I think my calling was to be a grandparent. I enjoy kids, as long as they are someone else's. I'm happy to spend time with them and enjoy hearing their perspective on the world (which is almost always adorable!). I'm just happy I don't have to deal with them once their behavior inevitably implodes. As a parent, you know that you need to keep your family in mind when you're home shopping. After chatting with a few parent-friends of mine, I picked up a few pointers they wished they had known before they hit the closing table. Let's review a few of those and perhaps save you the same missteps when evaluating a new home.

First and foremost, especially for toddlers and under, is bedroom placement. My good friends just moved to New Hampshire and just had their first child. At the time, it did not seem like a deal-breaker that the master bedroom was on the first floor but the other bedrooms were upstairs. They can see the writing on the walls (hypothetical writing – no crayons yet!) that when they decide to migrate the child to her own room, the trips upstairs will grow old quickly. Now their attitude may change if they stay in this home and, as the child grows older, the distance and privacy offered by the separate floors might work out just fine. For now it will be a bit of a hassle, albeit a consistent workout.

Growing up we lived in a large (off the main road) apartment complex and then on a cul-de-sac down in Wells, Maine. The roads surrounding our home were nearly always empty and passing cars always slowed down to wave. However in more traditional suburban settings, sidewalks are of paramount importance when it comes to children. Not only do you want a safe place to walk the stroller or wagon, but they also provide a great place for lemonade stands and other fun, safe activities. Parents should give some extra attention to the roads surrounding the home and ensure that it will be easy and safe to get around when not inside a vehicle.

One of my biggest hang-ups with our "Cape Cod" style home is the center stairway. It always felt cramped and there was really no "flow" to the house. "Open floor plans are great for entertaining and being able to maintain conversations with your guests while in another room," notes Badger Peabody & Smith Realty agent (formerly Badger Realty), Bernadette Donohue. "When you add kids to the mix, it makes it much easier to keep an eye on them from across the home and harder for them to get into mischief," she continued. Bernadette is right. Having a floor plan that allows you to continue with your daily routine but still maintain eye contact with your kids is going to be vital for most parents.

While we are on the topic of eye contact, it is also important that you have a clear sightline to the yard surrounding the home. Once your kids are old enough to hear the words "Get Outside!" you will still want to maintain a cautious eye over whatever it is they are getting up to out there. Luckily we had our trusty black Labrador "Ben" who was our surrogate parent when we were playing in the back yard. Short of that, when you are walking through the house on that first visit, make sure you can see the back yard from the kitchen sink or from the living room. It will provide some semblance of peace knowing that you can at least watch the mud-throwing contest from the (clean) safety of your home. (And I won't tell anyone if you lock the door!)

One feature that a couple of my friends noted, I tend to disagree with entirely. Some of my friends noted that a flat lot (and neighborhood) was important to their decision-making. The fact that we had a decent-sized hill on one side of our lot growing up was the impetus for hours of sledding all winter and even the joy of building a ski jump once there was enough snow. At my grandparent's house in New York, the end of their cul-de-sac was a huge (given our perspective at 5 years old) hill that became our playground for skateboards, wagons and bikes. Of course living in a hilly area with young children can make getting around (for both of you) more challenging, but it also has its merits. You'll have to decide for yourself which is more important.

In a conversation with a friend the other day, she noted how relieved she was that all three kids were finally able to get themselves dressed and into the car on their own. Up until that point, as I'm sure many parents can attest to, the notion of leaving the house becomes a daunting 90 minute ordeal just to get ready to back out of the driveway. For families with small children, consider the amenities you have within walking distance of the house you are evaluating. Imagine being able to visit a playground, park, grocery store and coffee shop all without having to get in the car.

You don't have to have kids to appreciate the many things in a home that could make life WITH kids a lot easier and safer. Consider the above notes when you are evaluating a home for your family. There are hundreds of factors at play when buying a home. Here's hoping these will make it a bit easier. See you at the park!