| Ugh. Thankfully, we are just coming out of our “big dark”. If you are getting old like me, the dreary days and dampness of our beautiful PNW starts to take a toll. And while our thoughts drift to sun and warmth, we might not be ready (or maybe you are) to make the “big move”. Such is the case for some long-time clients/friends – empty nesters – who aren’t ready to pack up their Bellevue house and trek permanently south but want to find a winter respite from the rain.
These two have toyed with a second home for several years and late last month decided to get serious about South Carolina. They reached out to me before their upcoming trip, not only to get advice about buying, but asked for my help in finding a Realtor in Charleston who was knowledgeable about the area and could facilitate viewing properties.
I’ll be honest. Even as a realtor, finding an agent in unfamiliar territory who meets my strict criteria for local expertise and has high ethical standards is not a particularly easy task. But taking on that challenge is something I’ll happily do for my clients. And in this case, my due diligence saved them big time. Here’s the recap.
Their goal was a property they could escape to for several weeks and use the home as a short-term rental (STR – i.e. Airbnb) the rest of the year to cover their mortgage and expenses. As in many metropolitan or tourist areas, STR licenses are getting more restrictive. In the greater Charleston area, there are only pockets of homes where an STR license is easily viable anymore.
My clients did their research. They had narrowed down communities where STRs were still allowed. I found and connected them to a local realtor, John Fragola of the Fragola Group, who they both loved (I say this lovingly, but they would agree, it’s a trick to find someone they both would love). Together they spent several days touring properties. By day 3, they had settled on a home that checked most of their boxes. It was updated to the point they could buy and live/rent “as is” but had the potential to “be more”, adding an ADU, pool, etc. By the address, it was in an “Airbnb-able” zone. They were very excited and ready to make an offer, until a seemingly minor question sparked a larger zoning issue specific to the ability to use the property as an STR.
Long story short, after John made many calls to the listing agent (who had no information), county and city zoning offices, he determined that, had my clients relied on the listing data and purchased the property, they would have been screwed. They would not have been granted an STR license because the property was an anomaly, literally split between 2 counties and 2 municipalities and the tax jurisdiction lied with the county/municipality that didn’t allow STRs, even though the physical address was listed as in the permissible county/municipality. Truly bizarre, but only uncovered because of a tenacious, knowledgeable, local realtor.
Friends, this is why having someone who knows the local market and knows real estate and what to question truly matters. Whether it is me, whether it is in the Seattle area, wherever…you need a smart, savvy realtor. Because if you don’t, it could cost you dearly.
So, even if you aren’t planning to list your house here, but want to buy elsewhere in the country, call me. I will do my best to find you someone (IMHO like me) who will be your best advocate wherever you are looking to buy. |
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