Having moved from New York City to Bergen County myself, I’ve had the pleasure of navigating the area and the market to find the perfect home for my family. This experience has given me unique insight that has helped me assist those looking to buy one of the homes for sale in Bergen County with greater accuracy, ensuring they find their dream home.
The Four Elements Critical to Navigating Homes for Sale in Bergen County
Even if you aren’t relocating to Bergen County, you should also evaluate the four critical elements that determine whether you should put an offer on a home. These elements include the amenities, the neighborhood, the property’s price and the neighbors. Each of these elements paints a clearer image of what life will be like residing in that property.
Amenities. Amenities can be divided into two categories: immediate and surrounding. Your immediate amenities include everything the home offers: rooms, bathrooms, living spaces, square footage and outdoor spaces. Your surrounding amenities include educational and healthcare facilities, shops and entertainment venues.
Amenities are personal. For a family with younger children, distance to exceptional schools would be critical, whereas for older couples, distance to healthcare facilities may be a top priority. If you’re an outgoing buyer, entertainment and outdoor recreation spaces may be of significance as well.
Beyond enhancing your living standards, amenities also play an integral role in determining the YOY price valuation. Although selling may not be your number one priority as a recent buyer, when the time comes to sell, most buyers will also be drawn to the amenities that first attracted you to the property.
Neighborhood. Many of the homes for sale in Bergen County are in pristine, community-oriented neighborhoods. However, not every one of these neighborhoods will be the perfect choice for your lifestyle. Your neighborhood defines the distance to amenities, in turn underpinning your lifestyle.
As a growing family, you may love a home’s internal amenities and price, but the neighborhood could have many retired couples, which is not ideal. The first conundrum: Your kids wouldn’t have any friends in the area, causing you to outgrow your home quickly. Likewise, if you’re a professional or couple with no kids, still wanting to focus on your professional growth, having a work-orientated atmosphere may better suit your goals and lifestyle.
Price. Even if a listing price is still beneath your budget ceiling, it does not mean you should purchase the home for that price. The Bergen County property market is in the midst of a boom, with prices up 10.9% YOY. These figures don’t mean you should wait for a downturn to purchase. Instead, what they mean is you should be wary of sellers inflating prices. As a real estate broker, I cannot emphasize how critical due diligence is to secure a home at the right price. If you’re unsure about a price, examine the sale prices of similar homes sold in the last three months; this should help you ascertain if a home is worth the price.
Neighbors. “Ask about the neighbors, then buy the house.” This old Jewish proverb stands up to scrutiny, as even a home at the right price, in the ideal location, with near-perfect amenities can turn into a nightmare if your neighbors aren’t a good fit. Neighbors can—and often will—change how you interact with your home. While good neighbors make residing in a neighborhood pleasant, unpleasant neighbors will turn your paradise into a nightmare. If you have the opportunity to, ask the current owners about the neighbors to ensure you do not inherit any disputes the owner has with neighbors.
Some of the aspects you should query regarding the neighbors before making an offer is:
The neighbor’s occupation: It may seem insignificant, but your neighbor’s occupation can determine working hours, noise levels and how well you will get along.
The number of kids and their age(s): Finding out your neighbor has two kids could be the news you were hoping for if you are moving with your growing family. But what if they are 17 and 21? Does that news still have significance in how your child or children will adapt?
The number of pets and breed: A playful dachshund isn’t worrisome, but what if you will be woken by a barking beagle or chihuahua or discover your neighbor has several pets?
Period residing in the neighborhood: Have they recently moved, or are they planning on moving soon or selling? If you bank on having quiet, peaceful neighbors that are easy to get along with, only to find out they are on the verge of moving, can put a wrench in your quiet enjoyment.
In my experience as a real estate broker, I also know that carefully evaluating these elements also means buyers are less likely to feel anxiety about the purchase or regret it down the line. But since the buying process can be overwhelming, it helps to have an agent that understands your needs.
Levy Tewel is an associate real estate broker and team leader of the Tewel Team at Compass, helping sellers and buyers in Bergen County and New York City, with nearly a decade in the business, and over 1,000 closed transactions. Levy can be reached at 201-477-0117, [email protected], www.TewelTeam.com.
