Looking for the right house?<br>First, find the right Realtor

This Cape Cod with full-front dormer has three bedrooms and one bath, a three-season porch with vaulted ceilings, formal dining room, updated eat-in kitchen, fenced rear yard and partially finished basement. The North Plainfield home was built in 1951 and is listed at $244,900 by Jeanne Pisciotta of ERA Boniakowski Real Estate in Green Brook.

Finding and buying the "right house" for your needs is a step-by-step process.
And the first step is to find the right Realtor.

"The most efficient pathway for a would-be buyer to purchase a home at a fair price would be to secure the services of a professional Realtor," said Michael Del Duca, president of the North Central Jersey Association of Realtors, located in Morristown. "Most buyers find a Realtor through a personal referral from either a friend, family member or co-worker who has worked with a Realtor recently.

"A professional Realtor is in tune with the local market as to inventory, pricing, school systems and area amenities," said Del Duca, who also is the branch office manager at the New Providence office of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.

"A full-time Realtor will be able to provide guidance as to whether the asking price of a property is a fair price or not. When the buyer finds 'the' house, comparable sales can be provided in order to ascertain a realistic purchase price," Del Duca said.

"When buyers choose to work with a Realtor, they also get the added benefit of the agent's networking practices," said Eugenia "Jean" Bonilla, president of Hamilton Township-based New Jersey Realtors, the state's largest association of real estate professionals.

This two-bedroom, two-and-one-half bath townhome in New Providence features a master bedroom suite with walk-in closet, soaking tub and separate stall shower; gourmet kitchen with granite counter tops and KitchenAid stainless-steel appliances; hardwood floors and recessed lighting. It is listed by Michele DiBenedetto of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices in New Providence at $689,000.

"Realtors are exposed to a number of educational, business and professional growth events where they can spread the word of a buyer's needs with other agents," Bonilla said. "The right Realtor, exercising her networking abilities, could potentially find a buyer the perfect home before it even hits the market."

In addition to her association duties, Bonilla doubles as a broker/sales associate with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Fox & Roach Division in Mount Laurel. She acknowledged that, thanks to today's technology, many potential home buyers start out by looking on the Internet for houses in their price range.

But, she said, "When you're ready to make the leap from online to offline, the first move should be to call a Realtor to ensure you have a professional advocating for your best interests at all times."

An experienced agent often can pierce the surface of a situation and come up with creative alternatives, said Jeanne Pisciotta, a silver-level agent for ERA Boniakowski Real Estate in Green Brook.

For example, she said: "Some homes might be in rough condition but can be bought at a good price. If the location is right, it could be a diamond in the rough. An agent can guide a buyer with information on various loans that will provide financing for some of the repairs and or replacement of major components of the home."

Today's market also presents a variety of short sales or foreclosed houses.
"These are usually sold in as-is condition," said Pisciotta, adding that she has sometimes been able to negotiate a reduced price for a buyer based on repairs needed and the home's current condition.

-- ALAN RICHMAN

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