Many families across British Columbia want a bigger home in which to raise their kids, but this is not necessarily the main factor they take into account when choosing a place to call home.
More than four in 10 families with children say their top priority when deciding where to live is the quality of a neighbourhood’s school district, Resonance Consultancy said in its new Future of B.C. Housing Report.
“While schools matter to households with children, it’s notable to point out just how much,” Resonance said in a press release.
“When it comes to amenities and features of new homes and neighbourhoods, nothing sets households with school-aged kids from childless households more than the importance accorded to the quality of and accorded to the quality of and access to schools.”
That’s not to say households without children place no value on local school districts; according to the report, 12% of those families consider access to schools when choosing a new place to live.
Resonance said 51% of families with children say they are planning to move in the next five years. Forty per cent of all families surveyed say they intend to move to the suburbs. This is true of only 30% of households without kids. The survey found 26% of families with kids want to live downtown, compared with 35% of those without children.
According to Resonance, most families with kids would like to live in homes greater than 1,500 square feet with a minimum of three bedrooms. By contrast, households without kids say they would be happy with a home around 1,100 square feet with two bedrooms.
@EmmaHampelBIV
