Six Pools and a Pet Store

It's that time of year. Parents in a hurry to find a new home before the school year begins are combing open houses and the Sunday paper. But while amenities such as attached garages, finished basements and glamour baths play well with adults, we wondered if the kids tagging at their heels were equally enthralled.

Pick up the June 2001 issue of Cleveland Magazine to find out what other stuff children's dream homes are made of.

To find out, we visited with the 21 students in Petra Pienkosky's third-grade class at Roxbury Elementary School in Solon. Turns out, they're more interested in pools (17 kids mentioned them, including one girl who wanted six) than even the fanciest kitchen (three mentions). Almost half the kids wanted game rooms. It seems, too, that kids crave more control over their purchases, as indicated by the number who included pet, candy and video game stores in their blueprints.

Real-estate agents and builders take note: Here's what the under-10 market is looking for in a dream home:

• "My dream house is just like Bill Gates' house. I have so much money, I gave a lot to Harvest for Hunger. I also sent one arcade game there, too. I keep five poor people in my house. I keep them there for five years or less. They are very nice people, so I let them stay very long."
  — Timmy
• My dream home is not like most others. It would have a huge library with half autobiographies. The other half would be mysteries. My younger sister would live with me. My house would be painted teal. There would be five floors and 20 rooms. One room would be empty so I could change its meaning. The lawn would be pure and green. My garden would be half flowers. My dream home is still my dream."
  — Ashley
• "My dream home will have a baseball field. Also, my home will have a football field, too! It will have a hot tub and a pool that sparkles like a diamond!"
  — Ben