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.

Facts & Figures

• 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.

Best Quote

“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