It has always been interesting to me how those three words mean different things to different people. Personally having three children at home and trying to sell Real Estate is challenging to say the least. I have been known to pile all three of them in the car to meet clients and show property when I couldn’t find a sitter (what in the world did we do before they put DVD players in cars?!?) So I have to admit, as much as I love having my “babies” home with me, there is a small part of me that looks forward to uninterrupted phone calls, emails that don’t take an hour to write, and not having to stop and start what I am doing to break up fights, make lunch, heal boo-boos and save the world.
For parents of young children, back to school is exciting, and for some scary. It means back to the normalcy of daily routine and chaotic days filled with homework and afterschool activities. One of the most frequently asked questions I get when working with buyers is, “How are the schools?” My answer is always the same…check out http://www.ncreportcards.org to find what you are looking for. You can also go to http://abcs.ncpublicschools.org/abcs/ to find out more about public schools in North Carolina. These are 2 useful tools in helping you select areas when looking to buy.
For parents of older children, back to school means something totally different. Parents of high school students will begin the daunting task of preparing for college. WAIT! Did you just say COLLEGE? Just yesterday I was teaching you to ride a bike, and wiping your nose when you were sick! Now what? Well, for starters you might consider INVESTING in Real Estate! That’s Right! Think about it…You are about to send your child out into this cold lonely world…alone…scared…What better way to make them feel at home than to purchase an investment property that they can call their own while they are in college?
My advice would be to run the numbers of the cost of living for 4 to 5 years for your college bound child. With the help of a Realtor, look what is available for purchase near campus and calculate what a mortgage payment would be in comparison to rent. BUT WAIT!! Here is the best part! Now ADD an income for roommates that you could rent a room to so your child will have friends to “study” with! With interest rates at an all time low, and the market making a slight turn in the right direction, NOW could potentially be the perfect time to buy an investment property. See how those numbers stack up and see what works out best. I already know the answer, but if you need help walking through the process, feel free to call or email me at Tonya@BlueCoastRealEstate.com or (910) 512-6948.