A Staten Island buyer is unique. Even though we are one of the five boroughs, our borough being a bedroom, commuter community offer a different lifestyle from our faster-paced sister boroughs. It is important to understand what you, the buyer, is looking for and establish your buyer profile.
If you don’t initially know what you’re looking for, here are questions to ask yourself:
- Do you know what you can afford?
- How would you describe your debt ratio to your income?
- What is your motivation for making a move?
- How would you describe your lifestyle?
- Are you a commuter? What are your medical needs?
- What are your family requirements?
- Proximity to schools (public/private)?
- Proximity to places of worship?
- Where do you see yourself – personally and professionally – in five years?
- Along with these questions, it is helpful to design supporting data to show the you the difference between owning and renting.
Make sure the property meets the criteria established in the list above.
You should come to the process with documentation supporting a mortgage pre-approval, along with attorney information.
Make a bid based on a visual assessment of the property and emotional well-being in obtaining it.
Learn about any negative and positive features that should be disclosed by the selling agent.
Make your offer in good faith, based on the desire to own this property, along with intelligent research regarding comparable sales.
All this being equal, make your offer and, if accepted, schedule an engineer inspection.
Advantages of Home Ownership
Tax-Savings – A significant portion of your mortgage, interest and property taxes – a substantial part of your monthly payments are tax deductible.
Home Values Have Sustained Growth Through The Years – There’s no better financial investment then home ownership! It’s the best hedge against inflation. Your “guarantee” of the increased value of real estate is the only commodity in the world which is absolutely limited in supply.
Freedom – You choose the style of the structure, landscaping, colors, furniture, and decor.
Privacy – Your home is the place where you can enjoy the many facets of your lifestyle. It can be a center or actiity or quiet refuge.
Security – Security and knowledge go hand in hand with home ownership. Your feeling of security will be enhanced by the knowledge that your home, a major investment of a lifetime, is a safeguard against inflation.
Community – You establish roots because your home makes you a part of the community. Your neighbors are homeowners, like you, often with diverse backgrounds that enrich your life.