05/05/2021 5 Homebuying Pitfalls Your New Jersey Real Estate Attorney Wishes You Knew
It wasn’t long ago when buying a home was a realistic goal for all Americans. The cost of housing is skyrocketing, jumping from four times the average American’s salary in the 70s and 80s to nearly seven times. It is clear that buying a house is a high-stakes endeavor laden with considerable financial risk. If you are not careful, you will fall into one of the many homebuying pitfalls that has the potential to decimate your personal finances. Our legal team is here to help prevent such an outcome. Below, we provide an insightful look at common homebuying pitfalls our New Jersey real estate attorneys will help you sidestep on your path to the American dream of homeownership.
Pitfall #1: Assuming You Can Do It All On Your Own
Buying a home is one of the most important milestones in your life. This is by far the most expensive purchase you will make. Northern New Jersey home prices continue to climb in unison with those throughout the rest of the United States. If you attempt to navigate the legal and bureaucratic maze of buying NJ real estate on your own, you will likely make a costly financial mistake that makes the purchase of a new home that much more expensive.
Though securing the services of an experienced New Jersey real estate attorney costs money, it is worth every single penny. Your NJ real estate attorney will guide you through the entirety of the legal side of the home purchase process so you can rest easy at night knowing the purchase is in full compliance with local real estate laws and regulations.
Our NJ real estate attorneys are here to sweat the small stuff of your real estate purchase contract on your behalf ranging from language pertaining to the inspection to seller repairs, the timeline for your move-in and beyond. If you were to attempt to translate all the legalese on your own and represent yourself in a pro se manner, you would inevitably make one or several mistakes that have the potential to amount to tens of thousands of dollars in losses.
Pitfall #2: Overlooking the Importance of Pre-approval
Your eagerness to buy a home in New Jersey is understandable. Prices continue to climb, available inventory is limited and most homes have 10 or more bidders. However, it is a mistake to tour available Northern NJ homes without a pre-qualification letter or no formal supporting documentation from a mortgage provider. In short, you should obtain a pre-approval letter from a home loan lender prior to scheduling a home tour.
It is an even worse mistake to make an offer on a home without pre-approval from a lending institution. Most home sellers won’t give your offer serious consideration unless it is accompanied by a pre-approval letter from a lending institution. So hold off on your home search and making a formal bid until you have obtained written pre-approval from a qualified lending institution.
Pitfall #3: Assuming any Attorney Will Suffice
It is a grave mistake to rely on a local NJ attorney who has passed the bar exam yet does not have experience in real estate transactions. Real estate law is significantly different from criminal law, personal injury law, corporate law and other types of law. Though NJ attorneys who have earned a law degree are certainly intelligent, more than mere intellectual prowess is necessary to help local homebuyers complete real estate transactions the right way. You need an experienced NJ real estate attorney in your corner.
New Jersey real estate attorneys who have closed dozens or even hundreds of home sales are familiar with the challenges most likely to arise and also the best strategies to surmount those hurdles. This is the expert insight you need to expedite your real estate purchase in New Jersey and get the most out of the money you pay for legal representation in such a complex transaction. From surveys to titles, home inspection language, contingencies for purchase and beyond, our NJ real estate attorneys have all the subtleties of real estate transactions perfected.
Pitfall #4: Assuming the Property Sale Price is the Sole Cost
Paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for a piece of New Jersey real estate is a major financial commitment. However, the sale price of the home is not the lone cost of the real estate transaction. Be sure to budget in additional money for ancillary costs. Aside from securing the services of a northern New Jersey real estate lawyer to review the agreement and represent you every step of the way through the closing, there are additional costs. Examples of such costs include the home inspection, potential repairs, land transfer taxes, homeowners insurance and the appraisal fee.
Pitfall #5: An Overreliance On Your Real Estate Agent
Your real estate agent certainly plays an important role in your home purchase. However, this individual can only do so much in your quest for home ownership. The moral of this story is your NJ real estate attorney does things your real estate agent simply cannot do. Your real estate agent will guide you up to the point at which your home offer is accepted. The metaphorical baton is then passed to our New Jersey real estate attorneys.
If your real estate agent offers legal advice, it is in your interest to tune it out. Let our NJ real estate law firm spearhead the legal element of your home purchase and we will sweat all the small stuff of the contract’s language on your behalf. The guidance of our real estate lawyers is essential to ensuring your home purchase terms are fair, ensure you do not have to pay for damage to the property after your offer is accepted and also guarantee the entirety of the transaction is in full compliance with the nuanced language of local New Jersey real estate laws.
Contact Bavagnoli & Bavagnoli Today To Avoid Homebuying Pitfalls
Our legal team is here to ensure your home purchase is fair and closes in a timely manner. All locals in the greater New Jersey area are encouraged to reach out to Bavagnoli & Bavagnoli for assistance in real estate transactions to avoid these homebuying pitfalls. Contact us today at (973) 785-9522 to find out more about how we can help you buy or sell New Jersey real estate. If you would like to reach our law firm online, you can do so by filling out our contact form.
