If you are looking to buy Lake Tahoe real estate, you are probably pretty excited. After all, we get 3 million visitors a year, several of which leave saying “I wish I could live here!” As a local, we hear a chorus of oohs and aahs when we tell people where we live. A small town with endless recreation opportunities, stunning scenery and tons of local events in our nearby big cities have made Lake Tahoe a fabulous choice for living, both year round and part time. However, while it is exciting for you as a grown up, it may not be for your tykes. In fact, if you are moving from out of the area, it may be downright scary. Even if you already live here, a change in school, neighborhood and routine can take some getting used to which is a lot to process when you are young and haven’t quite figured out this thing called life. Thankfully I have compiled some tips from Lake Tahoe real estate clients that will hopefully help make the move as seamless as possible.

One buyer suggested leaving younger kids out of the searching process at first and for a couple of reasons. The main reason being that when you do not have any distractions, you can be more productive in your search and actually pay attention to the features of the house. That needs and wants list you created? You can actually take time to make notes of what houses measure up and which houses do not. This benefits the kiddos too, at least in the beginning stages. Not only is it exhausting for adults to tour a bunch of houses, it is for kids too. The perk to keeping them out of the loop, at first, is that later on when it comes time to pick which one is the house for you out of the final few properties, you can make it exciting. Tell them you need their help on picking which property is the best.

Of course, we know that it isn’t always realistic to leave the kids at home (and if you can, chances are it is for a much deserved adults night out), so if you must bring them with you, keep them busy. I have seen iPads, coloring books, games, puzzles and more used as ways to keep the littles occupied so you can pay attention to each house. This also keeps them from going for the current sellers toy selection if they have young children as well.

Another buyer suggested setting a time limit at each property to prevent meltdowns and the dreaded “I wanna go home!” chant. Every parent knows their child’s limits, so if 15 minutes at a property is too much, shoot for 10. If your kids can go longer, set 20 minutes as the max. If you don’t love a home shortly after entering, make it known and move on to the next. Don’t waste your own time when you know a house won’t make the cut.

As stated in the first part of this blog, this should be exciting. Throughout the whole process, explain to the kids what to expect and make it as fun as possible. Even if moving is something you dread as an adult. After all, who really loves putting all of their belongings in boxes, schlepping them across town or state lines and then unloading? Not a lot of people would select that as a fun activity. The great thing about children is that they see the world through a different perspective, so you can easily make this fun by including them in final walk throughs, talking about plans for their bedrooms and all the fun new places you will be closer to after the move.

Like everything in life, it is all about attitude. If you have any questions about buying a home for sale in Lake Tahoe, call me at 530-308-4331. Happy House Hunting!