New Development for the Family: 7 Things to Check Before Buying

Did you know that in Tallinn, a child's school is determined primarily by the residential address registered in the population register? For a family, a new home is not just beautiful planning, but also the school route, a quiet bedroom, and a secure contract. Here are seven checkpoints with which you can compare new developments based on facts, not a sales brochure.

What to look at	How to check	Measurable criterion
School and kindergarten	City map and residential school rules	Distance to nearest school and kindergarten, relocation time before March
Layout	Apartment plan and area table	Own room for each child, storage space, and spacious foyer
Energy efficiency	Energy label in the building register	A-class, heat recovery ventilation
Sound insulation	Developer's acoustic measurements	Between apartments R′w ≥ 55 dB and L′n,w ≤ 53 dB
Courtyard and neighborhood	Site plan and on-site visit	Car-free courtyard, playground, bike storage
Contract	Contract to be concluded at a notary, advance payment protection	Purchase obligation only in a notarized contract
Financing	Bank loan calculation and KredEx guarantee	Own financing 15%, with guarantee 10% or 5%

1. Location: school and kindergarten depend on registration

Tallinn guarantees a school place in a municipal school for all children who, according to population register data, live in Tallinn. Tallinn Education Department determines the residential school primarily based on the proximity of the home and school and whether siblings attend the same school. If more children live near a particular school than there are places available, preference may be given to those whose residential address was registered in the register earlier.

This leads to a practical conclusion. A child is of school age if they turn 7 by October 1st, and applications for residential schools are accepted from March 1st to 15th. If your new home is completed in, for example, April, the old address still applies for that year's school application. For this reason, compare the development's completion time with your child's school start and ask the developer how certain the date for obtaining the occupancy permit is.

The logic with kindergarten is similar. Tallinn kindergartens admit children aged 1.5 to 7, whose residence is registered in Tallinn, and a place is offered at the kindergarten closest to the registered residential address that has a vacancy. On the application, you can indicate up to three preferences, and siblings living at the same address have priority for admission to the same kindergarten. The residence must be registered when you have actually moved in, as the address recorded is where you live permanently or primarily.

Other municipalities have their own rules. If you are considering a development in Tallinn's vicinity, check the municipal website before booking to see if the nearest kindergarten and school are actually accessible for your child.

2. Layout that grows with the family

A family needs bedrooms, storage space, and a functional foyer above all, not the largest living room. A good rule of thumb: plan a separate room for each child by the latest at the beginning of school age, even if the children currently share a bed. If the family has to change homes again in five years, transaction costs and moving expenses amount to a significant sum.

View the plan like a scenario of everyday life. Where does the baby carriage go, where do winter boots go, and where do wet clothes hang after playing outside? Does the bathroom have space for a washing machine and dryer, or will laundry need to dry in the living room? If the apartment has two bathrooms or a separate toilet, mornings with four people are considerably calmer.

Also check what the square meters mentioned in the ad actually include. In new developments, basement boxes and parking spaces may be registered as part of living space, so two apartments of the same area may not offer the same amount of living space. Ask the developer for an area table room by room and compare the price per square meter only based on heated living space.

3. Energy label and indoor climate

In Estonia, buildings for which a construction permit was issued from January 1, 2020 onwards must meet nearly zero-energy building or A-energy class requirements. The energy label is issued only through the national building register, so you can check the existence and class yourself. The label issued based on projected energy consumption is valid according to the building code for two years from the completion of the building.

Indoor climate is equally important for the family. The indoor air quality of new buildings must be ensured according to minimum energy efficiency requirements with heat recovery supply and exhaust ventilation. The Climate Ministry guide recommends choosing a heat exchanger with a temperature efficiency ratio of at least 0.8. This means that a larger portion of the heat from the exhaust air returns to the room and fresh air doesn't feel cold in winter.

Summer overheating is a common issue in new apartments with large glass surfaces. According to the KredEx guide, an apartment building's summer room temperature requirement is considered met if during the period June 1 to August 31, the room temperature does not exceed 27 °C by more than 150 degree hours. Ask the developer for a summer room temperature control calculation and check if windows facing south and west have external sun protection. This is especially important in a children's room where naps are taken.

Also ask immediately where the apartment's ventilation unit is located and how often filters need to be changed. If the device is hidden in a hard-to-reach location, maintenance easily gets neglected and air exchange weakens. Read more about why the energy label is important when choosing a home.

4. Sound insulation: ask for measurement results

Noise inevitably occurs in a family with children, and good sound insulation is the foundation of good relations with neighbors. Estonian standard EVS 842:2003 provides for airborne noise insulation index between apartments of R′w at least 55 dB and reduced impact sound level index of L′n,w up to 53 dB. With airborne noise, a larger number means better insulation, while with impact noise, a smaller number means a quieter floor.

Don't settle for the sales material phrase "good sound insulation". Ask if acoustic control measurements have been done in the completed building and ask to see the results. If the development offers better indicators than the standard, such as floating floors or thicker ceilings, it is a measurable advantage for the family worth paying for.

5. Courtyard, parking, and daily logistics

A good outdoor area gives children a safe place to play and parents peace of mind. Compare developments by whether the courtyard is car-free, where the playground is located, and whether it is visible from windows. For example, Park Tondi Residentsid in Kristiine emphasizes a car-free courtyard and proximity to school, while Kindluse Kodu in Järvekula builds almost 170 ground-heated homes on 21 hectares.

Also think through daily routes. How many minutes does it take on foot to the kindergarten, store, and bus stop? Is there a bike storage and baby carriage room in the stairwell, and can you charge an electric car in the parking lot? Go to the development around 8 a.m., when traffic is heaviest, and walk the school route yourself.

6. Contract and advance payment

When buying a new development, a booking agreement is often concluded first. According to the Supreme Court's practice, the seller commits by booking agreement not to sell the apartment to another for a certain period, and payment is made only for the booking. However, if the contract states that the buyer is obliged to buy and the seller to sell, it is a preliminary contract that must be notarially certified. A preliminary contract that violates the form requirement is void.

A common mistake is to pay a large advance payment based on a simple written contract, which in fact obligates purchase. If construction is delayed or conditions change, it is difficult to protect your rights under such a contract. Agree that the booking fee remains small and all purchase obligations and advance payments are formalized at a notary. Ask the developer in writing what guarantees the return of the advance payment if the building is not completed.

After delivery, you are protected by the Law of Obligations. When selling to a consumer, the seller is liable for non-conformity with the contract terms that becomes apparent within two years from the delivery of the apartment. Note all defects identified at delivery in the handover minutes and notify the developer of later discovered defects in writing and within a reasonable time. Read more about notary and state fee costs in the article notary fee and state fee.

7. Financing: own capital and state support

Banks typically ask for at least 15% own financing when issuing a home loan. With KredEx's home loan guarantee, 10% own financing is sufficient, and for a large family with at least three to 19-year-old children, starting from 5% own financing. A standard guarantee covers up to 24% of the property value, but not more than 20,000 euros. A large family guarantee extends up to 40% and 50,000 euros.

Let's look at a calculation. According to Kinnisvara24 data, the average price per square meter of new homes sold in Tallinn in 2025 was 4,537 euros. A 75 m² three-room apartment costs about 340,000 euros at this price. 15% own financing is 51,000 euros, with KredEx guarantee 10% or 34,000 euros, and for a large family 5% or about 17,000 euros. In addition to own financing, budget for notary fees, state fees, and furnishing costs.

Low-income large families can also apply for KredEx housing assistance. On first application, the assistance is up to 12,000 euros and can also be used for home purchase if the family's taxable income does not exceed 550 euros per household member per month. The purchase must be coordinated with KredEx before the notarial transaction. The 2026 application round was open from July 27 to September 14, so watch for the next round announcement in time. Read more about loan basics in the article home loan: what you should know before making a decision.

When it's worth considering the secondary market

A new development doesn't suit every budget. According to the Land Board and Spatial Planning Board, the average price per square meter of a new apartment in Tallinn in the second quarter of 2025 was 4,540 euros, while for a secondary market apartment it was 2,871 euros. If for your family a certain school in a specific district is most important and there are simply no new homes there, a renovated apartment building might be a better solution. In that case, check the energy label, building association renovation plans, and ventilation particularly carefully.

Before making an offer, it's also worth looking at market movements. Kinnisvara24's statistics environment combines Land Board and Spatial Planning Board transaction data and portal offers so you can compare prices in regions.

A good family home choice starts with checking the child's school route, bedrooms, and contract, and only then with finishing choices. Select two to three districts that fit your school and kindergarten plans and browse Kinnisvara24's selection of new developments. Save suitable projects and take the table's seven checkpoints with you to your meeting with the developer.