Frequent readers of my blog site, GolfCommunityReviews, know my hard line mantra: If you have equity in your home and a plan to relocate to a warmer climate, the time may be right to make your move. Many of us are under the false assumption that we have lost so much value in our homes that we need to wait until the price we can fetch reaches pre-crash levels in order to afford our next home – all evidence to the contrary.
For example, most retirees, now that their nest is empty of children, will buy a smaller, easier-to-manage home. It will cost less -– in some cases much less — than the price they fetch for their primary homes. Second, the cost of living in the Carolinas and most areas of the south is significantly lower than in the north, in some cases as much as 35% lower. Consider what you spend on an annual basis, and the savings you will gain should certainly soothe your hard feelings over getting less for your current house than you think it is worth.
And, third, waiting for the price of your current home to re-appreciate is a fool’s errand since the next one you buy, especially if it is in the south, where baby boomers and younger people seeking employment opportunities are moving, will appreciate as much or more over the same time.
The Internet is both the best and worst thing that has ever happened to home searches; its torrent of information, insights and conflicting opinions can be confusing and misleading. Some people get into trouble when they start looking at communities on the Internet without first having a clear idea of their own requirements. A few folks I’ve worked with discovered during our conversations that they weren’t looking for the same things as their spouses were, and then these couples had to readjust their expectations.
Mark Twain wrote that, “To succeed in life, you need two things: Ignorance and confidence.” My best advice is to approach the search for a golf community home knowing what you want –- private or public golf, remote from or close to a city, people your age or a mix of young families and retirees in the community -– not where you want (unless you are aiming to move closer to specific family or friends or for a job). Right now, there is a wide range of opportunities to purchase a southern golf home at prices we might not see again for many years. You can be confident that you will be successful in finding your dream home on the course, as long as you remain ignorant of too many details.
About Larry Gavrich
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