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By Antonis Loizou FRICS – Antonis Loizou & Associates Ltd – Real Estate & Project Managers
From information that I have gathered from young couples, especially those starting a family with children, here is a summary of my conclusions and the feedback I have received:
• The choice for apartment is primarily based on the financial ability of the couple and accordingly look at the options of choice of location or size. Regardless of this however, there also seem to be some cases where other needs, as determined by their children, force a different choice on the parents.
• An apartment of choice, with somewhat limited comfort for children, is usually about 80 sq.m., plus verandahs and covered space of 20 sq.m., for a total 100 sq.m.
• The sitting/dining room should open to at least one balcony which may also be an extension of the sitting room itself, where children can often use it for their toy space, while the parents are in the room beside them.
• Also, young couples may also set as a priority for the location in relation with their workplace. A practical choice, but the proximity to parents is also important as in times of need, they are the ones who will help raise or watch over the children.
• Consider locations that have kindergartens nearby, as well as elementary schools, gymnasium or lyceum high schools, because the to-ing and fro-ing up to a certain age of the children will be a daily routine with a relevant cost in time and fuel.
• Look for nearby parks and public green areas or even walkways in order to accommodate a daily stroll for the younger children in the pram, especially if there are children’s play areas so that they can play with other children.
• Make sure that the apartment itself, or in the parking area, has some sort of storage space of at least 3sq.m. if possible, because the children’s toys and other stuff that you will accumulate will need storage space, and a lot of these are just not suitable to be kept in cupboards inside the apartment.
• Check out the verandahs and if necessary put up some sort of fencing, not the flimsy aluminum kind that make your apartment look like a prison. There are thick wired fencing, some in coloured plastic, that provide ample protection. The average height should be about 2m, as there are some craft little children who will soon learn to put up chairs and climb all over the place.
• At the initial stage and in order to save both money and space, consider a bunk-bed that could also create some work space for reading and homework.
• The open-space kitchen is now taken for granted, but make sure that there is provision to install a small fence to make sure the children do not have access to utensils that may be hot or have an open flame, as they love to explore through the cupboard to bring out the pots and pans.
• What is necessary nowadays is having two shower/bathrooms, one for the parents and a separate one for the children.
• Make sure that the insulation on the floor is well maintained, because the constant moving of furniture or other items could damage the flooring and also annoy the neighbours living below, a common phenomenon that could lead to unnecessary costs, such as a complaining neighbour seeking compensation in order to move elsewhere because of the noise.
• Placing ceiling fans is probably the best solution, but make sure the rotor blades are not within easy reach, as there was a case recently where a parent was holding a child too close to the fan.
• Cupboards must have locks or safety latches, for which there are many that are sold ready-to-install.
• Use “fly screens” on as many windows as possible to protect the family, and especially children from bugs or flies.
• As an additional measure you can install safety plugs or locks, while wireless sound units are very cheap nowadays to be able to monitor the children.
These are the most common requirements we have come across in the case of small apartments with two children, usually aged up to 10-11. After that age, other problems start to arise and every child will want his or her own room to play with their friends, otherwise the whole family will have a problem.
For those with a biger budget, there are other problems associated with having pets or pools and homes with vast spaces. In the U.S., for example, 20% of all accidents occur within the narrow confines of a home. Fortunately, in Cyprus we have vast spaces, close proximity to play grounds, beaches, parents’ homes, which allow for some sense of escape from the small apartment.
