros and cons since there are fewer to choose from. 

If your kids are at the right age and you decide to bring them along during property viewing, don’t forget to remind them about good etiquette. Remind them to be respectful since they’re still visitors in someone else’s home, be quiet and keep any opinions to themselves, and avoid touching household and personal items. This will help ensure that both parties have a positive experience.

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Lastly, make the home-buying journey more enjoyable with the family by allotting some time to explore the surrounding area. Treat it as a little “field trip” where you will check nearby schools, public libraries, movie theatres, local shops and restaurants, and other landmarks. By spending time at nearby playgrounds and other recreational sites, your children can start visualizing the new neighborhood as their future home, lessening the anxiety of moving and making them look forward to this new phase.