Should School Districts Still Matter When Buying a Home During COVID? Yes.

Talk to nearly any homebuyer, and you can bet the topic of school districts will come up as a component of their search. Why?

Whether you have school-age kids or not, the quality of education within a school district has historically had a significant impact on the value of homes within a given neighborhood, and that has certainly not changed today – even in an era when families have become increasingly concerned about the health and safety of sending their children into public school systems during COVID-19.

Better home or better school?

In many people’s minds, there is a dichotomy set up that makes them believe they have to pick just one: good school or good home. The reality is, especially here in South Florida, you can have both. It doesn’t have to be an either/or decision. While, yes, it may mean compromising on some things, you absolutely can find a great home that you can afford in a great school district.

Public versus private schools

Another factors many families with school-age children consider is the pros and cons of public versus private education. The thought-process for some is that if they will be sending their kids to private schools anyway, the location and reputation of the public school system does not matter as much.

While the choice on where and how to educate your children is a family decision, from a real estate perspective, the fact remains that homes in better performing public school districts retain their values better over the long-haul and they are better equipped to weather economic downturns.

It comes down to community

Lastly, it’s worth reminding ourselves that a big driver in our home purchase decisions is the community we’ll be living in. Things like walkability, public amenities, parks, and accessibility to shopping and dining all play a role in influencing where we’ll call “home.” Yet in looking at a community, schools undoubtedly play a big role in how a community is shaped both today and into the future.

What are your priorities when evaluating potential homes and communities? Let us know! We’re fortunate that we have an abundance of great public school districts throughout South Florida so if you have questions about any of our villages or communities, don’t hesitate to get in touch.