Posted in Beachfront Homes, Buying Beachfront Properties
When you have finally decided to take the leap and go out and try to find a beachfront property to live in, rent out, or just to visit on occasion, it’s incredibly exciting to actually start comparing properties and start to make the whole process come together. Shopping for beachfront homes is a lot like shopping for real estate inland, but there are some other things that you need to take into account. If you live far away from the beach, you can even start your search on the internet. However, you should always visit the property first before making any offers.
If you do not live close to the beach right now, and odds are that you don’t, you’ll probably have a weekend or a few vacation days where you’re planning on looking at houses at your beach of choice. When you do this, it’s very important that you take a notepad along and write down the first impressions that any homes give you along with questions you might want to ask the real estate agent or current homeowner later. It can be really easy to forget details and mix up which property is which when you’re trying to make the most of your limited time. Prevent this by keeping careful notes.
While you have the seller or real estate agent at the house, always ask any and all questions that you can think of about the property. You should always be asking, why the seller is selling, if the property has any investment or rental opportunities, and what the current shoreline erosion rate is. Also try to find out some general information such as how often the area gets hit by storms and any building regulations you may be subject to. If you can, talking to neighbors can be really useful for this.
Something else that you may need to think of with beachfront homes that usually isn’t a problem on property inland is road and beach access. Know if your property comes with any exclusive rights to the beach or if the beach is public. Also find out where the public beach actually starts and where your property ends. This is usually at the high water line in most locales and that can vary from day to day. Many properties right on the beach, especially in lesser developed areas, also aren’t accessible from public roads. You need to take a private drive though someone else’s property first. Make sure that any deal for your property involves a right of way on this road. If it doesn’t you could find yourself in a sticky situation later if your neighbor doesn’t allow you to access your property.
Finally, whatever you do, don’t fall in love with any beach home for sale. Doing this will only complicate the deal and you could end up paying much more for your home than you can afford. When emotions come into play, we stop acting as rationally as we should and can make some bad decisions. Try to avoid this by setting up “firewalls” where you absolutely, positively will not cross. Set the price that you can afford and stick to it.
Searching for a home right on the beach is exciting, but make sure as with any real estate deal that you use common sense and don’t end up buying more than you can afford. If you have fun with the process – many people dream of living by the beach – stay with your limits, and find out all you can about the property you’ll find yourself looking out at the sea from your balcony in no time.
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