Good homes for young families is a lot more than low price / high square footage

Attending open houses of newly constructed townhomes in East Vancouver I see a lot of properties marketed for families that are totally inappropriate.  While the homes may be well priced and in a good neighbourhood, many have split their 900-1200 sq ft into 3 or 4 levels, others have no outdoor space, limited storage, etc!  These spaces are often well designed for a professional couple, but they are terrible if you have small kids who will constantly be climbing stairs, outgrowing clothing and wanting to play outdoors. At these open houses, 80-90% of the people who show up are young families, strollers or children in tow. So why do developers keep building these homes? And why do many Realtors think these homes are ‘family friendly’?

Helping a young family find the right home is difficult, and requires an in depth understanding of the needs of today’s family.  Of course price, size, neighbourhood and school catchment remain important, but a good agent can help a young family envision their home for years and decades to come and make the right purchase now.

• How close would you like to be to parks, services, transit, shopping, etc.?
• Where can you live surrounded by other young families?
• How can you get a home that can grow with you as your family grows?
• Do you need home office space?
• How large of a yard or garden do you want for your child(ren)?
• Are there any local sources of pollution or other dangers?
• How can you best leverage your down payment, your largest investment, to maximize your economic return?

Contact me to set up a conversation about what opportunities exist for your family.