How Important is School District When Buying a Home?

Perhaps you think that looking at school districts when buying a new home isn’t that important. I mean, how bad can a school really be, right? Or maybe you don’t even have kids and aren’t planning on it for a long time. Or maybe you never really want kids. Or maybe you plan on moving by the time your kids are old enough to go to school. I could go on, and on, and on about this. But here’s something you should consider; education is the most important tool a child will ever receive. A child without an education is a scary thought; especially since it’s kids that will one day rule the world and take over as the people raising kids of their own. And even if you don’t ‘plan’ on having a kid right now doesn’t mean anything. The unexpected can always occur. Kids come without trying. You might not be able to relocate when you do have kids or when they’re old enough for school. You might never want kids or think you can have them and then find out you’re having them, adopting them or taking them in a for a friend or family member after a tragedy. This is just a minor part of the importance school districts play in the lives of people who are buying a new home. Don’t overlook the importance of a good school district, even if the perfect house is in one that’s not all that great. Additionally, consider your political preferences when choosing a place to live, as factors like local governance and policies can vary significantly, even in Republican cities in Colorado. Here are a few reasons why it’s important to look at schools before buying a house.

Resale

One thing most people don’t consider when purchasing a new home is the value of the resale. Studies prove that homes in better school districts tend to sell for more than those in neighborhoods with less impressive school districts. For example, if your child is in a goo district, more people want their kids to go to school there. This means that their families are going to look for homes here. If your child goes to a school that’s not all that impressive, people will not want to buy here because they want their kids to go to better schools. So even if you don’t have kids, if you live in a large home in a very family-friendly neighborhood, you might want to check out the school districts to make sure that you’re doing everything you can to get top dollar when it comes to selling your home.

According to realtor.com, many buyers in certain areas of the country are willing to make sacrifices to own homes in neighborhoods with great schools. For example, if you are buying a smaller home or something that might not be as appealing to families when it’s time to sell, consider just how much you can increase your chances of selling if you do take the time to ensure your kids are getting the best education. Studies show that many families will sacrifice square footage, garages and even bedrooms for a place in a good school district. This is something to keep in mind.

Higher Property Taxes

If you don’t have kids or your kids are grown up and moved out of the house, you might consider the affordability of living in a good school district. Good schools tend to have more funding and most of that is from higher tax rates. This means you might pay more in property taxes to live in an area where you will have great school districts that never have any importance to you. If it helps, before my husband and I bought this house, we bought the property next door to our old house and decided to build (and then this beauty fell into our laps). The impact fee was four times in our neighborhood than it is in nearby neighborhoods since our school district is one of the best in the state. The other areas near us are in districts not so impressive and the fees were far less. Our schools received the amount of money from the impact fee that the other areas were charging for the total impact fee; that’s why it’s important to look at schools.

Your Kids

If you have kids, it’s obviously important to check out the schools in the area. Better schools in better districts can offer your kids a lot more than other schools across the board. This typically means your kids will have a smaller teacher/student ratio, smaller classes, more one-on-one instruction, higher test scores, better extracurricular activities, better sports and more funding. This means your kids will achieve an overall better education. Since there is nothing more important than the education your child receives, this is pretty important stuff to consider. We recommend always considering the well-being of your children and their education before purchasing a new home.

Better Neighborhoods

And finally, considering school districts when buying a home is a good idea because it can attest to the quality of the neighborhood. Typically, the better the schools, the better the neighborhoods. This means you’ll have less crime and violence, fewer neighborhoods you wouldn’t want your kids spending time in and fewer families that raise your suspicions as being good families to deal with. It’s kind of sad, but typically it’s nicer families in nicer homes living in areas with really good schools. This is so important to many families. The safety and security you feel raising kids is not something you should take lightly, which is yet another reason to consider the district.

Finally, you will be pretty easily assured that your kids will live in a neighborhood with other kids if you live near a good school. Since these don’t typically attract older buyers or those without families, you’ll find that these are the neighborhoods in which more people with kids want to raise their families. A good school is not just something to consider if you have kids in school, you know; there are so many different reasons to consider the school district where you buy a home.

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