Buying A Home Now For Retirement In The Future

Spring Mill Plantation home purchased

Prince Creek home purchased

Emmens Preserve home purchased

During the past six months three couples that plan retirement within the next two years made contact to simply explore the area around Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  They sent a must have and wish list of amenities for the neighborhood and perfect home where they wanted to live when they finally retired.  Listings of homes available and neighborhood information was sent to each couple and within weeks of receiving their listings they decided to take a look in person.  All were very honest about the fact that they were just beginning to look for real estate and were not ready to buy.  After reassuring them that was normal they felt comfortable as we toured various communities throughout The Grand Strand.  I was the one surprised when each of these couples, who did not know each other, decided that one of the homes that I had set up for them to preview was the perfect home.  Trying to make sure that a purchase was not an impulse they would regret was not easy but they all agreed to "sleep on it".  Expecting them to have changed their minds when we met the next day lessened with the third couple but the look on my face made them laugh.     

Buying A Foreclosure

Many of those thinking of retirement in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina or anywhere are asking about foreclosed homes and condos.  I always tell people to do their homework and have their own Buyer's Agent (Realtor) help in the search.

While touring a foreclosed home with my clients, who were ready for me to prepare an offer right then,  I noticed a crack between the fireplace and the wall, while they were upstairs taking their third look,  I went back outside to see if anything looked strange on the exterior of the fireplace and chimney.  They had said they did not need a home inspection company to check the house because the husband had once built homes yet they had not noticed the crack inside or the gap between the house and chimney that none of us had noticed while looking at the exterior of the house.

My clients still did not want to pay for an inspection company since they did not know if the foreclosure purchase would go through so I provided them with the names of reputable local building contractors who would come take a look and provide a free estimate of repair costs.  Turns out  there was a structural problem that made a huge difference in the amount of our offer to purchase. 

That house just happened to be a foreclosure but it could have happened to any home for sale so remember to have a good Agent and make your offer contingent upon a home inspection.