Buying a Second Home in Carmel Valley | Questions to Consider

If you’re considering buying a second home on the Monterey Peninsula, and you like warm weather, Carmel Valley may be the place for you. In fact, many of our clients bought in Carmel, then decided after just a few years they wanted to move inland to escape the fog. Sunny weather, more land, a lower price per square foot – all very appealing reasons to consider Carmel Valley when shopping for a second home.

Questions to Consider When Buying a Second Home in Carmel Valley

1.     Location
   1. How far inland are you comfortable living?
   2. Which side of Carmel Valley Road do you prefer?
   3. What is your ideal view and scenery?
2.     Style and Size
   1. Single-family residence or townhome/condo/PUD?
   2. Which architectural style suits your taste?
   3. Number of stories desired?
   4. How much property are you looking for?
   5. How many square feet of living space?
   6. How many bedrooms?
   7. What size garage?
3.     Special Features – what are the extra features that would really make you look forward to visiting your Carmel Valley second home?
   1. Guesthouse – will guests stay over, or would you be interested in leasing a guest unit?
   2. Pool – Do you plan to join a country club, or would you want a pool in your yard?
   3. Horse Property – Are you looking for a place that will accommodate your horses when you visit?
4.     Water – would you prefer a private or shared well as opposed to Cal-Am? There are other water entitlement programs such as Mal Paso and Water West. (link, link)
5.     School District – If this is a second home purchase, the school district may not be of utmost importance, but it is reassuring for the purpose of resale value to know that you’re buying in the Carmel School District.

Some of these questions may require further guidance from your Realtor in order to narrow down your search, but we hope this gives you a good start in the right direction when buying a second home in Carmel Valley.