Purchasing A Beach House
If you live in Raleigh, North Carolina and travel to the beach often, you may want to consider buying a beach house. However, if you are thinking of buying a beach house, there are many things to consider. First, there is the price. Unlike regular houses, beach properties are considered “prime real estate” most of the time which spells out big bucks to you when it comes time to put money down on the house of your dreams. You should begin by going to your favorite area. For instance, if you frequent the Outer Banks of North Carolina around the areas of Duck and Corrolla, then the next time that you go out there for vacation, pay attention to the types of houses that are out there. A lot of the time, you can find a beach house by seeing the “for sale” sign on the property. Take down any numbers of people who are selling beach houses that you like and inquire about them. Additionally, there are usually beach front property rental and realty offices in areas such as these. Make sure you take down the numbers of realty offices in the area or simply stop by to speak to someone.
Once you know the kind of beach house or beach property that you’re looking for, then you can begin to look to see if you can afford it. If you find that you are able to afford beach property, then you can decide whether or not you want to hire a realtor to help you solidify your dreams. If you are a first-time buyer of beach property, you may want to take up the advice of a realtor in the area you are looking to buy in since they will more than likely be more knowledgeable. Before you meet up with the realtor, bring a friend with you who has gone through the process of buying beach property or at least consult with them before you go. Have their number handy and let them know that you will be meeting with a realtor, this way they know to expect a phone call from you. Write down any questions or concerns you may have about owning beach property, this way the realtor can address them at your meeting. For example, some things to consider when you are buying beach front property are things having to do with the value of the home depreciating or appreciating over time depending on the area, issues with how to go about getting flood insurance, how to maintain the upkeep of the property if it is only going to be used seasonally, etc.
If you know that you cannot afford a beach house on your own but are still really interested, it’s not the end of the world. Look into renting a beach house or possibly buying one with a friend. Have a close friend or family member co-sign on buying the property with you and then work out arrangements as to who will stay at the property during what time of the year. Before you do this, however, no matter if it is a close friend or family member, always make sure that you write up some sort of written contract in case there are ever any problems down the line!