Building: Finding a Place to Call Home

There's a reason why the first three rules of real estate is "Location, location, location."

Finding the perfect locale is one of the most important aspects of home shopping, and it's essential to weigh all the pros and cons of building in any area, from the city to the suburbs.

When making your list of location requirements and preferences, remember to think outside of the basics, like lot size and features. Consider practical applications, like commute time to work, school, and amenities like grocery stores.

For outside opinions, it's also helpful to consult with your builder, local government, and friends and family, as well as folks who live in the neighborhood.

As you start scouting, consider the following guidelines of items you'll need to consider when choosing the perfect location for your perfect home.

• Amenities: Consider the availability of amenities, such as grocery stores, shops, and services nearby.
• Police and fire protection: Consider the availability of local police and fire protection.
• Medical facilities: Consider the location of local hospitals and medical facilities
• Schools and day-care: Evaluate the location and convenience of local schools and day-care centers.
• Traffic: Look at the neighborhood speed limits, volume of traffic, and consider if it will be safe for your family, if you have children.
• Parking: Assess the local parking facilities and if they will be adequate.
• Transportation: If public transportation is important to you, find out what transportation is available, as well as the convenience and frequency of the local transportation system.
• Trash and garbage collection: Consider the cost and adequacy of trash and garbage collection.
• Recreation: Look at the neighborhood's parks, recreation facilities, trails, and other recreation amenities that interest you.
• Places of worship: Consider if local places of worship are available and convenient.
• Privacy: Assess the privacy of both the home and lot.
• Water: Determine the source of the community's drinking water, and if it is reliable and will be able to meet present and future needs.
• Sanitation facilities: Consider whether the lot users a septic tank or sewer system, and is the system is reliable and meets the community's needs.
• Landscaping: Determine if proper landscaping has been done to prevent erosion, if the lot is well-drained, and if the landscaping is attractive and likely to increase the home's value and appearance.
• Taxes: Look at local tax rates in the neighborhood. Click here to see Carteret County 2010-2011 tax rates.
• Assessments: Consider additional special assessments, like community fees, that may require you to pay extra annual or monthly fees.
• Nuisances: Determine any nearby sources of noise, smoke, soot, dust, odors or other hazards that will affect the housing environment. Also consider if there are any development plans under consideration that could substantially change the nature of the community.
• Flooding: Determine if flooding is a potential problem.

Copyright 2012 Crystal Coast MLS, Inc.®, provided by FlexMLS. All rights reserved. The data relating to real estate for sale on this web site comes from the Broker Reciprocity Program of the Copyright 2012 Crystal Coast MLS, Inc.®, provided by FlexMLS. Real estate listings include the name of the brokerage firms and listing agents. Information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted. Copyrighted by Crystal Coast Association of REALTORS®. All rights reserved. Real estate listing held by brokerage firms other than Bluewater Real Estate are marked with the Broker Reciprocity logoSM or the Broker ReciprocitySM thumbnail logo (a little black house) and detailed information about them includes the name of the listing brokers. This information is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. Neither the Copyright 2012 Crystal Coast MLS, Inc.®, provided by FlexMLS, nor the listing broker, nor their agents or subagents are responsible for the accuracy of the information. The buyer is responsible for verifying all information.

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• Tax Rates by Town
• Carteret County Tax Information
• Building: Where to Live
• Financing: Mortgage Basics
• Home Buyer's Dictionary
• Home Buyer's Guide