Want to buy a home close to the beach but overwhelmed with the numerous beach apartments in Jacksonville available?

With countless beachfront properties and waterside towns, finding a home near the beach shouldn’t be a problem. However, you might realize that finding the perfect beach home for you might require more hunting and researching than you expected.

In this post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about hunting beach homes to simplify the home-buying process for you:

Structural integrity

When it comes to buying a beach house, you want to ensure the property is well-built and resistant to extreme weather conditions like nor’easters and typhoons.

You want to consider waterfront homes built on stilts or braces to protect your investment from flood and storm surges. Also, you want to check the material used to build the property before buying. This helps give you an insight into the durability and resilience of the building against high temperatures, strong winds, and heavy rainfall.

In terms of build quality, watch out for waterfront homes built with naturally robust wood and concrete. According to FEMA, concrete is the best choice because of its strength and durability. It makes a more resilient waterfront home than ones that are traditionally built with wood.

Property management or HOA fees

If you want to purchase a waterfront house, especially as your secondary residence, it’s wise to check for additional fees you might incur owing the property. These fees often cover numerous services like lease agreement, maintenance, landscaping, and pest control, ensuring your waterfront property is properly maintained in your absence.

Keep in mind that purchasing a waterfront home in an HOA community might mean the association is responsible for maintaining the properties. However, these services are not cheap and should be included when calculating how much you are willing to pay for a beach apartment.

Window Toughness

Homes close to the beach are prone to severe storms and hurricanes, resulting in strong wind and debris impact on your windows. Hence, the right waterfront property for you to buy should feature storm or hurricane-resistant windows to protect you and your belongings from flying debris and strong wind. Plus, you won’t have to deal with the hassle of cleaning up a messy home after the storm has passed. 

That’s not all: these resilient windows can lead to reduced insurance premiums, improved thermal efficiency, and enhanced sound insulation. This way occupants can live in their coastal homes peacefully with heightened security and safety.