Real EstateHow to Retire to Charleston SC in Your Dream House

Deciding where you’re going to move for your golden years can be a daunting task. There’s much to consider – when you should make the big move, whether you want to be in the mountains or on the water, how much you want to spend on your home, tax structure in retirement – and the list goes on. To make some sense of it all, we’ve outlined a few of the top things to consider when looking to retire to your dream house. 

Consider these three key factors when planning for retirement, and you’ll be good to go:

1. Get your fiscal house in order

Cost is a major consideration for most people looking for a home to move to for their retirement. We recommend seeking personalized financial advice to determine how much you can spend on your dream home. Understanding the tax structure in the state you are looking to retire to is key to understanding how far your retirement income will go. This is even more important if you intend to live on a fixed income. Once you know what you’re working with, the fun begins! Narrowing down your options based on what you can and can’t afford makes the search much more manageable. No matter what your budget, the real estate market in Charleston has good options available at every price point. Sure, median home prices are up 11% from last year, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some killer deals available. If you aren’t quite ready to retire, but you think you’ve found your dream home, you can always close on your house now, enjoy it as a getaway for your vacations, use it for rental income and when the time is right, retire to it. Be careful though, as owning two properties simultaneously can get quickly get expensive.

2. Location, location, location

Some people look forward to the peaceful prospect of retiring on some secluded riverbank, in a cabin that sits hundreds of miles away from any sign of civilization. However, most retirees want to feel like they’re part of a community. Whereas Florida golf courses used to be the hot ticket for retirees, these days many people are finding better bang for their buck farther north, along the Carolina coasts, for example. The South Carolina lowcountry offers a spectacular backdrop for retirement in coastal areas from Hilton Head to Myrtle Beach and anywhere in between.  The Charleston area includes some of the best options for retirees who want access top medical facilities, an international airport, and the arts. Remember: you can always update a kitchen, add modern touches to lighting or hardware, or purchase new appliances, but once you’ve picked a city and a desirable area that suits your retirement lifestyle to a tee, you’ve gotten the hardest decisions behind you. When you retire to Charleston SC, the benefits lower cost of living, reasonable median home price, and wide array of beautiful, and historic residences. It’s easy to see why it was named one of the top 25 retiree destinations in 2014 by Forbes.

3. What’s Your Style?

If your dream home could talk, what would it say? Would its crown molding speak with a Tuscan tongue? Would it boast of its Byzantine-inspired balustrades? It doesn’t matter how friendly the price tag or how perfect the surroundings are if your home doesn’t speak to you from the moment you enter it. This is, after all, the home you have picked to spend your golden years in and it should reflect your personal needs, and values. To many retirees today, what is most important is layout, accessibility and whether it suitably functions for “aging in place. ” If you’ve done your homework and you’ve identified Charleston as your retirement destination but just can’t seem to find your dream home, don’t despair! Find a well-respected real estate advisor, contractor, or designer and discuss the feasibility of purchasing land and then building from scratch. If a new build isn’t an option due to time or budgetary constraints, some firms (like Luxury Simplified) will work with you to renovate and landscape an existing structure to make sure the style you’ve taken a lifetime to hone is reflected from every room.

Note: Sometimes, no matter how much time you’ve spent planning your retirement and envisioning your dream home, it pays to get some guidance from an expert. If you think you know what you want, and you’d just like a specialist to help you narrow down your search, or you have no idea where to begin whatsoever, Luxury Simplified will help you find, build, or renovate the retirement home you’ve been hoping for. Together, we’ll make sure you end up where you’ve always belonged.