Tips for buying a suitable family home in London

You’ve seen it online and you love it: a beautifully designed three-bedroom apartment with its own balcony and underground parking. But as your finger hovers over the estate agent’s number, perhaps you should think again.

When you are choosing a place to live as a young, single professional, it’s easy to let your heart rule your head. But when you are buying a family home, it has to be head over heart, every time. Of course, that doesn’t mean buying a property that you don’t love. It’s simply that from now on your choice of home will be affected by a number of practical considerations.

Not too cool for school

A good school for your children will undoubtedly be a priority. We recommend checking that your chosen property is in the catchment area of a desirable nursery school (and of course, nothing less than an Ofsted “Outstanding” will do). Contact us if you need help with schools in the area or finding out about their proximity to the home you wish to view. You’ll also need to consider its location – do you want to be close enough to walk to school with your child, or will you take them by car?

Health before wealth

As a singleton you may have been happy living on the fourth floor above a kebab shop, as long as you were part of a buzzing, urban environment. With a young family, you’ll need to consider increasing your budget in order to live closer to a park or open green space; somewhere that provides an opportunity for your children to feed the ducks and practice their dribbling skills (whether that’s football practice or simply cutting teeth).

Future proof your living space

If your children are babies, it’s sensible to buy a home they can grow into. It’s not always easy to anticipate what they will need as they grow older, so ask other parents or search online.

In a recent Mumsnet debate on the ideal property buy, priorities included a utility room, a kitchen big enough to take a table, a second bathroom and off-street parking. Many mums favoured a property with an open plan floor space that allowed them to watch their offspring at all times, while others advised buying a house with an additional reception room that could be converted into a playroom. 

Ask an expert

Listening to the experiences of other parents can help you make more informed choices about your property search. In the same way, dealing with an estate agent who takes pride in family values means you’ll receive genuine help and advice from experts who really care about your move. At Daniel Cobb we know exactly what makes a great family home, so call us today to find out more.

For more information on what constitutes an ideal family home, read A family home where all your needs are met.