by carolinaone_marketing
27. July 2015 04:22
John's Island, SC is one of the most beautiful parts of the greater Charleston area and most of the homes for sale there are keepers. However, even the most beautiful house can come with surprises, and those can lead to regrets. Here are four tips from us at Carolina One for making sure you go into the buying process with your eyes open, and come out with a dream home and no regrets.
1. Talk to the neighbors – This is a step surprisingly few home buyers take, and yet it can make all the difference in the world. Most John's Island residents are friendly and happy to talk to potential future neighbors, and they will have insider info on the neighborhood that you won't get from listings or even walkthroughs. Ask whether anyone in the neighborhood has plans to do major renovations, what they like and don't like about their street, what the schools are like and anything else on your mind. Often, neighbors will volunteer info you never would have thought of asking about.
2. Test drive the commute – Fortunately, John's Island is one of the most commuter-friendly towns around Charleston. Just a ten-minute drive from downtown, there are two bridges that tend to keep traffic flowing even at peak hours. Nonetheless, we always recommend testing out the commute if possible. Get up early one day and swing over to the Island first, then try driving to work at the hour you'd normally leave. Can you picture yourself doing this every day?
3. Swoop through at all hours – Checking out a neighborhood means more than just seeing it on a Sunday afternoon. What is it like on a weekday? How about a Friday night? When considering buying in a neighborhood, we advise driving through several times at different times of day and night. It will be good to know if the neighbors are up later and partying after midnight, or if a street is too sleepy for you even on the weekend. The more time you spend in the neighborhood, the better you will know if it truly feels like home.
4. Verify extra costs – One of the biggest sources of buyers' remorse comes from unexpected costs. Usually, these costs could have been anticipated with a little research. For example, you should always contact your own insurance company and get a quote on the home insurance instead of relying on a seller's figures; they may have discounts that you won't. Similarly, if the home needs repairs, don't rely on a seller's estimates for those repairs unless they can show you the recent quotes from real contractors. Otherwise, get your own contractor to give you a quote before proceeding.
What else do you check out before seriously considering a home?