Thinking of updating your home?  Some improvements have a greater payback with increase value to your property. 

Take a look at just a few examples.

Remodeling your Kitchen?  Make choices design, color, and material choices that maintain their value and positive impact on your home.  

There is a myriad of places for ideas and careful selection for your home can bring lasting value.

Consider, in your research, home improvement shows, visiting interesting homes on the market whether just viewing from this website or in person during OPEN HOUSES near your home to get ideas.  Remember your family and your needs, chose materials that will be consistent with the way you will use the space.

Consult professionals and create a plan and a budget for your project.

Article authored by Jim McKinley

When you’re in the market for a vacation home, it’s important to do some thorough research before making any decisions. There are a lot of details to consider, from the location of the home to whether you want to use it solely for your family or rent it out to help pay the mortgage and upkeep costs. Not only that, you’ll also need to decide who will take care of it when you’re not there, so setting a budget is essential. 

Sit down with your spouse, partner, or financial advisor to hammer out the details before you do anything else. Once you have a good plan in place, you can move on to the bigger things, such as how much time you’ll spend there and whether you need a pool. Buying a second home is a big commitment, especially if you are a retiree with health or mobility issues, so it’s important to look at the big picture from the very beginning. 

Here are some great tips on how to get started with buying a vacation home.

Location is key

When buying a home, location is always key. A vacation home is especially dependent on location, because not only do you want it to be a getaway, it should also be an appropriate distance from your current home. If you don’t want the extra expense of hiring a caretaker during the weeks you’re not inhabiting it, the home should be close enough to you that you can travel there to make repairs and check on things. 

Keep in mind that homes in very touristy areas will be more expensive, and if you’re going to rent it out for a portion of the year, you want to make sure it’s in a prime location. Unless you buy a cabin in the woods, renters want a place that’s close to local natural wonders (like the beach), shopping, restaurants, and family activities.

View it as an investment

Whether you’re going to use the vacation home solely for your family’s needs or rent it out is a big decision. If you want to view it as an investment, renting it out can help you make money for several months out of the year, which will certainly help when it comes to paying the bills. However, you’ll need to remember that a rental property may require different insurance, and you may need to make updates to the home to attract renters, which will cost some money up front. Look for ways to save money, such as making small repairs yourself rather than hiring a caretaker. You may be able to keep insurance costs down by looking for a home that doesn’t have a pool or buying in a city that isn’t prone to hurricanes or tropical storms in the summer. Read on here for some great tips on buying a second home.

Set a budget, then spend beneath it

Set a realistic budget for your vacation home and factor in everything you’ll need to purchase for it, including decor, furniture, kitchenware, and bathroom accessories. Remember to include taxes and insurance. When you come to a final number, start looking for homes that fall well beneath that line. You want to have some padding in your budget for maintenance and updates, unexpected repairs, and lawn care, so don’t make things so tight that you’ll be stressing about how to make the mortgage payment. 

Buying a second home can be a lot of work, so make sure you and your spouse or partner are up to it. Once you find a good location, stay there for a week or two, if possible, to check out the community and get a feel for the type of people who live there. This may help you make a decision about whether or not to rent. 

Big or little take note and address items that could hinder the sale of your home.  

We have all heard to make a good first impression; it is the same with your home.  Take a little time to put your home in the best possible position to sell.

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Peaceful Days

Residential Lot Selection Criteria

When considering the purchase of a residential lot have you considered all factors?  This article may be helpful in your selection of a residential lot.

Tip:  Chose Location that Fits You

Location – Determine what is important to you?  Is it proximity to work, transportation, place of worship, recreational activity, family, friends or affordability. Before venturing out, a good first tip is to first the consider location.

Eagle Ridge Foresthill

Community Characteristics – Urban or suburban settings are only a part of the equation.  Do you want parks, hiking trails, friendly over the fence neighbors of a little distance between your nearest neighbors? 

Tip:  Evaluate All Property Details

Property Access – Access to land is critical first to get to and from a property, but also to allow emergency vehicles onto your property. Selecting and that fronts directly on or has vehicular access to a public road removes much of this concern. If it doesn’t, make sure the proper easements and rights of way are in place.  You may still not be out of the woods, because access to property may also impact the insurability of the property and any possible structures.  Before considering the purchase of any property contact to your insurance company.

Property Use Restrictions – Check your potential property’s use restrictions to ensure you can use the site or even build the home the way you want. Restrictive covenants, homeowner’s association rules (architectural review committees), historic districts and environmental conditions like wetlands all affect your use of a property. Determine restrictions related to front and side setbacks or easements that may restrict usage.

Utilities and Infrastructure – Water and sewage are first on the list these in’s and outs are very important. Make sure there are no hidden fees for connecting to water and sewer. If a septic system is needed, make sure it passes a “perc test”, which measures the absorption rate of the soil where a proposed septic system will be installed. If there is no public water, then a well will be required and the gallons per minute flow rate is very important.  Check with the building department for acceptable rates. Is cable television and high-speed Internet a must? Do your homework.

Know the Property – Walk the entire property and consider where you would place your home on the lot. Consider any easements and setbacks and then walk off the proposed location of your proposed home.  Ask and understand that building cost will vary with the slope of the land, trees, rocks potential hazards (wetlands).

Consider your Neighbors – A major highway, railroad, farm may have an impact on the desirability of the property.  Noise or smells may reduce the value of a particular property.  Check it out; use technology such as satellite maps and understand the neighborhood.

Tip:  Work with Professionals

Select your Builder – Talk to several builders, see the homes that they have built and contact former clients. Learn about your builder and the type along with the quality of the home they build.  Communication is key and establishing confidence through your own due diligence is extremely important. Make sure to walk the lot with your builder to help level set and confirm build requirements and possible costs.

Work with Professionals – When it comes to the purchase a lot it is important to understand as much as you can about the property.  Consider the Real Estate Agent, Builder, Lender, and Insurance Broker to name a few. Communication is crucial and talking with the professionals can make your lot purchase rewarding.