Home Buyers and Sellers With Children: Understanding Priorities
Louisiana Realtors • December 27, 2018
Buying a home is an exciting time in anyone’s life. However, depending on the stage that your client is in, there are going to be varying priorities. This is especially true for a family with young children. This type of client is going to be focused on a lot of different things compared to a newlywed couple or empty nesters. Understanding not only what they want and what they need, but why is what makes a REALTOR® such a valuable resource. Here are some statistics that show what is important to potential homebuyers with children under the age of 18.
· 50% of homebuyers with children consider a neighborhood based on the quality of the school district, compared to 11% of buyers without children.
· 45% of homebuyers with children consider a neighborhood based on its convenience to schools, compared to 6% of buyers without children.
· 40% of homebuyers with children find their REALTOR® from a referral.
· 76% of homebuyers with children prefer personal calls from their REALTOR® for updates.
· 62% communicate via text message.
· 27% of homebuyers with children cite that child care expenses have delayed the homebuying process.
· 26% of home sellers with children try to sell their home urgently, compared to 14% of home sellers without children.
· 24% of home sellers with children need a larger home, compared to 8% without children.
· 18% of home sellers with children want to move closer to family, compared to 5% without children.
While each buyer and seller has unique needs, a REALTOR® is a knowledgeable professional there to help navigate any challenge.
Louisiana’s 2026 Regular Session opened this week with several developments that matter directly to REALTORS ®, property managers and housing providers, alongside some broader political shifts worth watching. HB 292: Security Deposit Return Timelines Rep. Delisha Boyd’s HB 292, which addresses procedures for returning residential security deposits, was deferred to next week. This provides additional time for stakeholders to engage with members on practical impacts for lease administration, move out inspections and documentation standards. We’ll continue working to ensure any changes to deposit law are clear, workable and do not expose housing providers to unreasonable liability. Land Use and Development: St. James Parish Decision The Louisiana Supreme Court’s recent St. James Parish decision significantly tightens the standards for overturning local land use decisions, reinforcing that zoning and permitting authority rests with parish and municipal governments as long as their decisions are not arbitrary or capricious. For real estate and development, that means more predictability if projects are aligned with adopted plans and ordinances, but also higher stakes in local elections, planning processes and parish-level negotiations. Governor’s State of the State In his State of the State address, Governor Jeff Landry reiterated his push to phase out the state income tax, expand the LA GATOR and MJ Foster scholarship and workforce programs, and replace vehicle inspection stickers with a QR code system. These programs frame a debate around long-term competitiveness, workforce readiness and household cost of living which are all key drivers of housing demand and migration patterns. Business & Market Trends The business community is focusing the session on insurance, workforce and energy. Commercial and property insurance costs remain a top concern for employers and property owners, and we are monitoring civil justice and insurance reform proposals that could affect market stability and availability. At the same time, Louisiana is seeing more than $100 billion in announced industrial and data center projects, which could reshape local markets, labor conditions and housing needs in multiple regions of the state. Please view the weekly bill tracking report at the link below provided by our lobbying team over at Harris, DeVille and Associates.
Learn how Louisiana real estate regulations, disclosure laws, and licensing standards help protect homebuyers and create safer, more transparent transactions.
Nominations are open now through April 24, 2026, for the Louisiana REALTORS® 2025 REALTOR® of the Year & the 2025 Lawrence R. DeMarcay, Jr. Distinguished Service Award. Both awards are aimed to showcase an individual who has volunteered their time in service to the real estate industry. Recipients of the awards will be recognized during the Spring Legislative Conference. (Registration coming soon!) Please see the below links with the selection criteria and consider submitting a nomination today. Contact Donna Teekel at (225) 224-0704 or dteekel@larealtors.org with any questions.
