When you’re buying a home, sometimes it can feel like every step requires your full attention. This sentiment carries perhaps the most weight among first-time homebuyers and those buying a house while renting an apartment.

Ask any real estate expert and they will agree: after location, and the home itself, the next big consideration when buying a new home is the school district that services the area. After all, if you have children or plan to have children, finding the right school is nearly equally as important as finding the right home. Even if kids aren’t in the cards for you, or if your children have already left the nest, school districts still play a crucial role in your home’s resale value.

Your children have left home and created families of their own, but your home should be anything but an empty nest. While one chapter of your life has closed, another has opened—and you can fill it with just as many experiences and memories as the last.