Kids Get A Say In Where They Hang Their Hats

September 29th, 2010

They have to live there, too.

Real estate brokers are seeing an increase in clients under the age of 18, as more parents try to involve their kids in the decision of where to live.
Sometimes the goal is to teach the kids how real estate works, sometimes it’s a way to make them feel more involved in a big family change, and sometimes it’s just practical to have another person helping to make the final decision.
The 9- and 14-year-old daughters of a Manhattan apartment hunter were instrumental in pointing out flaws: the dining room wouldn’t fit a table for homework, the oven wouldn’t fit a Thanksgiving turkey, the layout wouldn’t allow for enough privacy.

Frances Katzen, a broker with Prudential Douglas Elliman, recently showed a $3.1 million dollar apartment to two children, aged 11 and 12, who came without their parents.
Another agent working for CORE showed an apartment to a client and his 15- and 18-year-old children, who seemed to be along for a lesson in finance.

“At first I thought it was going to be boring. Then I thought it was fun to fit everything in.” – Julia Paris, 14-year-old house hunter