Real estate listings almost always include school district information, so it's easy to take a glance at it, take someone’s word that the schools are “good”, and then focus on details about the home itself. After all, buying a house is a hectic time, and you may not want to spend hours researching schools. 

However, there are good reasons to do some investigating before making a move. For instance, you’ll want to know if the school district has a program for your kids’ favorite extra-curricular activities, or for any special needs they have. You’ll also want to know how far the nearest bus stop is, or what the boundary lines are for attending a certain district.  

A great realtor will take time to discuss the schools where you’re looking, and help verify that they can meet your family’s needs. Here are some things to consider before you begin your search.

A “good” school district will be different for every family, so school ratings don’t always provide a complete picture. For some, average test scores might be a big determining factor, for others it might be sports, a drama department, or programs for gifted children or special needs. Questions to ask regarding the district should include:

• Are there programs that fit your child or children’s interests?
• Does the district support children with learning disabilities?
• What type of school do you want your child to attend? St. Louis and surrounding areas offer everything from public schools to charter and faith-based options, but each district may have different options nearby.
• Do you want your child or children to take a bus or will you drive them?
• How close do you want to be to the school? 
• Will the reputation of the school district affect future resale?

Once you determine your family’s needs, you can identify which districts can accommodate them and search for homes in those areas. Knowing what you want beforehand can prevent your family from falling in love with a home that will make schooling difficult in the long run. A good real estate agent can easily keep the search within the school districts that best fit your family.

When you find the ideal home in a district that works for your family, it’s best to do some verification before making the offer. While listings are usually reliable, mistakes can be made. And many details simply aren’t included on the listing. Before walking blindly into a new school district, doing the following investigative work can save your family from unwelcome surprises later on:

Where Are the School District Boundaries?

New homeowners are often surprised to discover that their municipality is split amongst two different school districts. For instance, some Webster Groves mailing addresses are zoned for Kirkwood schools. And some students who live in Creve Coeur attend Ladue school district, some attend Parkway school district, and some attend Pattonville school district. There are lots of scenarios like this that can be confusing for home buyers. 

To prevent confusion or disappointment when you find the right home, it’s best to check websites with school boundaries, like this interactive map from the St. Louis Post Dispatch and this map for schools on the Illinois side. Make sure to check for middle and high school boundaries even if your kids are still elementary-aged.

Do the Schools Have Programs That Fit Your Family?

If your children have strong interests or want to participate in specific sports, it’s best to check directly with their potential schools before making an offer on a house. Alternatively, if the school doesn't have programs supporting your kids’ interests, you can look into nearby programs with local sports clubs, kids camps, libraries, parks, or organizations like the YMCA. 

Also, check directly with the school for details on how they can support learning disabilities or how they encourage and support gifted students.

Distance Considerations

Double-checking the distance to your child’s school (or schools, for multiple children of different ages) can prevent surprises later on. This is especially true for rural areas, where the school may be farther than you think. Even when there are buses available, there will inevitably be times you’ll need to pick up or drop off your child, especially if they are involved in after-school activities.

On the other hand, buying a home near your child’s school is certainly convenient, but there are both pros and cons. Being closer means easy drop-offs and pick-ups. And older kids might even be able to walk to school on nicer days. However, this proximity will also mean a lot more traffic congestion on school days, including slow-moving buses making frequent stops. If you’re leaving for work around the same time, this might be frustrating. The increased traffic might also make some parents uneasy if their kids are out walking around.

Buses and Bus Stops

While buses are widely available in the St. Louis area for public schools, not all students live on bus routes and sometimes houses may be far from the actual bus stop. It’s always best to find out details surrounding school transportation in your area, in case something comes up and they need (or want) to take the bus. Check for bus and bus stop information on school or district websites.

What Does the School Feel Like in Person?

Sometimes a website or school rating can’t give you a feel for what the school is actually like. Visiting the school, or at least driving to it, can answer a lot of questions about a school’s atmosphere. For example, seeing the surrounding neighborhood might speak volumes about its safety, and seeing how well the property is maintained is also informative. Meeting some of the other parents, staff, or teachers can also be reassuring before making a permanent decision.

Most families searching for homes in the St. Louis area want to know about school districts in neighborhoods where they are looking. The real estate agents at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services have plenty of experience ironing out the details of district offerings as well as their boundary lines. 

Whether you want to buy a home near a school, make sure you’re close to a bus stop, or get help verifying school districts before buying your new home, our agents can help. 

And remember, even if you don’t have children, the school district your new home is in can affect its price at purchase and later on if you decide to sell.  Find an office near you to start looking for the right home in the right school district for your family.