Locating the Neighborhoods in Charleston, SC that Fill the Bill

There’s a lot you can change about a house. You can repaint it, renovate the interior, landscape the yard. The one thing you can’t change is its location—and there’s abundant truth in the familiar list with the three most important words in real estate: location, location, location…

That’s why getting to know as much as possible about the neighborhoods in Charleston, SC is so important when you are searching for the right Charleston home. The characteristics of your choice of neighborhood will affect the quality of life your family enjoys—as well as the capital appreciation and resale value of your property (a good example is the strong positive correlation between house prices and school quality).

Begin with a Plan

A good place to start is by making your personal list of what you think will make a great neighborhood for you and your family. Ideally, one of the Charleston area neighborhoods will check off all the requirements. In any case, you do want to make sure that your highest priority needs are met. For some, that might mean access to quality schools. For others, it might be the availability of public transportation—the kind that makes the commute to work a breeze. For still others, it’s ready access to indoor or outdoor social and recreational activities. Know before you start looking what you’re willing to compromise on—and what’s a deal-breaker!

Make the Most of Your Budget

There are desirable neighborhoods in the Charleston area that almost everyone wants to live in. But for some buyers, budget constraints put these neighborhoods out of reach—for now. But that doesn’t mean you still can’t find a great buy! Try looking for neighborhoods in Charleston, SC that are on the periphery of more popular areas—neighborhoods that are showing signs that the homeowners are upgrading their properties. Targeting adjacent neighborhoods on the way up is more than just a way to get a better deal on a home today. Ideally, it means investing in a property that stands to increase in value as its neighborhood improves through the years.

Use Online Tools

Thanks to the Internet, finding information about neighborhoods in Charleston, SC is only a mouse click away. Sites like Trulia and Zillow allow you to research the profiles of individual neighborhoods. You can find overviews of schools in the area with ratings from parents, graphs which list all sorts of characteristics—even violent crime in the area. Another useful online tool is Google Maps, which shows proximity to shops, schools, transportation and other facilities.

 After you have researched the area neighborhoods that look most promising, plan to devote enough time to exploring them in person—weekdays and weekends, daytime and nighttime. Make sure the actual places measure up to their reputations, and find out which ones feel like places you’d like to live.

If you’re looking for in-depth Charleston area neighborhood advice, give me a call or stop in to go over your wish list.  Whether you are relocating from afar or across town, I’m here to help my clients make smart long-term real estate moves. Call me today!

Interested in selling your Charleston area home? Visit: www.jeffcookrealestate.com
Interested in buying a Charleston area home? Visit: www.discovercharlestonareahomes.com

-Jeff Cook

Jeff Cook Real Estate

Charleston, SC