Many parents may think that moving to a better school district would be the best way to guarantee a quality education for their children. But you do have other options, including private and charter schools. Here are some things to consider before you make the move.
 
For parents, the countdown to kindergarten ticks almost as loudly as the biological clock — especially if your local public schools aren’t great.
 
By the time the oldest child is 4, real-estate agents say, most parents in this predicament throw themselves out on the real-estate market, trying to buy their way into the best school district they can afford.
 
Should you pull the trigger so quickly? Would you be better off staying put and socking that money away for a few years, or spending some of it on private-school tuition until values rise?
 
"I think a lot of people move sooner than they need to," says Liz Vaughn Avila, an agent with Dilbeck Realtors in La Canada, Calif.
 
Given the shaky job market and still unstable real-estate market, agents say it might pay for some people to hold off on that pricey purchase. But how do you know if you’re ready to make the move?
 
MSN Real Estate asked education consultants, real-estate agents, financial experts and parents what they would consider before taking on a much larger mortgage for better schools.
 
Weighing your options
First, experts say, you should study all of your options — not just the schools at the top of the ladder, or the ones your friends rave about.
 
1. What is your local elementary school really like?
A lot of people tend to dismiss that public school around the corner before even checking it out, says Fiona Whitney, a Los Angeles education consultant and author of the Whitney Guides to private schools and preschools. Sitting in on a class might just convince you that it will work for your child, or conversely make you more resolved to find something else.
 
Tour a couple of the vaunted public schools in that area you have your eye on. What’s the difference?
 
The main point here is: Don’t just listen to what your friends say, go out and see for yourself.
 
2. What charter or magnet schools are in the area?
This can be a great low-cost alternative for kids who have an interest in a particular area such as science, or parents who embrace a more progressive teaching philosophy.  But getting into these schools is no sure thing. Parents must apply — usually earlier that same calendar year — and hope they make the cut.
 
As with any other options, it’s important to spend some time at the school and talk to other parents about their child’s experience there.
 
"You have to find a good fit for the child," Whitney says.
 
3. What private options do you have and how much do they cost?
Experts say you should look at your budget and ask yourself how much you could realistically spend a month on tuition. Make sure, says Massachusetts certified financial planner Patricia Konetzny, that you are first socking away 10% of your net income for retirement. (You might need to tap that for college.)
 
"If sending (the kids) to private schools means they can’t do that, then I would advise against it," she says.