What You Need To Know Before Buying a Mountain Home

Buying a home is a complicated process that requires a lot of organization and thinking. When the property in question is among the mountainous homes for sale in Lake Toxaway, NC, the number of factors to consider doubles. Get these six concerns in order if you want to be perfectly prepared for your future mountain-side dream home. Then, you’ll be set up for a pleasant purchase of your personal altitudinal retreat.

For mountain homes, in particular, it’s vital to be clear with your intentions. After all, if you’re planning to use it as a summer home to escape the North Carolina heat, you don’t have to worry much about how efficient the heating is. However, if you want to live in your mountain home year-round, you want to ensure that, even on the coldest nights, you and your family are comfortable. Asking questions about the furnace, for instance, on your tour is a great start.

Furthermore, when it comes to Highlands real estate, the summer and winter requirements are very different. You should carefully note what the previous buyer used the home for and see if it aligns with what you want. A bare-bones summer cabin isn't going to make for the best full-time residence. Because of that, before you even start your house hunt, you should be honest with yourself and your realtor about how much work you're willing to do on a house. Be clear if you’re keen on adding heating and cooling, expanding a kitchen, updating the plumbing, etc. It might take some simplified homes off your options list before you even tour them.

You must consider the topography and angles when looking at homes for sale in Lake Toxaway, NC, and other nearby high-altitude areas. For example, commuting will always be a significant concern. If you live in central Lake Toxoway, you aren’t too far from grocery stores and amenities. However, your drive to get groceries could take a half-hour or more if you live further in the hills.

Say you’ve lived in North Carolina your whole life, and this mountain property is your perfect little retreat away from the world. That sounds lovely, right? However, beware that the mountain climate will be different than the valleys and plains of the rest of the state. After all, in North Carolina mountain towns (like where Highlands real estate is situated), snow is not uncommon. You need to be prepared for that weather eventuality, with extra food storage to decrease drive time, a snow blower to clear roads, or a generator if power fails.

Furthermore, even if the snow and water don’t cause you too much trouble, you still have a lot of yard maintenance to take care of. Unlike the typical suburban home, a mountain home often covers more land, is further from neighbors, and is filled with natural features that need trimming and care. This means you have to be even more diligent with your property maintenance. Keep leaves, needles, and branches out of gutters. Clear out overgrown forest brush. Be careful to keep the anti-flooding retaining walls well-maintained. It's just like standard home landscaping but with triple the work.

Any homes for sale in Lake Toxaway, NC, will be gorgeous at the end of the day, but you should be prepared for the extra maintenance to keep that up. That, or hire a local landscaping company to do it for you.

In the case of natural disasters, be aware of North Carolina’s potential for flooding. After all, floods are North Carolina’s second-most common natural hazard, happening as often as every 7.5 days. The precipitation coming down the mountain towards the valleys and flatlands is a hazard for drivers. In the best-case scenario, it just makes the roads somewhat dangerous for a few hours. Make sure to ask about flooding conditions before buying any mountain home.

In terms of man-made concerns, you have power outages and cell signal problems. While they aren’t inherently expected, when they do happen, your mountain home will likely be one of the last places to get fixed, so prepare backup generators and stock up on supplies like dry goods, water, firewood, and paper products just in case. Getting acquainted with your neighbors can help your Highlands real estate be well-supplied and well-connected.

Make sure to account for the monetary costs of keeping you and your family accessible and safe. These include fire and flood insurance, land maintenance tools like snow blowers ($100+), freezers for extra food storage, generators for power outages ($5000+), etc. You’ll want to look at the Highlands real estate you’re interested in and contemplate what extra costs that particular property needs to be livable.

Are you willing to pay the difference? Many mountain homeowners think it's worth it. As long as you’re well-informed, you can have a happy, well-prepared, nature-loving life in North Carolina.

Professional real estate agents are invaluable when buying homes for sale in Lake Toxaway. Homebuyers reported an average of over 100 points more on their satisfaction scores when they had the time and help of a dedicated, communicative, knowledgeable realtor. They’ll know which roads are known for flooding and which houses have had structural concerns. And if they don’t, they know who to call. When in doubt, a realtor can help fill in all the information gaps to make you as prepared as possible for buying a mountain home.

Ready to take the next step in your Highlands real estate journey? Reach out to trusted local agent Spencer Kirkpatrick for more information.