Are you planning on buying your first home in Beaufort County? No doubt your budget is the main driver in your home search. Yet there are other factors you may not have thought of that can help you find the perfect home. These tips can not only help you find the ideal home for your lifestyle, but also help you afford to live comfortably in your new home.

Can you afford to heat and cool it?

Are you aiming to buy a larger home in Beaufort County? Keep in mind that the larger the home, the more it costs to maintain. It also means that you'll pay more to heat and cool your home. If having more space is a critical factor in your search, try to find a newer home that has updated systems and more energy efficient materials. This can help defray the cost of heating and cooling a larger home.

Who's going to mow the lawn?

How much lawn will you have to take care of in your new home? If you or other family members don't know how to care for a lawn, or just don't have the time or patience, you should consider a home with a smaller lawn, or no lawn at all. Otherwise, your lawn could become a burden visually as well as financially if you have to hire help to maintain it. If you don't want to take care of a lawn, perhaps the lower-maintenance lifestyle offered by a condo or townhome is the best option for you.

What’s good for resale?

How long do you plan to live in your first home? If you goal is to use it as a stepping stone to a better home, you need to consider the home's resale potential. In other words, think like a seller when buying your first home. The same questions you have about the floorplan or location are likely the questions would-be buyers will be asking when you go to sell.

When it comes to the floorplan, don't just think about what you want, but what is popular in the area. If homes with downstairs master suites sell especially well and you haven’t considered that plan, this info may make you rethink your strategy.

How close are the schools?

Eventually, schools will be back in normal operation. If you have kids, then no doubt you want to be close to local schools in Beaufort County. But you might want to think about the path kids take to walk to and from school. Kids can be noisy when they travel to and from school, and perhaps can cause some mischief. Being close to schools is fine. Just keep an eye on the routes students take to attend school.

Did anything weird happen there?

Some homes in Beaufort County have a very long history. Some homes may be stigmatized by some tragic event that occurred there that caused the previous owners psychological damage. Some homes may have a reputation of being haunted. Whether or not you believe in ghosts, a reputation is still a reputation. The owner of a home will hopefully be honest in their disclosure of anything that has stigmatized the home. In the end though, it boils down to how comfortable you feel in the home, despite it's reputation or what actually happened there in the distant past.

There are many factors to consider when buying your first home in Beaufort County. We're happy to help guide you through the process.

Looking to buy a home in Beaufort County? Visit our home search feature to find the perfect home for sale. Visit our blog every week for more helpful real estate advice, along with local articles about life in the Lowcountry.