Top Ten Community Questions

Looking or a second home in a planned community? Much of the leg work can be done from long distance if you have the help of a professional and know some of the questions to ask both yourself and regarding the community. There are literally hundreds of communities in Western Carolina and surround mountain area. They all sound great in their descriptions and the pictures are all so inviting but….. how do you know if a community is what you want even though the brochure gives the list of the “proposed” amenities you want? The key lies in knowing what you want or what you think you want prior to wasting tons of gas and time exploring communities that would never make the cut.

Here are the top ten questions to ask before yourself before you begin your search:

• How close do you need to be near medical? If 20 minutes is NOT o.k. look close to a town
• Is a planned community something you must have? If not, consider private land or home.
• What is your ideal weather in summer? This will play heavily into your elevation choice.
• Is built product a must? If not, you can take advantage of pre-construction raw land prices.
• Is fine dining and shopping, cultural events a priority? If yes, then consider looking for communities near a town.
• Will you put this home into a rental program? If yes, look for communities with on-site rental management.
• Are you a nature lover? Then consider a community with hiking trails and a significant about of green space
• Is golf a priority? If yes, are multiple courses a priority?
• Is a lake a priority? If yes, more specific, lakefront, lake access, what about a marina?
• How social do you want to be in your community? Some more established communities have dozens of clubs, and full social agendas for making new friends.

Of course this is only the beginning of the narrowing your search process. Using a professional like a Mountain Second Home advisor will only help in narrowing the search even more. The next step is to start looking at communities that meet what you believe your objectives are from your home before you get in your car.

Choosing a community
Now you begin looking through the beautiful brochures of the communities that meet your objectives. They say the have what you are looking for but now is when you should seek the advice of a professional. Don’t rely totally on what the brochure and community sales people tell you. Here are the top questions to ask: