Buying a Home Requires Many Difficult Decisions. Make Sure Your real estate agents are Local Experts. 

Your home is probably the biggest purchase your family will ever make, and it involves many decisions that go beyond simply choosing one you like. 

As top area real estate agents, here is how we will guide you through the entire process, from viewing homes and financing, to making sure the final contract is in your best interest: 

- You will have full access to ALL homes available on the market, even listings not yet on the MLS, through our professional New Jersey real estate affiliations. 

- Our expert local knowledge of the area should be invaluable to you, not just in terms of real estate, but also schools, neighborhoods, the local economy, and more. 

- Every local real estate market absolutely has its own trends and opportunities. This can vary greatly, even one neighborhood to the next. Our area is no different! It's our job to steer you into opportunities and out of traps. (See section below on Recognizing that Housing Markets are Local) 

- What is the true market value of the home you are interested in? Is it priced too high? Is it a bargain that you should jump on? We help home buyers make decisions like this every day, and we'll make sure that YOU get the best value for your money. 

- Negotiating with sellers can be stressful. We will help you negotiate, so that the final contract includes your best possible terms and conditions. 

- You should know absolutely everything about the property you are buying! We will view every home that you are interested in, together. And prior to closing we will make you fully aware of any and all inspections available to you. 

- Have confidence when signing documents. Contracts are full of complicated terms and clauses that can greatly affect your future life in your new home. We will give you the full benefit of our real estate knowledge and experience. 

Let us represent your best interests in your search for a new home in the area. While you can see a million homes on the web, actually buying your home is another matter entirely. Buyers beware! 

Recognize That Housing Markets Are Local! 

Home prices are like the weather -- very different in different areas.  

In many markets, home prices have actually gone up from last year, says Dick Gaylord, president of the National Association of Realtors.  

In addition, demand will change depending on the price range and even the neighborhood. What you need to know: What's the demand for a house like yours in your area?  

"You have to look at what's being sold and at what price," says Poorvu. "That's important."  

Look at comparables for similar houses. Study prices and sales for one year ago, six months ago, three months ago and current numbers, says Gaylord.  

What are the trends? Are prices going up or down -- and by how much? How many days are homes staying on the market? If they are on the market longer, how much of that could be seasonal? In many areas, spring and summer are the busy seasons.  

Pay special attention to "the delta between the list price and the sales price," says Ron Phipps, broker with Phipps Realty in Warwick, R.I. That is, look for a meaningful relationship between list price and sales price. Perhaps most homes are selling for 5 percent less than the list price.  

"An agent who works the market will be in the best position" to find "the tipping point between nice, attractive and interesting -- and being sold," Phipps says. You want to find the point between, "Hey, that's interesting," and "It's too good to pass up."  

If you're not using a real estate agent, it's especially important to use the Internet, visit open houses in your area and study home sales in your Sunday paper, says Greg Healy, vice president of operations for ForSaleByOwner.com.  

But you also need to realize that the paperwork alone only tells part of the story. While sales and prices are public, many times seller concessions are not.  

Ask us any question about buying a home in Andover, Byram and Allamuchy. It's our job to help you! There's no obligation, and we promise to respond quickly...