New Jersey new homes are abound on the market, making it a buyers’ paradise. However, the word “paradise” has to be qualified here. Buying a new home is like moving house: it is not usually a fun, let alone heavenly, experience. There’s lots of searching and schlepping and phone calls and negotiations, at the end of which there are no guarantees that you will get what you are looking for.
The difficulty of the experience may be worth it if, at the end of it all, you succeed in getting a house in a decent neighborhood in New Jersey. New homes in areas with good schools and within driving distance of one’s place of work are among the best possible choices for the average homebuyer. Homes located an hour’s commute away may seem like a wonderful bargain, but when the gas prices quadruple, as they undoubtedly will, you will be singing a different tune. Suddenly, your SUV will seem like a mammoth with an unquenchable thirst.
Those who don’t drive have a different set of criteria to consider. They will likely find it necessary to buy a home in a region that is well-served by public transport. As such, unless they are marathon runners, they will not find it thrilling to have to run for three miles just to get to the nearest bus stop. Neither will they be amused if the only bus that gets them to work shows up once in the early morning and once in the late evening. Good home prices just won’t compensate for such inconvenience.
By all means, avoid taking the do-it-yourself route. You should go through all the official home-buying steps: hire a real estate agent, even if buying from a New Jersey home builder, view the houses and ask all the questions you can think of, however annoying they make you sound. Remember that you are not a professional inspector, so you should make sure to only consider houses that have been inspected by a reputable, licensed inspector. Also, have a lawyer look through all contracts and documents before you sign them. The last thing you want is to be saddled with a damaged house that needs extensive repairs before it is safe for human habitation.
If you follow all the above suggested steps and emerge from the experience with a good home, you can thank your lucky stars that your purchase will not be featured in some cautionary documentary entitled “Nightmare Homes”.