BUYER SERVICES

1. We can set up initial property searches based on the search criteria you provide and email prospective properties to you. (We can set up much more detailed searches than the local MLS allows the public)

We can also set up automatic email notification of new listings that meet your criteria. As soon as a new listing is added to the Garden State Multiple Listing Service (MLS), you will receive an email with the listing’s details.

2. Often we have already seen properties that may interest you interest you and can relate our impressions of the property to you. We can also preview properties. We are sometimes able to eliminate properties from client’s lists of prospective properties and save them time and effort.

We can also provide information on neighborhood schools, market trends and commute times.

3. While we are not professional home inspectors, we do have experience in looking for potential problems with a property’s condition. Having knowledge of common problems in a specific neighborhood or area is also a benefit to our clients. Certain areas are prone to flooding, for example.

4. We have experience in working with local home inspectors and termite inspectors. We can recommend those inspectors, which have proven themselves to provide quality inspections and professional reports.

5. We can help clients determine how much they can afford by using available mortgage calculators. We also have established business relationships with trustworthy lenders who can provide accurate estimates of current interest rates, loan origination / closing costs and payment amounts.

6. Property taxes and utilities are a part of client’s monthly housing costs. We can determine what those costs will be to assist in budgeting.

7. One of the most important functions I perform for my clients is verifying the value of the property that they are considering. Since I am a licensed appraiser as well as a Realtor^®, I am uniquely qualified to protect you from overpaying for any home that might interest you.

8. Often, knowing how to structure and present an offer to a seller will determine if the offer is accepted or rejected. We research the market value of the property and it’s sales / listing history. This sometimes lets us know what a seller purchased the property for, how long he has owned it and how long it has been on the market. Our local real estate market is now weighted in favor of the Buyer, so a more aggressive offer (meaning a lower offer) might be the best way to go with certain properties.

9. Unless we are the listing brokers on a property, we will be working with the listing agent to help buyer and seller come together for a sale. Having a good reputation in the local realtor community and being able to effectively work with other realtors is critical. We have seen transactions fall apart not because of the buyer or seller but because the realtors could not effectively work together to convert an offer to a sale. Our experience and demeanor in negotiating with other realtors is also an asset. Keeping negotiations unemotional and professional is imperative.

10. Every client is different, not only in terms of the type of property they are looking for but in which factors of an offer are most important to them. Is cash tight and they need seller to pay their closing costs? Is time a factor for them and do they need a quick sale or do they need a delayed closing? Negotiating favorable contract terms for the buyer is one of the chief duties we perform for our clients.

11. We will review / prepare all of the several forms required to purchase property and explain each form to out clients. From experience, we have learned specific points to watch and wording to add or avoid in contracts.

12. Having a trustworthy and professional lender is an absolute requirement. We have seen lenders that ranged from Professional and caring to incompetent to criminal. We can help our clients avoid delays and unpleasant surprises in obtaining funding. We have established relationships of trust with a few lenders that have proven themselves in taking care of the clients we refer to them. We can offer referrals to these lenders depending on the specific needs of each client.

13. In our area, closings are usually done with the assistance of an attorney. Again, we have our favorites, those that have performed in a competent and professional manner in the past. Whoever coordinates the closing, we will assist them in clarifying title, zoning, building codes, and easements. We will attend closing and assist clients in working out any last minute problems.

14. We have established business relationships with local tradesmen and can offer suggestions for companies to make any needed repairs or to make inspections beyond the expertise of a home inspector or termite inspector.

15. While we can’t predict the future. We can research sales trends and use our knowledge of the local real estate market and economy to advise clients on the future marketability of a property they are interested in. Resale value is always an important consideration in choosing a property to purchase.