As the summer heat fades and the leaves change color, the Central New Jersey real estate market remains as strong as ever. Spurred on by a number of factors, New Jersey home prices are still on their way up. High demand from buyers continues to linger, boosted by mixed signals on when New York City offices will call employees back to their desks—and the uncertainty of whether some kind of hybrid work model will become permanent for many of the city’s corporations.
The number of Central New Jersey homes on the market remains small, which strongly favors sellers. The most desirable properties continue to draw multiple offers and encourage bidding wars, as buyers look to get into homes while mortgage interest rates remain low. Even if more homes come onto the market in the coming months, real estate experts still expect a lively market. The guide below is intended to help both buyers and sellers navigate this hot seller’s market.
Work With an Experienced Real Estate Agent
Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Mercer County or plan to sell Ocean County real estate, the first thing you need to do is hire a great agent.
If you’re a buyer, the last thing you should try to do is navigate a hot real estate market by yourself. The stakes are too high, and even the smallest mistake can become costly and stressful to deal with on your own.
The same holds true if you’re a seller. You might think you can save the cost of a commission, but real estate transactions are complicated and can be tricky. There’s a good chance you will end up costing yourself big money by electing to sell without a Real Estate Agent.
A Central New Jersey real estate agent can handle both the sale of your existing home and your purchase of a new home. Regardless of your situation, you need an agent who has years of local expertise and knows the ins and outs of each neighborhood. A qualified Central New Jersey agent should be able to complete a detailed comparative market analysis for you, supported by their own experience buying and selling homes in the area.
If a real estate agent is representing you as a seller, they’ll use the same market analysis to help you sort through offers and accept the best one. Many sellers might not realize that the best offer isn’t always the one for the most money. If your potential buyer has shaky financing, the deal could fall through during closing, and you’ll be forced to relist the home (which will cost you more money).
When you sit down to interview agents, ask them to go over their resumes and explain how their experience in your specific Central New Jersey neighborhood will pay off. You should also ask them to give a detailed accounting of their track record of buying and selling real estate in the last year when the market has really taken off—and ask for client references. During the interviews, you should get a sense of how professional and trustworthy agents are. You will be relying on their advice during perhaps the biggest financial transaction of your life, so your confidence in them must be high. Great communication is key since you will be working closely with your agent for the next several weeks at least.
House Hunting in Central New Jersey?
If you’re planning to buy or sell Central New Jersey real estate in 2021, contact The McGurl Team today. The McGurl Team’s local expertise and professionalism will ensure you get what you’re searching for in New Jersey’s exciting real estate market, with unbeatable customer service throughout your transaction.