Some things I have learned. 1. Forget spending money on sod unless you have a sprinkler system. Without one I have watched nicely laid lawns turn into the ditch appearance in a year.2. The soil is generally acidic here so lime will most likely be needed. Fertilizer will not work well if the lawn is not the correct PH. Pine needles add to that problem. A soil test is not a bad idea.[I always thought this would be a good money maker for the Garden Club ]  3. Be careful with fertilizer use. Many newcomers, with much larger lawns "across the bridge" tend to put more fertilizer down than needed because "they have it". I have seen more than one person burn out their lawn using excess fertilizer and besides we have the coastal bays to think about. All ditch runoff ends up in the bay. 4. Depending on how many trees you have one of the things we deal with here is that surface root mat that chokes out everything including grass. Aeration is needed for a good healthy lawn. 5. Moss can also be a problem because it likes acidic soil and our climate. There are moss killers but some people [yours truly] have taken a portion of their lawn and turned it into a moss garden. 6. For a top notch lawn you will need to water. Our soil tends to be either soaking wet or bone dry with the two extremes often occurring within days of each other. 7. Keep your eyes open for voles that can make your lawn into a lumpy mess fast. I have had some luck with Scotts all purpose grass seed although for my home I tend to use the shady mixture. Each year I sprinkle a little around in the established areas. I do know some folks that hire lawn professionals to spray regularly and have a nice lawn. Good luck.