When you’re able to tackle moving tasks remotely, you can reduce stress levels and stay on target with your moving timetable. This article explores the many ways technology is helping families find homes and handle moving details, especially when kids are in the picture..
Screening Homes Virtually
Traditional house hunts involved visiting homes in person during open houses or lining up tours with an agent. Today’s approach to house hunting offers many more virtual tools. Busy families can look at floor plans, house details, backyards, and layouts online to form a better understanding of whether a home meets their needs. They can also check out a home’s curb appeal through video footage or high-resolution photographs.
As a result, parents won’t need to carve out time to make these preliminary evaluations in person. That translates to fewer scheduling conflicts, stressful car rides, and hurried decisions. In some cases, parents can even work with agents to do live walking tours. The agent can hold a phone to provide a glimpse of a home’s layout while narrating everything for the parent on the other end. A point-cloud solution is another excellent way to help families see a home more fully. A 3D scan pulls together thousands of data points to deliver an accurate map of a home.
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Gathering Neighborhood Information
Parents don’t always have the luxury of being able to ask other parents or residents what a particular neighborhood is like. This is especially for families relocating from a different city or state. Further, while photos can paint a great picture of a home, they don’t always provide a clear picture of the surrounding area.
Thankfully, parents can access neighborhood data through several different platforms to glean insights into critical features. Does a neighborhood offer quality schools? Does it have a low crime rate? Looking at city-focused platforms and social media pages can be helpful.
Parents can find walkability scores, learn about public transit options, and see if there are bike lanes. They’ll be able to look at crime statistics, healthcare availability, and school reviews to help pinpoint the best neighborhoods. And some sites offer community reviews to give parents an unfiltered look at different options within a geographic region. Parents can turn to tools like Google Maps, too, to see where a house they’re considering sits in relation to other amenities. And by switching to Street View, parents can look at neighboring homes to gain a better feel for the community. All of these tools contribute to a better house-hunting experience.
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Accessing Critical School District Data
Parents with kids will be more inclined to prioritize schools when they’re searching for a home. Knowing which districts are strongest can help parents identify specific neighborhoods where they want to live more easily. Parents can turn to city or state educational sites to find information on anything from average test scores to graduation rates.
Some parents may want schools with robust extracurricular options or reliable busing. Other parents may consider student-teacher ratios to be an important indicator of a school’s effort to work closely with students. Sifting through data is as easy as clicking a mouse, and parents can make side-by-side comparisons of area districts, as well. Ultimately, apps simplify the moving process as parents are trying to discern the right district for their child’s needs.
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Adapting to Family Needs
Some platforms have gone above and beyond to cater to families and their unique sets of needs. Parents can find information on the closest childcare centers to a potential home, for instance, or tailor their searches to look for homes with kid-friendly amenities. Fenced yards, higher bedroom counts, and open-concept layouts are among the features that can be appealing to families with kids.
Additionally, parents can find a growing variety of groups on social media platforms where they can ask questions and find information. Parents can get current input on traffic patterns, commutes, and proximity to playgrounds and other kid-focused spaces. And they can find more honest insights regarding a neighborhood’s sense of community or culture. Parents can learn about local rec leagues, clubs, and other opportunities to get involved, as well.
Using Tech in the Home Search
Finding a new home can be a time-consuming process. From visiting open houses to making spreadsheets of comparisons, the traditional way of house hunting has been burdensome for busy families. Today’s families can turn to tech resources to trim their homebuying timeline and learn more about where they’re moving. In short, families can make more informed choices. Data comparison tools, online tours, and social media groups let parents gather as much information as possible so they can feel good about their decisions.
Author:
Emily Stokes is a Midwest-based writer. Her writing explores a range of topics, including fine arts, real estate, and wellness practices. With experience in academic and blog writing, she can tailor her style to fit a variety of needs.
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Ashley Pugh ;
Ashley Pugh is one of the Co-Founders of Familydaysout.com and has been committed to writing family related content since 2008. There isn't much about family attractions that Ashley doesn't know, after visiting hundreds of them worldwide over the last 20 years.
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