Really, really grateful we bought in a neighborhood where we can walk to stores and a park. Our first nanny did not drive and she and the DCs would've missed out on a lot of enrichment activities if she had not been able to take them by stroller and/or bus.

Bought right before we conceived DC #1 and moved in at 2 1/2 months.

I wished I had gotten advice about this when we moved! We moved when I was 7mos pregnant. We closed a month before we moved in so had time to get floors redone and rooms painted before our move date. Definitely think about yard space, flat driveways and sidewalk accessibility as future play spaces. DH and I are used to living in small spaces so were happy to move into a small house, but little did we know that DDs toys and stuff really do take up A LOT of room. Also, because our house is small and DD is a sensitive sleeper, we've had issues with soundproofing, so thinking about that and where your nursery will be is something to keep in mind. We opted for a house that does not have an open floor plan and are making do with it, but it really is easier when you have the open floor plan--that way you can be in the kitchen and still keep an eye on DC.

Think about stroller accessibility--will you be able to get a stroller in and out of the house/porch/garage and down to the sidewalk/into the car easily.

Get someone to help you with the packing --have a way of marking the boxes that should be opened sooner, store the non-priority boxes in the basement until you are able to get to them (or have someone do the unpacking for you!).

Good luck and congrats!

Anonymous wrote:Try to find a house that's walking distance (within 0.75 miles) of a park with a playground. It's nice to be able to get out and exercise and mingle with other moms and kids. Walking was my main form of exercise during my maternity leave, and 3.5 years later, we're still walking to the park on every nice day. A yard is good too, but you probably won't use it as much as the playground until your kid is old enough for playdates or has a sibling. Stores within walking distance are nice, too - I love walking 0.6 miles to pick up milk or a few dinner supplies and not having to take the car.

Consider how many stairs the house has, whether it has a main-floor bathroom, etc. a main-floor laundry can be helpful. Is there room for a cardio machine somewhere? (a Godsend during my maternity leave.) is there room for stroller storage?

This is great advice, but I'd shoot for even closer--within a 10-minute walk at stroller pace (not fast).

Moved in 10 days before first baby was born. I wasn't really unpacked/settled until baby was 1. All my fault. Insisted on being in my grown-up house before the baby arrived. Throught I would do all kinds of unpacking and home improvement while baby slept. Silly silly me.

In all seriousness, PPs had good advice...proximity to park, great stroller walking sidewalks, and easy access to other moms is really nice. I just walked circles around my neighborhood for the first three months b/c I couldn't stand to be in the house looking at my unpacked boxes. Helped me lose that baby weight!

Buy a house with good outdoor space - on a culdesac or with a flat driveway for bikeriding a few years down the road. A flat fenced in yard is also nice. Unless you have a passion for yardwork or a big budget for outsourcing to a landscaping company, buy a house with a low maintenance yard - easy to mow, trees around the perimeter so you're not constantly raking or sweeping up leaves - when your baby is little you will be too tired to mess with the yard; when your child is older, your weekends will get busy very soon.

Unless you or H have a passion for home improvement, buy a home that is relatively move-in ready. Same reasons as easy yard - you won't have time/energy to manage or do projects, and it's hard to live in disarray with a new baby or toddler. Try nursing a baby with contractors tromping through your house.

Plan to outsource cleaning and painting, ideally before you move in, unless your husband is willing to take it on. Get any W2W carpet professionally cleaned before you move in - your soon to be baby will be crawling on that and you want to be sure it's clean. Much easier and more thorough to do this before you and your furniture move in.

Buy in an area with good schools - you never know how long you will end up being there. You may say you'll be out in 5 years, but you never know. Also neighborhoods in good school districts attract families who have kids and care about education - helps deliver a good network of people to support you as you start your family.

Good luck!

Make sure you pee before heading to the bank for the down payment. Seriously...

We did it twice. I got over it. It wasn't that bad.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any tips? Besides "rent instead".

Why would you rent unless, of course, you'd be due in a matter of weeks.

I was 4 months pregnant when we bought a home. There were no rent backs from either side. So we moved in December.

It wasn't a big deal.

Many people should rent because they don't consider schools for their fetus or small baby. Many buy a big house in a transitional neighborhood thinking the schools will improve, which is not a good assumption in DC. They also fail to understand the lottery system for charter schools and cannot afford private schools. It isn't so easy to sell houses these days.

Renting in many cases is also a much better financial decision these days! The days of "throwing money away on rent" are over.

I disagree. Houses are selling like hotcakes in DC, especially in transitional neighborhoods. Plus, even the "bad" schools are fine for pre-school and pre-K. The schools will improve as soon as the educated more affluent neighbors in those areas start sending their kids to them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any tips? Besides "rent instead".

Why would you rent unless, of course, you'd be due in a matter of weeks.

I was 4 months pregnant when we bought a home. There were no rent backs from either side. So we moved in December.

It wasn't a big deal.

Many people should rent because they don't consider schools for their fetus or small baby. Many buy a big house in a transitional neighborhood thinking the schools will improve, which is not a good assumption in DC. They also fail to understand the lottery system for charter schools and cannot afford private schools. It isn't so easy to sell houses these days.

Renting in many cases is also a much better financial decision these days! The days of "throwing money away on rent" are over.

Anonymous wrote:Any tips? Besides "rent instead".

Why would you rent unless, of course, you'd be due in a matter of weeks.

I was 4 months pregnant when we bought a home. There were no rent backs from either side. So we moved in December.

It wasn't a big deal.

Yes, bought and moved when 6 months pregnant with my first. That was almost 9 years ago. We were lucky in that we knew schools mattered and bought in a neighborhood with great schools. But it was almost by accident - we were definitely much more focused on other things like space etc. Five years will go by really fast, and if you buy in a neighborhood where you will wind up considering privates, make sure you can afford that (or make sure that you buy somewhere with schools you can stomach.)

Choose proximity over space. You need to be able to buy things without getting in the car, get to/from work quickly, have places to go where you can interact with other adults (and kids). A big yard can be nice, but it'll be years before your kid is really using it.

I bought when 7 months pregnant. It sucked-- my son is now 2. Use amazon free shipping for as much house stuff as possible. Get organized!!! Use peapod to buy all that new home stock up food. Target.com is also good, and easy to make returns at store. Good luck!

Try to find a house that's walking distance (within 0.75 miles) of a park with a playground. It's nice to be able to get out and exercise and mingle with other moms and kids. Walking was my main form of exercise during my maternity leave, and 3.5 years later, we're still walking to the park on every nice day. A yard is good too, but you probably won't use it as much as the playground until your kid is old enough for playdates or has a sibling. Stores within walking distance are nice, too - I love walking 0.6 miles to pick up milk or a few dinner supplies and not having to take the car.

Consider how many stairs the house has, whether it has a main-floor bathroom, etc. a main-floor laundry can be helpful. Is there room for a cardio machine somewhere? (a Godsend during my maternity leave.) is there room for stroller storage?

Make sure you move with more than 8 weeks before your due date.

Set up the nursery last.

Anticipate an extra $500 in expenses for things you never thought to buy but will need the first few months after baby is born for various ease of life (second changing table) and baby proofing.

Any more specific questions, just ask. I've bought while pregnant twice.

Oh, spring for NO VOC paint.

Any tips? Besides "rent instead".