Home-Buying Tips For Families

With average private school fees hitting around £11,000 a year per child, more and more parents are looking at top performing State schools -- but is it worth moving to live near one?

There are many reasons why we tend to move home. We could need a bigger property due to an expanding family - or a smaller one as the kids have moved out. We may have decided that we can afford to live in a better area, or to cash in on the equity we've made on our present home, and buy a "project" that needs refurbishment in the hope of making some money, instead.

However, for many young families a major reason for moving home is to live near a good state school. Many parents are realising that there can be a huge amount of value attached to living close to an excellent school -- which can be well worth the hefty premium you'll typically pay to own one of these properties.

Indeed, with private school fees typically costing more than £11,000 per year, per child, it's easy to see the savings that can be made -- which increases dramatically should you have more than one child. What's more, the newspapers often report that more families are leaving London to be near top performing state schools.

The problem is, until your child is in the school system, understanding it can a bit of a minefield that no one gives you the answers to. And unfortunately, a vast number of parents that decide to move for a school choose to do so when their children are small. And as someone who has found herself in this very situation recently I can confirm that you can make a lot of mistakes!

But in the hope of helping at least one other parent out there in this situation, I'd like to share a few tips that I have learnt along the way in my quest to buy a house near a good State school.

1.    Learn the system

If you don't know the area you'll need to find out about schools. The best place to start is the Ofsted site -- this is the official body that inspects schools. Search for infant, primary and secondary schools by postcode/town and check out the individual inspection reports to get an idea of which schools are the top performers.

2.    Don't forget the parents

Remember, Ofsted can only tell you so much, so try and speak to some local parents to find out what they think of the schools. This can be a great source of other information -- for example you can find out if a school's reputation and results have improved greatly under the current headmaster/mistress (and whether or not they have plans to leave!).

3.    Location, location, location

As Kirsty and Phil would say, location is the most crucial thing and if you're new to the area, you'll need to do some serious research. After all, many areas can fall into the catchment of the school you're interested in, but how close are they to public transport links, parks and amenities and importantly, what are crime levels like?

Check out the local council's website to find out what is in the local area, and the local police authority to check out crime figures. Sites such as UpMyStreet can also provide a wealth of information about the area and Neighbourhood Watch signs in the area can show that residents care about their local community.

4.    Catchment areas

Once you feel like you know the area, the schools and what you're looking for, it's time to find out about catchment areas. As most good schools are heavily oversubscribed they tend to use strict rules to decide which children are admitted each year, and a popular method is by using where you live in proximity to the school.

However, be warned, not all schools use catchment areas. What's more, the boundaries can change every year, with some worked out by the school, some by the local council and some by a mixture of both. Complicated!

The best way to find out how yours works is to phone the school directly and ask. Ideally, try and get hold of a copy of this year's catchment area (if this is the system used) but importantly, ask how it is worked out each year -- you could also give your local council a call to find out if there will be any changes to the system in the future. In my experience most schools are more than happy to help. Don't fall into the trap of trusting a helpful local or estate agent -- catchment areas are a minefield that in my opinion very few people properly understand!

5.    Sixth From

If you have older children it's worth finding out if the secondary school has a sixth form, and if not, where would they go? This could affect your choice of location.

6.    Could You Live There? 

Once you know where the catchment boundaries lie, you can get an idea of the roads you would like to live on are. Walk around the area and get a feel for it -- could you see yourselves living there?

7.    Estate Agents

Now it's time to talk to some estate agents. Armed with your information you should be able to give a pretty specific idea of what you want and where. Make sure he or she knows this is what you ideally want, but that you'll try and be a little flexible too. Register with sites such as Rightmove and FindAProperty and you can be emailed suitable properties when they come up. And check out PropertySnake -- it lets you know which properties have recently dropped their price (and so could be open to an offer).

8.   No Kids?

Finally, even if you don't have kids and don't intend to have any in the future, top performing schools will draw people to the area and can drive prices up.

Of course, deciding whether moving near a good State school in the hope your child will get in is a difficult decision.

Even if you live on a school's doorstep there is typically no guarantee your child will get a place. Indeed, many parents I know have chosen to buy a bigger house for their money in a different area and either take their chances with the local schools, or use the money saved to send their children to a private school. But if you do decide to buy near a good State school doing a bit of research beforehand can help you save a lot of time; trouble (and possibly costly mistakes!) so it's well worth doing. Happy house hunting!

If you're thinking of moving, The Motley Fool's Mortgage Service could help you find a good deal on your home loan.