It’s that time of year again around Lake Keowee. College football kicks off this week for everyone except a few teams from last week (that shall remain nameless, as is deserved). We here around Lake Keowee get to enjoy game week with a twist as the Clemson Tigers will start the defense of their 3^rd National Championship on Thursday night. They’ll be playing the first game ever televised on the brand new network, the ACC Network. Fun and exciting stuff and I’ll tell you a lot of folks have been looking forward to this since last January. 

Clemson sports, especially football, bring a lot of folks to the area. Some to live permanently and some just for the day/weekend. That means there are a lot of opportunities for them to rent a property that you might own. Seneca is working hard to make it much harder for folks in the city limits to rent out their homes for such occasions. Fortunately there are other areas around where folks can still get a good place for a game weekend for a reasonable price (unless of course it’s the Texas A&M game then be prepared to open up your wallet). Rick Miller in our office handles rentals for us and we have a couple of homes folks can choose from. Contact him at [email protected] to see what’s available. 

Before you begin shopping, understand that there area two homes out there vying for your interest – the one that meets your needs vs. the one that fulfills your desires. In a perfect world, you’d find a home that satisfies both. But since this isn’t a perfect world, you’re going to find yourself confronted with choices.

Do you choose the three-bedroom home with room for your family to grow, or the one with the big back yard and deck that’s perfect for entertaining? Is having a big kitchen more important to you than a few extra rooms?

When you start shopping, you’re going to find homes you fall in love with for different reasons. That’s why you should list the features you want before you start shopping. Use the form provided at the back of this report and break your list into two categories – “Needs” and “Desires” – and prioritize the items you come up with .

Understanding what you really need as opposed to what you’d like to have will help you keep your priorities straight as you shop around. I’ve seen people fall in love with a home for the wrong reasons, then regret their purchase when the home fails to meet their needs.

Don’t let emotion cloud you judgement. Satisfy your needs first. If you find a home that meets your needs and fulfills some of your desires, so much the better. The important thing is to know the difference before you get caught up in the excitement of the hunt.

More next week….

Hartman provides board with updates on economic projects

Hartman provides board with updates on economic projects

Officials gear up for Clemson football opener

Officials gear up for Clemson football opener

235-home proposal gets rezoning OK

235 home proposal gets rezoning OK