SEATTLE, Aug. 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Parents were more
likely to move during the pandemic's Great Reshuffling than other
members of the population. A Zillow®
survey[1] found 14% of adults with children
younger than 18 say they have moved in the past year, compared to
9% of those without children. Yet nearly one-third of parents were
concerned their most recent move would cause stress for their
children.
As more families move to homes that better suit their evolving
needs, Zillow has created a children's e-book to help parents make
the transition easier for their families.
The Girl Who Didn't Want to Move chronicles a move by a
fictional young girl named Iris, her parents and her special
friends, Jupitus and Annika. Made in partnership with creative
agency FIG, the e-book tackles what it means to move to a new home,
what to expect, and the complicated mix of emotions that comes with
moving. In the end, Iris learns moving doesn't take away the things
you love, it just gives you more.
The e-book includes a discussion guide for parents, with advice
from Reena B. Patel, LEP, BCBA, a
parenting, education and behavior expert.
"As parents, we often move to create a better life for our
children, to develop connections and to grow as a family," says
Patel. "I know personally that moving to a new home can be
emotional and scary, and yet moving can help build resilience and
open new opportunities. Children have a stronger sense of control
over their moving anxiety when they directly participate in
moving-related activities. Parents can take steps to make their
family's move a positive experience."
The feelings of stress, anxiety and fear that children
experience during a move can be magnified for parents, who
typically face more challenges than other adults when buying and
selling a home. Zillow research finds most parents (51%) say they
cried while selling a home, compared to 36% of other adults. Their
most common stressors are uncertainty over the selling price and
whether their home would sell within their desired time frame.
When buying a new home, parents are more likely to go over
budget and more likely to make compromises to stay within their
budget. Zillow research also finds adults with children at home
typically spend more time shopping for a home and attend more open
houses because they often have longer wish lists and tighter
finances.
Once parents do move, most say they are happier or experience
positive life events as a result. Zillow's survey found parents
frequently cited watching their child thrive in a new place (44%)
to be among the most rewarding aspects of moving, and 30% say they
are a better parent to their children since their most recent move.
In the end, 81% of parents agree that their most recent move was
worth it.
The Girl Who Didn't Want to Move is available for
download from the Amazon Kindle store, Apple Books or in PDF format
for free from Zillow's customer resource center. Zillow's book
proceeds go to Covenant House, a nonprofit organization that
provides housing and supportive services to young people facing
homelessness. Zillow will make a matching donation to Covenant
House for each book downloaded, with a maximum match of
$25,000.
This is Zillow's second book. The New
York Times bestseller Zillow Talk: Rewriting the
Rules of Real Estate was released in 2015.
Tips for Moving with Kids
- Start early — Try to prepare your children for a move as
early as possible. Children younger than 10 are concrete learners
and would benefit from hands-on materials to help. Use a map to
show them where their new home or school will be. Look at photos
online and point out their new bedroom or the tree in the backyard
that's perfect for climbing.
- Allow time for goodbyes — Set up virtual or safe
in-person playdates to give your child a chance to say goodbye to
their friends and neighbors. Make a plan to visit favorite
neighborhood spots one last time, and make a memory box to save
souvenirs that remind your child of their old home, friends or
neighborhood.
- Maintain connections — Help your child create a concrete
way to stay connected with friends through email, text, letters or
phone calls. Prior to your moving day, consider establishing a date
for when you'll come back to visit.
- Manage your own stress first — Children often take on
their parents' emotions, so taking steps to reduce your stress
during a move can help everyone. New technology has been developed
that eliminates many of the stressors that used to come with
moving. For example, virtual 3D home tours can save buyers time
when touring homes, while a growing trend of services like Zillow
Offers allows sellers to skip all the hassles that come with a
traditional sale.
- Create a sense of belonging — Help your child settle
into their new home by unpacking boxes in their room as soon as you
can. Give them the feeling of ownership over their space by
allowing them to decorate or select special furnishings they
want.
- Be consistent — Return to family routines as quickly as
possible with established bedtimes, family time and
mealtimes.
About Zillow Group
Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate
to make it easier to unlock life's next chapter.
As the most visited real estate website in the United States, Zillow® and its affiliates
offer customers an on-demand experience for selling, buying,
renting or financing with transparency and nearly seamless
end-to-end service. Zillow Offers® buys and sells homes directly in
dozens of markets across the country, allowing sellers control over
their timeline. Zillow Home Loans™, our affiliate lender, provides
our customers with an easy option to get pre-approved and secure
financing for their next home purchase. Zillow recently launched
Zillow Homes, Inc., a licensed brokerage entity, to streamline
Zillow Offers transactions.
Zillow Group's brands, affiliates and subsidiaries include
Zillow®, Zillow Offers®, Zillow Premier Agent®, Zillow Home Loans™,
Zillow Closing Services™, Zillow Homes, Inc., Trulia®, Out East®,
StreetEasy® and HotPads®. Zillow Home Loans, LLC is an Equal
Housing Lender, NMLS #10287 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org).
[1] This survey was conducted
online within the United States by
the Harris Poll on behalf of Zillow March
10-12, 2021. The survey was composed of 2,005 U.S. adults
ages 18 and older, among whom 244 had moved in the past year and
808 had moved within the past five years (referenced throughout as
"recent movers"). "Parents" in this survey refer to parents or
legal guardians of any children younger than 18. This online survey
is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of
theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey
methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample
sizes, please contact press@zillow.com.
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SOURCE Zillow