3 Tips for finding the right home as a single parent

As a single parent, you no doubt face many unique challenges. One of these may be finding a new home to buy for you and your children to reside in. Whether you need to find a home as a result of a split with your children's other parent, or you are just looking to find a house better suited to fit your family's needs, there's a lot to consider in your search. Finding just the right home and closing the deal is a bit of a process, but it can definitely work out successfully for you.

Regardless of whether you have been looking for your new home for some time, or are just getting started, we want to share 3 tips for finding the right home as a single parent.

1.) Consider the location and how it will affect your kids.

Are you looking for a home in a specific region? Would it be within close proximity to your job, family, or the kids' school? Even within a city, there are certain areas that may be significantly closer to places you will travel, especially if you need to drive in high-traffic zones.

If your children's other parent is in their life and has either custody or visitation, this may be a significant factor in where you are able to reasonably move to. Depending on your specific situation, you may be limited to searching for homes in a certain area. If in any way moving would disrupt how your kids are dropped off and picked up by you or your ex, you may need to get permission from the family court to move, or at least make a written agreement with your ex resolving this outside of court, as a precaution.

On the other hand, you may want to switch up your job or the kids' school (if you are the custodial parent) based on where you move to. If that's the case, you will likely want to research things such as the schools in the area, the safest neighborhoods, or the cost of living. Keep in mind that the prices of homes can change quite a bit from one zip code to the next.

Finding a home in itself that's right for you and your kids is likely your priority, but you do want to think about how different locations, even within the same general area, can affect day-to-day life.

2.) Think about where you live now.

In most cases, when you are searching for a new home, there are things you really don't like about your current residence. It's definitely a good idea to write down any things that contribute to you wanting to move. Is your apartment or home too small? Do you need more bedrooms, or a bigger backyard? Note all the things you want to change with your next home.

In addition, take a walk through your current home, thinking about the setup- both inside and out- and mark down the things you like about where you live. There may be things that you take for granted that you wouldn't want to do without. For example, maybe having a large kitchen, or plenty of closet space has helped you to stay organized and have sufficient storage. You'll want to find a home that factors in the pros of your current residence, while providing solutions to the cons.

3.) Think about the future.

Here are just a few of the things you'll want to consider:

• Are you looking to keep your family in your new home permanently?

• Even if you are a single parent now, is it possible if you commit to another relationship later, you may need extra bedrooms for future children or step children?

• Will you want to have one or more guest rooms for when you have company?

• Are you going to need sufficient space to entertain friends and family?

• Are you looking to renovate your home after you purchase it, or do you want to buy a home that you don't need to make any changes to? If you desire to renovate, you will want to make sure you have enough funds left to do so after purchasing your home.

By planning ahead as much as possible, your home can permanently provide solutions for the many situations you will need it for and can meet the challenges you may face as a single parent.

Buying a home is a big step, but it's one that can benefit you and your children for years to come. At Equity Prime Mortgage, we want to help you meet any financial challenges of finding your perfect home as a single parent. Please contact us at (877) 255-3554 or click here so we can assist you in this process.