A Guide to Looking At Real Estate in North Carolina
Are you bored of your current neighborhood? Perhaps you’re looking to move state? Then why not consider The Tar Heel State? Renowned for baseball and barbeque, North Carolina is an attractive state and considered one the best places to live in the United States. Boasting beautiful mountain views, plenty of sandy beaches, beautiful weather, and a low cost of living/taxes, it’s not hard to see why The Tar Heel State is so famous for Americans and vacationers alike. Regardless of whether you’re looking for real estate in Wilmington or Raleigh, we’ve produced a handy guide to looking at real estate in North Carolina. We’ve packed it full of tips and advice on how to find your perfect property and weigh up your options.
Check out the Property’s Location
Suppose you’ve been browsing for real estate in Wilmington or other cities, and you’ve found a property that looks promising; we recommend checking out the property’s location before viewing. You can generally find this information on the website featuring the property listing. If the property is nearby, you could drive around the area nearby and note its location. However, if the property is too far away for you to travel to in-person, you could try using Google Maps and other tools to assess how close it is to busy roads and local amenities.
Speaking of roads, if you’re fortunate enough to have found a new job already or if you’re remaining at your current one, it’s worth checking the distance you’ll have to commute from your new home to work. Or, if you intend on dropping your children into school each day, it’d be worth looking at school routes, too, as nothing is more infuriating than having to travel miles from place to place, especially in rush hour traffic. If you do have children, it may also be worthwhile to check out which school district the property falls under, as this can be an attractive selling point if you relocate in the future.
Make Sure it’s in a Nice Neighborhood
Especially if you’re relocating with small children or family, one of your top priorities should be making sure that your new home is situated in a nice neighborhood. As the neighborhood you choose to settle down in will have a direct impact on you and your family’s lives, so it’s wise to double-check what the quality of living there is like before making a decision. It might also be wise to look up the crime rate for the area, and if it’s rife with criminal activity, it’s bound to be the wrong place for your family!
If the area isn’t local to you, you could try asking your friends, family, or co-workers if they’ve ever passed through or heard any stories about your future neighborhood. Or you could conduct an internet search and see what people online have to say about the area. Once you make all the necessary checks, like the neighborhood, the school districts, etc., and you’re happy with those, it’s time to view the property. Turn it into a family activity and involve your children, as they’ll be moving house too and are sure to want to get a glimpse at their potential new home. There’s no limit to how many times you can view a place either, so make sure to go back several times if you’re undecided.
Make Sure You Have a Home Inspection Carried Out
This point should go without saying when it comes to buying real estate, regardless of the location. Although home inspections aren’t mandatory, we recommend having one carried out anyway, as enlisting this service can help identify any underlying issues with the property before you move in. Home inspections can help highlight problems invisible to the naked eye, such as dampness, improper wiring, and structural issues, amongst many others, so it’s worth considering having one done. The last thing you want your new home to surprise you with is several costly, extensive repairs that could have been identified and rectified much sooner if you’d had a home inspection carried out.
Don’t Let Small, Fixable Issues Deter You
Suppose that you’ve found a property that intrigues you, but you noticed some minor issues that deter you from putting down an offer during the viewing. Depending on these minor issues, most are easily fixable, provided that you’re willing to get your hands dirty, or you could call in a professional. Scuffs in paintwork, small cracks in the walls or ceilings, lawn issues are all incredibly common when buying real estate and are all issues that don’t require professional assistance. So they shouldn’t sway you from buying a property, providing that you don’t have any other doubts. If you have serious doubts, these can quickly be reassured by a home inspection, as mentioned in our previous point. But, overall, it shouldn’t be an ultimatum.