3 Things to Think About When Choosing Your Next Home

Choosing a new home is exciting. There’s the scrolling through Right Move listings (a favourite hobby of mine!), mentally arranging furniture in rooms you’ve never actually seen IRL and deciding which house has the kitchen you’d like to pretend you cook in every day.

But while it’s easy to fall in love with how a house looks right now, it’s worth thinking about whether it’ll still work for you a few years down the line.

Life has a funny habit of changing. You might start working from home, welcome a new member of the family, take up a hobby that requires approximately an entire room’s worth of equipment, or realise that you own far more stuff than you thought you did.

So, before you get carried away with the idea of a beautiful new kitchen island, here are three things worth considering.

1. Will You Still Have Enough Space?

It’s tempting to look at a house and think there’s plenty of room. But what does plenty actually mean?

A spare bedroom might be the perfect place for guests, but it could become a home office if your working arrangements change. Later on, you might need it for something completely different.

That’s why new houses offer flexible living spaces that can be particularly useful for families whose needs are likely to evolve.

Try to imagine the rooms being used in several different ways rather than assigning each one a permanent purpose. Could the dining room double as a workspace? Could a larger bedroom eventually work as a shared children’s room? Is there somewhere you could create a quiet corner for working, reading or whatever your current obsession happens to be?

You don’t need to predict the future perfectly but giving yourself options might future-proof your space!

2. What’s Happening With Schools Nearby?

If children are part of your future plans, schools are potentially going to become more important than whether the local coffee shop does a decent flat white.

Even if you don’t need a school place immediately, it’s worth getting familiar with what’s available in the area before committing to a move.

For homes in England, the Government’s Compare School Performance service⁠ is a useful place to start when researching schools and comparing performance.

Of course, numbers and statistics aren’t the whole story. Location, admissions arrangements and the overall feel of a school matter too. But doing a little research before moving means you’re less likely to discover that your dream house comes with an unexpectedly complicated school run.

Think about the wider area, too. Parks, activities, transport links and local amenities can all become much more significant as your family grows.

3. How Much Will It Cost to Run?

The price on the property listing isn’t necessarily the price you’ll feel in your bank account every month.

Once you’ve moved in, there’s heating, hot water, electricity and all the other little household expenses that have a mysterious talent for adding up.

Energy efficiency is therefore worth considering, as well as the number of bedrooms and whether the garden is big enough for a barbecue.

The Home Builders Federation’s Watt a Save report found that new-build homes were, on average, 21% cheaper to run than older homes⁠, so the energy efficiency of a property really can make a difference to ongoing household costs!

Of course, running costs will vary between properties and households, so it’s worth looking at the specific home you’re considering rather than assuming one figure will apply to everyone.

But it’s a useful reminder that the cheapest house to buy isn’t necessarily the cheapest one to live in.

Think Beyond Moving Day

When you’re house hunting, it’s very easy to focus on the immediate stuff.

Can the sofa fit? Is the kitchen nice? How long will it take to get to work? Is there somewhere to put all those coats?

All important questions. But it’s worth adding a few future-focused ones to the list, too.

Will you still have enough space if your circumstances change? Are there useful amenities nearby? What will the household costs look like? Could the rooms adapt if your needs change?

You don’t need to find a house that can accommodate every possible version of your life. Nobody can predict what’s around the corner.

Instead, look for somewhere that gives you a little room to grow.

Because the best home isn’t necessarily the one that’s perfect today. It’s the one that still feels like a good decision when today’s plans evolve.

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