More than half of homebuyers weigh kids’ opinions

More than half of homeowners with a child under the age of 18 weigh their child’s opinion before a home purchase.

According to a new Harris Poll survey commissioned by SunTrust Mortgage, 55 percent of homebuyers are influenced by their child’s opinion on possible homes. The younger the parent, the more apt they are to consider their child’s opinion, as 74 percent of millennial parents, between the ages of 18 and 36, said they are influenced by what their kids want. For renters with children under the age of 18, 83 percent reported that the opinion of their child will factor into what home they ultimately purchase when the time is right. Seventy-two percent of renters in the survey said they would like to buy a home within the next two years.

Most important to the majority of children surveyed was their own bedroom, at 57 percent, followed by the desire for a large backyard at 34 percent. Closeness to parks and activities are an important feature to 25 percent, while being close to their school is key for 24 percent of children. Twenty-four percent also said being near friends is important, while 21 percent of children want a home with a swimming pool.

“As a parent of two kids, I know from experience that including children in the homebuying process is not only fun for the whole family, but also educational for our homebuyers of tomorrow,” said Todd Chamberlain, head of Mortgage Banking at SunTrust.