orly
chen provides a real estate experience with a personal touch
201.803.9611
“A
home is the biggest investment of time and money that
most families make
in their lives, which means it is critical to make the
right choice from the start.”
To
Choose the Right Home, Know Your Needs in Advance
One of the most important
questions facing clients in the market for a new house is how
to choose the home that best matches their needs. A home is
the biggest investment of time and money that most families
make in their lives, which means it is critical to make the
right choice from the start. Choose a home that is too small,
and your growing demands for extra space could force you to
move earlier than would be cost-effective for your plans. On
the other hand, choose a house that is too large, and you risk
living with the nagging sense that all the precious space is
being wasted. Either way, homeowners who choose incorrectly
can wind up feeling frustrated, especially in an economy where
home sales remain sluggish, and it can take longer than usual
to sell an unwanted home.
The first step in choosing the right home for your needs is
to prepare a list of factors well in advance of your search.
All too often, potential homebuyers can fall in love with the
way a house looks on the outside, or some special feature such
as a pool or professional kitchen appliances, rather than the
long-term suitability of the house for their changing needs.
In order to avoid an emotional response, which can cost homebuyers
greatly in the long run, prepare by thinking with your head,
not your heart. In a calm and collected moment, make a list
of “musts,” or what you cannot live without in a
home. Consult everyone who will be affected by the move, such
as spouses and children. Commit the list to memory and take
it to open houses to make sure any homes of interest fit the
criteria. If an important factor is missing in the potential
home, and it cannot be added or changed without a costly repair
or renovation, that likely is a strong sign to move on and continue
to look for the home of your dreams.
Among the first factors homebuyers put on their lists of “musts”
is size. Knowing what size of home you need is essential, as
it cannot be changed in the future, certainly not without great
expense and effort. When considering the size, be sure to think
not only of today and tomorrow, but what life will look like
five years from now. For example, do you plan to have children?
Will an aging parent be coming to live with you at some point?
Both are common reasons why homeowners end up needing more space.
Or, do you have the kind of career that might make it possible
for you to work from home one day? In that case, it is important
to make sure the rooms include sufficient office space.
In terms of location, homebuyers in Bergen County often must
choose between quieter suburban locations and towns closer to
New York City with more of a metropolitan buzz. The answer to
this question also hinges on knowing yourself and how your lifestyle
might change. Is it possible you may change jobs one day soon,
in which case it makes sense to live near the most employment
opportunities possible? For families with young children, many
parents like to choose a location near lots of educational options,
recreational opportunities and playmates. Retirees with grown
children, on the other hand, may find it suits them just fine
to be in a quieter town. Either group will be pleased that both
situations and more can be found in diverse Bergen County.
Buying a home is one of the most important life decisions a
person or family can make, and the success of the choice depends
on being in touch with needs, now and in the future. Based on
analysis, not feelings, make a list of what a dream home must
include, and be sure to consider how life might change, even
in unexpected ways.
RE/MAX of Tenafly
RE/MAX
Associates lead agents
of
competing companies in
professional
designations which
denote
specialized training and
education.
They dominate the Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR), Certified Relocation
Professional (CRP), Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) and Leadership Training
Graduate (LTG) ranks. Read
more...
About Orly Chen
Orly
Chen is a leading real
estate agent in Northern
New Jersey specializing
in the Bergen County
area. Her outgoing
personality, honesty
and approachability and
integrity make Orly one
of the most sought-after
agents in the Northern
New Jersey real estate
market. Read
more...
