For all of us living on the East Coast, especially along the water, buying an oceanfront property is not something to take lightly. You need to know about buying oceanfront property, concerns and protection for the home and any details you may not have had with a land-locked property.
Insurance:
Insurance is different for oceanfront and waterfront homes. If you’re buying a cottage, condo, villa or single family home, you’re going to need the right insurance for flooding, hurricane or any other water and wind related damage that could occur. You certainly don’t want to have issues that are beyond insurance repairs should the unthinkable happen.
If you’re buying in an association, ask about the condition of the finances and what responsibility you have over your home and what responsibility the association carries.
Related: 3 Things to Know about Homes with Docks
Maintenance:
Saltwater air can wreak havoc on a home so you’ll want to make sure that the salt content of the air, which can increase the maintenance of your home is something you’re willing to deal with. This means that any rust on metal objects including your vehicles and around your home could be a problem.
Deterioration and erosion may happen more quickly the closer you live to the ocean. This is something not only to consider in insurance but in general maintenance when you live there. If you’re planning on a vacation or second home, these are items that you may not have to deal with but every six months, but again, because you can’t get to the property on a regular basis you may have more maintenance when you do visit.
Ocean access:
You may be dealing with public access rights if you live along the ocean where there is a public beach. If you’re looking for a private beach you want to check with each listing individually to make sure that you have private access to your own beach or whether there is public easement. You may or may not want the general public wondering in front of your house every day.
Read More: Boat lifts and Seawalls?
Use a Waterfront Specialist:
There are many little nuances to buying a waterfront or oceanfront home but the best place to start is to use a real estate specialist that knows oceanfront property. As Sunset Beach NC real estate specialists we focus on oceanfront homes all up and down the North and South Carolina area. We’ve sold hundreds of homes and can help you find and purchase the right waterfront home that you can feel confident about.
Give us a call anytime or browse the website for more information.
Thanks for the tip about salt water causing more rust and deterioration for oceanfront homes. I’ve never lived by the ocean but would like to buy a second home near it. I’ll plan to get an insurance plan that understands these issues and takes them into account.
Thanks for the tip to check with listing to find out if the beach you will be close to will be public or private access. My wife and I have always had a dream to own an oceanfront home since our honeymoon, and now we are thinking of actually making the decision to purchase one. We love to go to the beach but want a decent amount of privacy, so we will be sure to check listings.