The lack of housing inventory and the resulting anxiety that comes with wondering if they will ever find the right home is making some homebuyers jump onto any available property on impulse, without considering some of the basic home-buying guidelines. Take a moment – and a deep breath – to remind yourself of the following buying parameters:
1. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Your monthly housing costs — including mortgage payments, property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, heating costs etc. — should not take up more than about a third of your gross monthly income. Work with your bank or mortgage broker to figure out what you can afford, then stick to that budget.
2. Know the neighborhood. Look beyond the property itself and consider if the area will work for you. Check out transportation, amenities, safety issues, distance from work and family, and if the style of the neighborhood is one you can see yourself assimilating into.
3. Inspect, Reflect. It’s easy to get excited about finding what is possibly your “perfect” new home, but to make sure it’s more than just a pretty presentation, have a home inspection done before you sign on the final dotted line. If there are structural issues or other large problems that will prove to be expensive to fix later, you’ll want to know about them up front.
4. Work with a good real estate representative. Please call me today at 609-462-3737 for both selling and buying assistance. The right house for you is out there, and we’ll work together until we find it!
And remember, up to the minute West Windsor market information is always available at West-Windsor-Homes-NJ.com or Facebook.com/West.Windsor.Homes.NJ.
