With one in five renters having children, families make up a large part of the rental population. Renting with kids, though, has its own set of things to consider. If you are having your first baby in your rented apartment or are moving to an apartment with your family, here are some things to keep in mind.

• Safety First. Children, particularly small ones, have additional safety needs. While it is great to have a pool in the complex close to your unit, consider whether you want to have it that accessible to your toddling bundles of joy. You may love the complex, but consider a unit farther away from the pool and one one without a deck. Also, think about child-proofing the apartment. If the previous tenants didn’t have kids, you will probably need to invest in the safety gear. Think about what you will need and how much it will cost. Regardless, it is money well spent. Lastly, consider the neighbors and how child-friendly the building or complex will be. Are you comfortable having your children see and hear what is going on? You might also check the sex offender registry for your area.
• Schools. For those with school-aged children or even pre-schoolers, do your research on the schools in the area. Are they suitable for your needs? Do they offer early education for young ones? How about after-school care? It might make sense to pick your school first and then pick an apartment in the district. One more thing: Think long term. Do you want to limit disruption and moving for your child? Pick a neighborhood where you’ll want to stay even after you outgrow the current apartment.
• Discrimination is Prohibited. Familial status is a protected class for fair housing purposes. If you feel that a potential landlord is discriminating against you as a renter because you have children, don’t look the other way. Find out your rights.
• Transportation/Location. When you move, keep in mind the things that are relevant to your kids’ lives. You’ll have doctors appointments, play dates, school meetings and trips to the grocery store, pharmacy and general retail stores. If your transportation options are limited, try to find a place that accommodates your transportation and convenience needs and has access to reliable public transportion. It doesn’t do you much good to save $50 a month in rent when it makes your life more difficult and you spend more than that trying to get to and from where you need to go.
• Space. Consider how much space - and how many rooms - you will need. If money is tight, is sharing a room with your child the right answer? It may seem alright now, but keep in mind varying bedtimes and routines and remember that kids grow. Also, as kids grow, they accumulate more things - larger toys, bikes, train sets. This can really eat up space in an apartment.

Spending a few minutes thinking ahead will save you some headaches later one. Happy renting.