Finding Your Piece of Paradise in Pawleys Island...

OK....you have decided Pawleys Island is THE place for you; you are pre-qualified with your preferred lender; you have found a Buyer's Agent you are comfortable with....now what?

Now comes the FUN part...finding your dream house!

Before you meet with your agent for the first time and really get down to the nitty gritty, I recommend you pull out pen and paper and write down your wish list. I believe in the power of the written word...if you rely on the thoughts bouncing around in your head, you might forget an important detail.

Start with the basics:

• Single family home, condo, or townhouse?
• What is your price range? 
• How many bedrooms?
• How many bathrooms?
• What type of parking: is a garage essential? If so, how many vehicles does it need to fit?
• What is your preferred floor plan? Open, split, etc? How many floors? (I HATE stairs, so that's why I live in a Ranch-style house...)
• Gated community?
• Proximity to the ocean? (This is a big one in Pawleys Island...)

Then, get more specific about the details of your DREAM HOME:

• Would you like a pool? Would it be your own personal pool or a community pool?
• What size yard would you like? ( The house I grew up in is flanked on either side with large wooded lots that my parents own...so naturally, I looked for the same type of privacy in the layout of MY current home.)
• Do you need a fenced in back yard?
• Is the view important?
• What does the house LOOK like? (colonial, modern, funky, simple, brick, stucco, etc...)
• Do you need a "man cave"?
• What type of kitchen will your family be comfortable with? 
• Do you prefer a new home, or will an older property suit your needs? Are you willing to look at a "fixer upper"?

These questions should get you started in narrowing your scope. The more specific you can get, the more it will help your agent find what you are looking for in the market. You may have to compromise on a few things, but you might as well start off with every detail you can dream up!

You should ask your agent to help you distinguish the neighborhoods of Pawleys Island:

• Town of Pawleys Island
• North Litchfield
• Litchfield By The Sea
• South Litchfield Beach
• The Tradition
• Willbrook Plantation
• The Reserve
• River Club
• Litchfield Country Club
• Litchfield Plantation
• Waverly, River Oaks, Rossdhu
• Pawleys Retreat
• Ricefields
• Heritage Plantation
• True Blue
• Hagley Estates
• Allston River Bluffs
• Allston Plantation
• Pawleys Plantation
• Prince George
• Debordieu

Yes, that seems like a lot of different neighborhoods. Each one has its own unique charm and amenities to offer.  It may seem daunting, but living in Pawleys Island, you have a few factors in your favor:

• EVERY neighborhood in Pawleys is within a few minutes of the beach.
• If your job is in Pawleys, your commute will be brief.
• You are in the Waccamaw School District whatever neighborhood you choose. (There are also several private school options in Pawleys Island.)

So, start brainstorming about your dream home and get it down on paper. Your real estate agent WANTS to help find the perfect house for you. Call me; I would definitely LOVE to help you. It certainly helps if you start out by deciding what that house looks like....it may change as you view real, live houses on the market. But, at least you are taking action!

Happy House Hunting!