Buying a Second Home? Things to Consider Before Purchasing

It’s something that many homeowners dream about – buying a second home. Just imagine going to your favorite vacation destination and staying in your very own home. Owning a second home allows you to get away whenever you want, as often as you want. No more worries about booking the right rental in time for your vacation. When it’s finally time to make that dream a reality, there are some important factors to consider to help ensure that you choose a second home that fits your lifestyle.

Avoid Making an Impulse Purchase

It can be quite tempting. After all, you’re in this great location and you’re thinking it just couldn’t get any better than this – so why wait? However, resist the urge to jump right in and come home from vacation with a new set of house keys. Just like your main residence, buying a second home is a major investment and you want to make sure it’s a wise one. Making an impulse purchase could cause you to end up with a place that doesn’t fit your needs. It’s important to do your due diligence when buying a second home.

Choosing the Right Home to Buy

Before you actually start looking at houses, you need to think about how much time you are willing to spend on maintaining your second home. If your main goal is to spend time having fun and relaxing, you may want to consider a condo. They are typically maintained by the condo association via HOA fees, minimizing your responsibility. Condos can also be a good choice for those who only plan to use the home occasionally and would rather not worry about year-round maintenance. For those who plan to use their second home more frequently and prefer a bit more privacy, a single family home may be a better choice.  

It’s also important to consider your long term goals when buying a second home. If you’re primarily interested in a place for frequent weekend getaways, you may want to limit your search to locations that are no more than a day’s drive away. If your ultimate goal is to someday retire to your second home, you will want to choose a location you where you would like to live. This will also influence the type of home you are looking for. Consider what your needs may be in retirement. Will you need plenty of space for family and friends to visit? Or will you be doing a lot of traveling and just need a nice place to hang your hat between your trips? The home’s accessibility and the upkeep required to maintain it should also be considered.

Get Familiar with the Area

Whether it’s your first visit or it’s been your destination of choice for years, make sure you really understand what it would be like to live there. Part-time or full-time, you need to see the area through the eyes of a resident rather than a tourist. What’s it like in the off-season? Especially if you’re planning to eventually make your second home your permanent residence, you will want to know what the area offers year-round from activities and retail offerings to entertainment and healthcare.

It can be helpful to talk to the local residents or plan an off-season getaway to see if you’ll like the area once the vacationers have left. Once you’ve decided the location is right for you, it’s best to enlist the services of an experienced local realtor. In addition to helping you find the perfect second home, they will be knowledgeable and able to provide you with valuable information and insights into the area.

Thinking About Acquiring a Second Home on LBI?

Whether you’re buying a second home, primary residence, or looking for an investment property on LBI, NJ, The Freeman Group can help find the perfect property. Our team has 25 years of experience working with a wide variety of clients from individual homeowners to developers and investors. They trust us to guide them the entire process of their most important transactions and lucrative investments  We don’t take this trust lightly and provide every client with the highest level of professionalism and personalized service. Contact us for all your LBI real estate needs.