Between growing the size of a family to your kids just growing up, families tend to get big fast. Often, that growth leads to a shift in what’s most important for your family home. If you’ve been living in a home you purchased at a different phase of life, it could be time to start looking for a place that better suits your family’s changing needs. You’ll want to research the right locations in the Triangle, based upon the schools, activities, and amenities available in the surrounding area before making any final decisions.

Here are a few things to think about before you make your next move.

1. Schools

Your kids may be young enough that they’re not in school yet, but you’ll need to start thinking ahead about elementary schools and beyond. Or, maybe they’re shifting into junior high or even their high school years and you need to find the best opportunities for them as they look toward the future. No matter the age, you can find the right information in one location.

Each county has a public school system website where you can learn about every school in its system. These sites provide forward-thinking strategic planning information about its schools, insights into student outcomes and special programs, policies on bullying, diversity and equity initiatives, and more. You can also use these sites to see what other opportunities exist, such as athletics programs, clubs and organizations, and performing arts. To explore Wake County’s Public School system, visit https://www.wcpss.net or visit https://www.dpsnc.net/ to learn about Durham Public Schools.

If you’re more interested in the benefits of private education or a Montessori school, you’ll need to research the communities that offer these types of education and where the top schools are located. Think about where they’re located and how convenient you’d like them to be when house hunting.

This type of research will help you make an informed decision as you narrow down the locations that are best suited to your family’s academic and social needs.

2. Nearby Activities

Does your child have specific interests you’d like to encourage them to pursue? Then you might want to make sure there are places for them to pursue those endeavors that are close to your home. The closer you are to baseball and soccer fields, gymnastics facilities, music centers, swim schools, churches, and more, the more you’ll be able to meet their needs while ensuring you get quality time at home, too.

Or, if you’re willing to invest more time into driving them further distances, consider mapping them out ahead of time from your potential home location to see if it’s feasible to get them there around your normal schedule.

Don’t forget to look for jobs, sports, and academic opportunities that may be close by for the kids, too. Moving closer to a university like Duke or the University of North Carolina opens up opportunities for volunteerism and youth programs that may open doors for your kids.

3. Green Spaces

Are you the type of family that wants urban living and all of the benefits it brings? Then keep in mind that it might mean less space for yards and parking. If suburban life or planned communities are more of your thing, think about how much yard you might want. If you have a toddler, your family may need room to run outside. Or maybe your family wants a walkable neighborhood that’s close to parks, shopping, and dining. Be upfront with your Realtor about how much you’re willing to give and take on your outdoor spaces because your family might think they are every bit as important as your indoor spaces.

Before you make any decisions, don’t be afraid to go spend some time in any potential neighborhood you may decide to call home. If you pop into an open house, walk around the neighborhood to see how it feels. Are there other kids and growing families close-by? Do the neighbors seem welcoming? Pay special attention to how accessible the location is to the places your family wants to be the closest to. Simply being attentive to the places outside of a home may give you enough insight to know whether a location is right or not for your family.

Thinking about buying a home? Check out this list of local professionals with the Jim Allen Group.
The Jim Allen Group is a nationally-recognized and award-winning real estate team in Raleigh, North Carolina – ranked the #1 Coldwell Banker HPW Sales Team in the nation.