When we're touring a home, it's easy to focus on the size of the kitchen, the number of bedrooms, how much natural light exists in various spaces, etc. 

But one question that we might forget to consider is...

How do you get to the backyard?

I've shown several homes recently where the path from the interior living spaces to the backyard wasn't what you would expect...

• The main level has a lovely deck, but there are no stairs leading down. The only way to get to the backyard is down through the basement and out the back door.
   
• There's not a single door on the back of the home, so your route to the backyard starts by heading out the front door and walking around the house.
   
• The home is turned sideways on the lot, so none of the main living spaces look out over or open up to the backyard.
   
• The only backyard access is through a garage that was added after the house was built.

You get the idea. Some homes don't have a convenient connection between the interior living spaces and the backyard.

And maybe that's fine. Depending on how you live, it might not matter much.

But… it's worth thinking this through before we make an offer.

If your kids are playing outside -- can you see them from the kitchen or living room? If you want to (or need to) get out to that space with them, how easy is that? Will you be navigating stairs, heading through a garage, or looping around the house?

If you have a dog, what does letting them out look like? Is it a quick open of the door, or are you putting shoes on and heading down a flight of stairs?

Having a backyard is a big plus -- but how that outdoor space connects to your indoor space can make a big difference in how it actually gets used.

So next time we're walking through a home, let's make sure to check out how accessible the backyard is from the interior living spaces, and consider whether that will work well for you.