What's important with older kids / teens in a new house

[woollysocksaresexy]

We are just starting to look for our next house, which we hope to stay in at least till the kids are grown up (they are currently 2,4,6). but not sure what is going to become more important as they grow older. Obvious ones are good secondary schools and separate bedrooms (they currently share) but what else is there? Transport links? More space downstairs? garden? I'm not sure. It is very difficult to imagine what life will be like in the future when currently they are all so young! Thanks

Transport links to allow them to be independent.

Separate spaces rather than open plan.

Space for a desk in their room if possible- really useful in exam years.

Second living area - I have a large kitchen / diner and have made a living area at the end
Good public transport links
I would love a bigger drive as am dreading when they start driving - mid Victorian terrace = not much parking!

We moved just before secondary and our criteria were:

Good secondary in walking distance
Activities for kids in walking distance - in our case there's lots of activities at school
Shop in walking distance
Safe area
A school used in the local area so friends will be close by
Wifi

This has worked really well for us but if you are moving and your child is 2 schools can change in that time and would make sure there are other good schools not too far away. Garden - ours don't use much now, other than DS loves silkie chickens so we have those and he goes out to feed them etc. Inside - would say with 3 kids more than 1 bathroom especially if any long hair involved. They like some privacy at this age but that can just be in bedrooms.

Having all the things walkable means they can just take themselves there and back. Though its hard to know what clubs young children will do when older. Mine do air cadets, singing lessons, gym, Duke of Edinburgh which are all based at school.

These are by no means necessary but what I'm finding very useful for family life with a family growing up;

1. additional reception room/snug, it's so nice they don't just shut themselves away in their bedrooms, and a nice neutral space for siblings with a turbulent relationship to spend time together! Also meant I could hold off consoles in bedrooms without losing my living room! Great for when friends are around too. We changed our dining room to be a snug as we felt this would be more useful as we already have a kitchen diner, no regrets.

2. plenty of toilets! We have 3 for family of 4. Family bathroom has it's own walk in shower (and separate bath) which keeps our en-suite to ourselves, I find if the en-suite is the only walk in shower in the house my bedroom becomes a corridor! Very useful to have 2 showers.

3. plenty of side by side parking that isn't too reliant on needing to swap cars over etc, bearing in mind it's quite normal for 18-22 year olds to either live with you or frequently visit, you'll appreciate the flexibility!

4. location. As well as schools think about public transport, buses, and availability of businesses for potential part time jobs like supermarkets, cafes etc! We moved from a village with no bus links to a town for this very reason.

We had a lower budget than a lot of posters here... But our house buying list last year with an 8yo and a 9yo to hopefully last until they leave school...

• bedroom each big enough for bed, clothes, books and desk. (One child does have a loft bed... But it's double size so basically she has a two level bedroom... )
• good school catchment
• public transport
• two separate living areas, not open plan
• bike storage (and canoe storage)

Compromises .

• only one bathroom... But we are replacing the bath with a good quality walk in shower instead.
• older 3 bed not new build 4 bed (in better catchment, but we've actually got more space in the 3 bed as the bedrooms are decent sized plus conservatory)

Unintentional bonuses

• cycle paths
• zoo
• river network

Extra bathroom, spare bedroom, massive driveway etc would be nice but we have to be realistic...

Good sized bedrooms , plenty of bathrooms , 2 lounges and plenty of parking .

A shop within walking distance so you can send them out to grab bits you need during the week.

Room for more than one table. Our dining table is always covered in homework, trading cards, books even though ds has a perfectly good desk in his room.

Garden will be important for the years before they are teens, not so much after.
Really the more rooms the better. A bedroom each, at least two bathrooms. Two sitting rooms if possible. Mine had bedrooms big enough for a double bed and a desk.
Once they leave for uni they are back and forth and may want to bring boyfriends/ girlfriends home to stay.
As others have said - cars, we can fit four cars on the drive if necessary.

We are similar to @Aroundtheworldin80moves, only a 3 bedroom house (2 DC) but creative use of conservatory, garden cabin and dividing doors mean that we can have enough separate spaces, mostly, but a good location near school and with transport. And it's not so big it will feel empty when/if they leave home.
I think adaptability is often overlooked in houses in the rush to "open it all up" or "get away from it all".

Also consider what age will your parents/older family members be (if around) - they might not be able to manage stairs up to a bathroom or to stay over sleeping on a sofa bed.

My oldest two are 13 and 11. Definitely seperate rooms downstairs ime and not all open plan.

Open plan is great when you have toddlers and young dc pootling round playing. Not great when you have a 13 year old trying to watch you tube on his phone in the same space as you!

We moved from a house with a nearly totally open plan downstairs to one with a completely separate living room, kitchen/breakfast room, dining room and 2nd reception.

Having different spaces is so much nicer.

Separate good size bedrooms, two toilets. Don't worry about space downstairs particularly. The biggest thing for us is convenience. Where's the local hang out/shopping centre? Walking distance to there and school wil make your life easy!

We used to have two lounges, the kids one was never used by them!

3 x tweens/ teenagers here.

I do think 2 rooms downstairs is good but I think open plan is still fab for us (we have a separate lounge). We do all hang out so its nice to have a big space to be together.

I do think some of these suggestions are a bit dream land but its nice to have a separate loo (so I am thankful for my ensuite). There's nothing worse than having to use bathroom after 16yr old DS

and yes, absolutely walking distance to everywhere if you can - school / public transport / friends' houses / village or town centre. Its so good just saying they can walk home and I can drink wine without worrying about having to be a taxi

Yes all that

Own room is very important
Good transport to meet with friends
Safe to walk after meeting friends
Bathroom for them definitely
And good schools very important

If you can their own bathrooms, separate lounge for them, bus routes and a walkable shop.

I think the location of the house is the single most important thing for teens. How close to school, to their friends, to places to go. You won't be wanting to ferry them around when they are teens. Plus for my teens their friends are all nearby. They come and go in massive gangs of identi-kit boys/girls - I love that they can hang out here.

Other than that, I think possibly a room of their own is the second most important thing. My 2 teen girls get on fantastically. But they like their own space. Plus one is very tidy and the other is just disgusting.

i don't agree with a separate sitting room - I don't want my children in a separate room gaming or watching something while I'm sitting on my own. Open plan is a bit problematic not because teens need their own space, but because they're so bloody loud. They can't do anything quietly!

i don't agree with a separate sitting room - I don't want my children in a separate room gaming or watching something while I'm sitting on my own.

I don't find it infringes on family time, we still frequently spend time together in the main living room, especially weekend evenings, I just find it reduces the amount of time they are locked away upstairs on their own. Acts as a bit of a common room for them and has meant I haven't needed to concede to consoles in bedrooms without losing the living room the times we are doing separate things.

Having got 2 teenagers, apart from separate rooms, you need to live near the school they go to so their friends are nearby. Mine are out a lot and it's do much easier than they csn meet up independently (generally by cycling) rather than having to be driven everywhere or rely on public transport.

Somewhere to safely cycle and play locally outside. A massive utility room. A big hall or place to hang coats school stuff. Good internet (check download and upload speeds!). Plenty of space for a big kitchen table. Good storage.

What do teenagers want? Sockets. Lots of them. More than you'll ever imagine they could use. The best WiFi money can buy.

They'll merrily live in a pit if there's WiFi and enough sockets...

@person6743

i don't agree with a separate sitting room - I don't want my children in a separate room gaming or watching something while I'm sitting on my own.

I don't find it infringes on family time, we still frequently spend time together in the main living room, especially weekend evenings, I just find it reduces the amount of time they are locked away upstairs on their own. Acts as a bit of a common room for them and has meant I haven't needed to concede to consoles in bedrooms without losing the living room the times we are doing separate things.

@person6743 I agree.

The person who didn’t agree with two living spaces can’t have older kids. As if teens and their friends are going to be wanting to sit with mum and dad. I think for most who want two living spaces it’s more for future proofing for when the kids are older. It means they have somewhere other than their bedroom to hang out with friends. Also when the boyfriend/girlfriend stuff starts.

Decent sized bedrooms that will grow with them. Now you might be looking from a place of toy storage and space to play but as teens they will need bigger beds and a space to study. Near to public transport (saves being a taxi service!) Also schools in the area primary and secondary school

I would agree with two reception rooms. We have a large kitchen/diner/snug but also a separate living room so people could be in different areas if they wanted to be. Also two bathrooms.

I've only got 1 child though.