Whether it’s for a change in your career, attending a new school, being closer to family, or a change in scenery, if you’re looking for a new place to move to, North Carolina has you covered. Residents of this state get to experience more constant and pleasant weather than those in other parts of the United States, and living in the mountains of this state makes it that much easier.
However, it is important to consider different factors such as safety, comfortability and convenience in order to figure out which house will suit your needs. Here is how to find the right home in the mountains of North Carolina.
Commuting distance
When looking for a new home, it’s always important to find a place that is close enough to where you go to school or work so that you spend as little money on commuting as possible. It’s hard enough to find the right spot in a city or suburb, but if you’re living in the mountains, that can be a even bigger challenge because of the greater distance from civilization.
You’ll need to make sure while looking for North Carolina mountain homes for sale that they are not too high up on the mountains to make getting down and back up difficult. The closer the house is to the bottom, the less time it will take to get to your destinations. This also comes in handy for when the weather gets bad and could get in the way of your commute with debris.
Power issues
One of the complications that people living in the mountains have to deal with, perhaps more than those who live in populated areas, is power outages. Whatever mountain house you live in should come with generators to keep your refrigerators, cable, Internet and water running in case of an emergency. You should also be able to store propane tanks in safe places at your house.
Power outages can be a major problem for cell phone owners who don’t rely on traditional phones to get in contact with friends, family, and emergency services. This is another area where generators are useful, as they keep your cell phone lines working so that you get a hold of the right people to ensure your safety.
Maintaining mountain living
Homes in the mountains are just as susceptible to fires, floods, and other problems that can occur in cities and suburbs. You may have been told that certain homes have a good track record of handling bad weather and have not been the victim of a fire or flood so far, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t happen in the future. This may affect your insurance rates, as well.
It is important to stay in touch with the right professionals who can handle repairs so that these complications won’t be an issue in the future. This includes designers and contractors who could also be helpful for making additions to your home so that you can keep your insurance rate from going too high.
Safety of the area
Living in the mountains presents its own fair share of safety issues, and a lack of research on prospect homes in North Carolina’s wilderness could put you at the mercy of them. They include falling trees which can cause a great deal of damage and make it difficult to contact emergency services if they land in the wrong places. Mudslides can also affect the chances of your home staying where it is.
Floods can be just as damaging, and draughts can have a negative impact on your water supply if you’re not prepared. Depending on the cause, fires can lead you to a search for a new home, even if they start out far away. But if nothing keeps it from spreading before reaching your house, you may find that you will be affected. You’ll need to figure out if the homes you’re looking at are susceptible to these disasters and how to keep you and your home safe if they do arise.
Proximity to neighbors
Being close to your job or school is not the only thing that you will benefit from with the right mountain home in the Old North State. You may originally be from a city or large suburb and are currently looking for a home that is more isolated so that you can enjoy peace and quiet. However, it helps to be close enough to other people to enjoy company and isolation at the same time and on your terms.
The homes you’re looking at should be close enough to neighbors so that you can contact them easily in case of an emergency or if you have any questions about the area. This puts you in a safer position in your mountain living situation, and it gives your neighbors a person to trust in case they run into similar issues.
Take these tips into consideration so that you enjoy living in the mountains of North Carolina.