« Blog

Critical Things You Should Know About Home Buying

Shopping for a new home can be exciting or nerve racking or both. Choosing your next home is a big decision so it’s important to arm yourself before you ever start looking. There is plenty of real estate for sale around Brunswick County and historical data indicates sales pick up in October.

When you find that perfect home that you can picture your family in for the next 5 to 25 years, it’s a great feeling indeed. But don’t let that feeling sweep you away into automatic mode.

There are critical things you need to keep in mind while continuing through the process of purchasing your home. When you’re working with us at ReMax at the Beach we’ll keep you focused on the end goal but it’s good to keep the following things in mind.

Checklist of Things to Know

___ Confirm that your budget will handle what your new home is going to cost you on a monthly basis.

___ Once you find your home, consider whether your furniture, electronics and appliances will all fit into the new home.

___ Research the local area around the home you’re considering. Understand the economics, climate and other variables that will affect you while living there long term.

___ If you have school age children, check out the local elementary, middle and high schools. Find out how your children will get to school and drive the route yourself.

___ Check out the neighborhood at different times of the day, especially at night. Are there sidewalks? Are the walks and street well lit? Is it a quiet area or are there dogs barking?

___ Evaluate possible repairs or immediate improvements you’d want to make. Include the cost into what you’re offering when you make it.

___ Do a practice drive to work from the new home. Then do it again during the busiest time of the day. Is it a realistic amount of time that you’re willing to drive five days out of every seven, twice a day?

___ Choose a professional home inspector to examine your property prior to purchase. Make your offer contingent on a satisfactory resolution for what they find.

When you’re ready to look at properties. Give us a call at ReMax at the Beach at 910-842-8686. We’ll stay by your side through all the steps of locating, purchasing and closing on your new home. We look forward to hearing from you!