Hello World! Welcome Friends! With a population of over 73,589, Greenville, SC, is a small but beautiful city that’s both idyllic and friendly. These are two characteristics that many people look for when thinking about buying a home.
Despite being quite small, it has many of the amenities of a bigger city, with Falls Park being a stunning jewel. If you are thinking about buying a home here, there are a few aspects you want to confirm.
There’s nothing to worry about, though; you should always be making certain checks before a huge investment. Today, let’s look at three such checks that need to be made.
1. Hurricane Survivability
South Carolina is a coastal state, and the danger of hurricanes is something to be aware of. Data shows that South Carolina makes it to number five in the list of states hit by the most hurricanes.
Thus, ensure that you check any prospective home you are looking at for its ability to withstand hurricanes. The last thing you want is to spend a lot of money on your home only to suffer huge losses the next time a hurricane hits.
Some aspects to look at would be how wind-resistant the construction is. This means impact-resistant windows and doors, roof reinforcements such as hurricane straps, and clips to keep the roof secured to the walls and foundations. The real estate agent should have more information about this aspect, so make sure you ask them.
Similarly, check to see if the home has a well-functioning drainage system. You might need to hire a professional, but with a little effort, you can do this on your own as well. Does the home have any stormwater management features, such as retention ponds or dry wells?
Has the sump pump been properly maintained? Are there signs of erosion and damage to culverts and drainage swales? Checking these aspects will give you a clear picture of how well the home has been looked after and its ability to survive future hurricanes and weather events.
2. The Condition of Insulation/AC/Utilities
Most of the homes in Greenville were built in the late ’80s. This means that some degradation in basic utilities is to be expected. Of course, if you are buying a brand new home, then you can skip this section. However, for those buying used homes, you want to pay close attention to the condition of the utilities.
Greenville, like most of S.C., has a relatively hot and humid climate in the summers. If you notice that the air conditioning isn’t working as well as it should, make sure to hire a good Greenville AC repair service quickly.
According to Air Today Heating & Cooling, ACs need to be serviced annually. However, you’ll have a hard time convincing anyone that a home built in the 80s has been up-to-date on utility servicing.
While you’re at it, take a look at energy efficiency as well. Older homes tend to have HVAC systems and appliances that consume power unlike anything else. This might also be something to address if you are going to make a commitment to the home.
3. Home Insurance Coverage and Cost
Considering Greenville’s location and vulnerability to natural disasters like hurricanes and severe storms, insurance coverage is something you want to double-check. Sure, Greenville is not that close to the coast, but it is still subject to the dangers of flooding, especially in low-lying areas.
Thus, it is possible that insurance costs may be more expensive than you might have expected. Furthermore, there might be clauses about what types of damages receive full coverage. These are details that you might have the time to pay attention to later on, so conduct proper research.
Insurance policies often have annoying exclusions and limitations, which can lead to unpleasant surprises later on. For instance, flood damage is not included in most regular policies. You will have to buy separate flood insurance coverage for it.
When you are investigating such details, try to keep an eye out for policies that also have a loss of additional living expense coverage. This ensures that in the unfortunate situation that your home becomes uninhabitable, your temporary expenses for housing and meals are covered.
Remember, insurance is supposed to help you out during your worst moments, not complicate them.
In conclusion, buying a home anywhere in the country is always a big deal. With the prices of real estate these days, you are spending a small fortune to find your home.
When you are thinking about cities like Greenville, SC, with their track record of rough weather and environmental hazards, it makes sense to do good research.
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Toodles,
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