After weeks of searching, you’ve finally found your dream home. However, it sits across the street from a school. If you’re a parent, that’s probably perfect, but if you’re looking for a quiet place to spend your days, not so much.
With school in session for a majority of the year, buyers should carefully weigh the pros and cons of living near a school before making a final decision. However, there are four distinct benefits to buying a home near a school if you’re considering doing so.
Your children can walk to school
Most parents dread the drive-through chaos when dropping off and picking up kids from school every day. Or rushing to help kids catch a school bus that may or may not have a stop near your home. Living near a school means you can skip the scheduling hassle and just walk — helping you all get in a little outdoor exercise as a bonus each day.
So it goes without saying that living near a school can mean dealing with heavy traffic, including idling cars and buses shuttling kids to and from school. And it may not be just twice a day.
Anyone living near a school can expect traffic issues during special events outside of regular school hours, such as parent-teacher conferences, plays and sporting events. Parking near a school during school hours can also be problematic, especially near a high school since quite a few students will have their own vehicles with possibly no parking available to them on school grounds.
Access to playground after school
Public parks can sometimes be located quite a distance away from your house. Living near a public school gives kids, even if they don’t attend the school, access to the playground when school is out for the day. This could include swings, monkey bars and creative free-run areas. There’s often a track out back, a court for basketball or tennis, and a field for sports like soccer and football, areas that are beneficial not just to your kids, but to you as well.
However, one of the biggest gripes neighbours have about living near a school is the lack of parking enforcement along with inconsiderate parents parking in, or blocking, neighbourhood driveways. So there may be on-street parking restrictions during the day. If students and staff don’t have a private parking lot, you can expect to see them parking on the streets around you while class is in session.
Schools can be part of the community
Schools can be important neighbourhood assets, particularly for families with school-aged children. Depending on the location, they may be close to parks, playgrounds, recreation facilities and other community amenities.
Schools also promote a sense of community, providing social activities for adults and kids alike, such as craft fairs and sporting events. Depending on the school and community, school facilities may also be used for recreational, cultural or community activities outside regular school hours.
The trade-off to all of these benefits is potential noise and weekday parking issues. Living near a school can bring all types of noises including playground activity, sporting events, school programs and increased activity at certain times of the day. But if a little inconvenience is the price you pay for a stronger community, you may well feel it’s a great bargain.
Proximity and school catchment may matter to buyers
For some buyers, particularly families with school-aged children, the location of nearby schools and a home’s school catchment area may be factors in choosing a neighbourhood. Families may also consider how their children will get to school, including walking, cycling, school bus eligibility or other transportation options.
School considerations are personal and will vary from one buyer to another. Rather than characterizing particular schools or areas as “good” or “bad,” buyers can research the schools and programs available in the areas they are considering. A REALTOR® can help buyers identify properties that meet their location needs and direct them to the appropriate school division to confirm current catchment information.
Something to keep in mind, though, is that living near a school means you’ll have a lot of kids all over the neighbourhood at certain times of day. The amount and timing of activity around a school can vary depending on the school and its programs. Buyers may want to consider traffic, parking and activity around a property during the school day and after hours.
If you still prefer to buy near a school but any of the above disadvantages concern you, consider buying a home a few blocks away. You’ll still get all the same conveniences but less of the potential hassles.
Helping your child adjust to a new school
Moving homes as a kid is serious business. New room. New routine. Maybe even a new school and new friends, if your family moved far enough. If you’re a parent trying to navigate both closing documents and a child who’s adjusting to change, there are some ways you can help your child embrace the process of moving homes.
Start by having an honest conversation as a family about why the move is happening and what it means for them. Involve your kids in making decisions, where appropriate, like going to open houses and asking about what they might like in a new home. Most importantly, ensure they feel safe and supported as they work through their emotions. Explain to them that it’s an adjustment for you as well.
Children are observant and can understand more than we often give them credit for. So, when we look into how to make a move easier on them, help them understand why the family is moving in the first place. Do this by having an honest, yet age-appropriate, conversation with your child about why you’re moving: is it because you got a new job, or so that another sibling could have access to a specialized program, or simply because you saw a better home for sale?
Help get your children excited about their new neighbourhood by going for walks or drives through the area together. Help your child see the positive benefits of moving by sharing the bonuses of moving, like a larger room or pool in the backyard. Most importantly, listen to them so they feel seen and heard, acknowledging that this is a big change and everyone is adjusting.
Beyond the practical reasons behind the move, you can help your child understand the positive impacts the move will have on them directly, such as having their own room, a larger yard to play in, a chance to make more friends to hang out with, or closer access to a certain park or amenity they like.
Moving is a big change, so provide your child with time and space to adjust to their new home by letting them express their emotions freely. Involve them in the process by letting them help to decorate and set up your home. Find fun projects they can help with.
When it comes to the period of time it takes for children to adjust after moving homes, each will react differently in the days, weeks, and months afterwards. Give them time to adjust. And remember to give yourself grace as a parent, too — you’re doing your best! It’s a big adjustment for everyone, but with a little patience, everyone will soon settle in.
If schools are an important part of your home search, a REALTOR® can help you identify properties in the neighbourhoods you’re considering and point you toward reliable information about nearby schools and catchment areas. Because catchment boundaries and school assignments can change, buyers should confirm current information with the applicable school division. A REALTOR® can also help you consider how proximity to a school, traffic, transportation and other neighbourhood amenities fit with what you’re looking for in your next home.