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4 Things To Look For When Buying a Desert Home


Written By: Jesse Miller
Monday, November 23, 2015

Theres quite a lot to love about the desert. From Texas to Colorado to Arizona, homeowners have delighted in the natural beauty, unique ecosystem, and feel of this special environment, and have happily made the most out of everything it has to offer: stunning sunsets, breathtaking storms, and a sense of cultural pride that can only be found in these dry dusty cities and towns. Whether youre looking to move permanently, buy a seasonal home to flee cold northern winters, or grow an investment managing Airbnb rentals, the American desert offers a range of opportunities for real estate buyers. For anyone looking to make the move to these Southwestern locations, its important that investors and homeowners alike are properly prepared. Know what to look for when it comes to housing and how to make the most out of their experience with these simple tips.

The Right Materials

A good desert home will likely be built differently than homes in the rest of the country. It starts with the materials. Wood is one of the most common materials elsewhere, but its often no good for the desert. Even the best wood will warp and distort in the intense sun and dry desert air, which is why its used so infrequently in Southwestern homes. Keep an eye out for a house thats built from stone, adobe, or ICF concrete, which help keep indoor temperatures cool and can withstand the harsh environment. Also, your desert property should have windows that are treated and tinted to help keep out heat from the intense rays and minimize cooling costs. Try to invest in homes that already have window treatment to avoid a costly yet necessary expenditure.

Temperature Control

Regulating temperature is more important in the desert than in most other environments. Things warm up very quickly. A lot of people in cities like Arizona >

Embracing the Desert Yard

Possibly the most drastic change a homeowner will have to become accustomed to in the desert is shifting their perspective on what a yard should look like. Though a perfect and carefully manicured green grass lawn is certainly possible, its a highly challenging endeavor, and certainly not one thats conducive for the environment. But that doesnt mean the backyard still cant be a comfy destination for the family and their friends alike. Desert landscaping is all the rage, and it offers a fresh take on the traditional American outdoor home space. Vegetation like desert sage, hop bush, and the many varieties of cacti are easy on the eyes, and dont require much water or maintenance. Laying down deep gravel around the plants is not only cosmetically pleasing, but it helps them retain water. In place of a grass yard, try decorative gravel and rocks and create pathways with cobblestone or brick. A desert home is the perfect place for an outdoor patio for grilling and watching majestic sunsets, and large umb>

Working the Resources

One major advantage to Southwest homes is that theyre mostly all perfect candidates for solar paneling. With panels more affordable than ever, why not allow the intense afternoon sun to become a money maker? Solar panels can not only bring a power bill down to 0, in many areas municipalities will even pay homeowners for extra power that they pump back into the grid. They also raise a homes property value making them an excellent long term investment. With many methods available for acquiring them from leasing to loans to purchasing outright, to Googles excellent Sunroof program, now truly is one of the best times to go solar, and the Southwest is one of the best, most advantageous place to do it.

Jesse Miller is a contributing writer for JustRentToOwn, a Los Angeles based blog that focuses on sustainable urban growth, housing markets, and finance.


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