When looking for your dream home it can feel just like that – a dream.
The first steps can seem daunting, the New Jersey real estate market can seem hectic, but when you know your criteria you are taking your first step in the right direction to begin your buying process.
The video:
BUDGET
First things first – Determining what price range you should be searching in is essential.
The best way to establish a realistic budget is to Get Pre-Approved! Getting Pre-Approved will let you know exactly what you can afford and can help you win the bid later in the process. Check out our video and post to find out more on winning the bid and why you should get pre-approved.
Once you’ve determined your budget, with your pre approval in hand (or in email) you can now begin to set your criteria to find the right home for you.
LOCATION
Location, Location, Location. Depending on your budget your location may vary. The same price of a 6 bedroom 3.5 bath house in the country may be the cost of a 2 Bed townhouse in Princeton, NJ or apartment near NYC. Whether your location is based on family, school, distance from work. Use your criteria to adjust exactly where you want to live/can afford.
What towns? I suggest limiting your search to 6 or 7 towns. It can get overwhelming if looking in multiple counties.
When it comes to determining where in New Jersey should be your next destination I am always here to help recommend towns based on what is personally important to you. One of the biggest advantages of having a stellar Real Estate agent is being able to leverage their knowledge of the area. Looking for a town that has great walkability, a top notch school system, and a plethora of restaurants for you to dine at? We can make that happen!
Feel free to Call or Text me anytime if you have questions about the area or just want a restaurant recommendation: 908-460-4996
BEDS?
How many? When it comes to making your search we are going to choose the minimum you would be comfortable with and go from there. It is important to search in terms of the minimum required, so we can get the most results! We can get more picky as we start going to see homes in person but in this part of the process we want to keep our options open.
BATHS?
When it comes to baths I always like to ask are half baths okay? If you are looking for 3 bathrooms is 2.5 okay? I understand that depending on your circumstances, lifestyle, or family size it might be extremely important to have an extra shower or bath but if you could go without an extra full bath it allows us to open up your search tremendously.
Those 4 parts of your criteria are the foundation for your search.
THE HOPEFUL LIST/BUT NOT NECESSARY
Once we have the 4 pillars of your search ironed out I like to move to what I like to call “the hopefuls”. These are the items that you would like to see in your future home but would not break the deal if they were not present.
Ask yourself – Do you have to have a basement and/or a garage? If this is something that is not mandatory, try and keep them out of your search. You may miss out on the perfect home for you because you got too specific in your criteria.
If you really wanted white cabinets, or stainless steel appliances – this is something you can easily alter about the home. How many bedrooms or the location however can’t be changed once you find the right place for you.
SINGLE FAMILY vs. CONDO/TOWNHOME
Depending on your criteria and specifically your budget you want to choose if a single family (stand alone property) or a townhouse/condo (attached to others) is a mandatory need for you. Keeping the search open to both is a great way to find the right fit for you in your location while staying in your budget.
Single Family Condo/Townhome
MOVING FORWARD ONCE WE HAVE ALL THIS INFO
Once we have determined your 4 foundational components and have discussed your hopefuls and if you are looking for a single family vs townhouse we are ready to start searching for your next home here in New Jersey. To get that process started you can reach out to me directly or follow the guide me home section below!
GUIDE ME HOME
After helping hundreds of families and individuals find their dream homes all over the heart of NJ I wanted to take the knowledge I have learned and condense it down into a tool that helps you through this process!
That’s where our new tool Guidemehomenj.com comes in.
It is an easy to use tool that helps you set up a search in just minutes.
It’s never too early to start checking out what’s going on in the market.
If you want help getting started, or any questions about narrowing down your criteria. Reach out to me.
Robert Webb
Text/Call me: (908) 460-4996
Email: [email protected]
