Searching for the right property is more than just riding around looking at properties. 

The last thing you want to do is waste time looking in areas or at buildings or homes that don't really fit your requirements. 

You also, need to be prepared for the highs and lows of home hunting.  Homes don't always measure up to their press.  Remember that any of the property listing information you see is written by the Seller's Agent or the Seller themselves.  That's another reason to have your own Buyer Agent.

You need to:

• Determine your preferences for:

• geographic area,

• neighborhood and community,

• commuting (this is a particularly important thing to consider in New Jersey),

• schools,

• shopping, etc.

• Determine what:

• approximate price range and the full monthly payment involved (principal, interest, property taxes, condo maintenance fees, property insurance, etc.),

• age, residential style, construction and size,

• number of floors, floor plan and general flow,

• parking needs, if any,

• number of rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms (full & half),

• amenities - patio/deck, terrace, or balcony/pool/yard, fireplace, etc.

• special needs (elevator, 1 floor layout, etc.),

• systems - heating/air conditioning - electric, gas, oil.

• Determine how much:

• what you can afford.

• your financing options (30 year, ARM, interest only, etc.).

• down payment (% or $ down).

• what level of monthly expenses you are comfortable with (versus what you can afford).

  • mortgage (principal and interest) payment.

  • property taxes.

  • possible condo maintenance fees.

  • property insurance.

  • utilities.

• Determine when:

• timeframe (about how long will you live in the property).

• constraints

  • When is the end of your current lease?  Or, when does your corporate housing end?

  • Can you extend yourrental month to month while looking for your new home? 

  • Do you have to sell your current home to buy this home?

  • Do you need to be in the new school system for the beginning of the semester.

• Develop a property needs and wants profile (for example, see the HUD worksheet).

• Search the real estate market, including:

  • Multiple Listing Service properties (via membership in all the computerized MLS systems covering Northern New Jersey),

  • and, where appropriate:

    •  properties "For Sale By Owners", or

    •  new construction.  

• Screen and filter properties to determine how they meet your preferences.

• Consider drive-bys of properties to eliminate those that are in poor locations and which may have misleading descriptions.

• Schedule properties for showing.

• View properties and determine which measure up to what you want.

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