Decide if You’re Ready to Buy.  Consider the following: What is your financial situation? Do you have good credit?  How much of a down payment can you afford?  What monthly payment are you comfortable with? What is your time frame for buying?   

List Your Needs and Preferences.  Do you know what you want: a house, condo or co-op?  What style house – split level, colonial, ranch, etc – and features or amenities are you looking for?  What communities are you interested in?  Are you willing to buy a home that needs updating? How important are the quality of the local schools and real estate taxes? What are your commuting needs?

Get a Loan Pre-approval.  Nearly 90 percent of buyers finance their homes.  Obtaining a loan pre-approval will allow you to shop around for the best rates for your lifestyle and ensure that you won’t have to quickly find a lender and rush into a financial decision once you’ve found that “perfect” home. Planning ahead can save you valuable time and money.

Partner with a Realtor®.  RealSource Realtor Members are some of the most knowledgeable experts on Bergen County communities, market conditions and available properties.  Because the Bergen County Area’s real estate market is constantly changing, it can sometimes be very difficult to find an available property that matches your needs and list of features. Realtors can be an excellent resource with access to the latest and most up-to-date listings and they can help you make sense of the labyrinth of forms, financing options, pricing and assist with negotiating, closing and more.