609-492-2090 [email protected]

B.E.A.C.H.

best escape anyone

can have

BUYING ON LBI

Island Home Buyer Tips
1. How much house you can afford?

  • Calculate your monthly income and debt.
  • View your credit report and check your FICO score.
  • Calculate your mortgage, try an online calculator.
  • Determine your target down payment.

3. Know what you need vs. want, in a home.

  • Knowing want vs. need facilitates compromise if needed.
  • Select a preferred LBI community, ocean side or bayside.
  • Which home type (single family, townhouse, condo).
  • Determine your target price and highest stretch price.
  • Know your home style but be flexible, you may love the unexpected.

3. Find an agent who really knows the island.

  • A professional full-time agent is usually best.
  • One with experience, good listening, and communications skills.
  • Look for an agent that grasps your vision of a dream home.
  • Can the agent help you clarify your vision if you’re unsure?

LBI SELLERS

Island Home Seller Tips
1. Foremost is to hire the right agent.

  • Stick to using a full-time professional Realtor ®.
  • Do they understand buyer wants and needs so they can position your property?
  • They’ll know when the best time for an open house on LBI is.
  • They will suggest realistic pricing, not over inflated just to get a listing.

2. Know what you need vs. want, for your home

  • You want the most you can get, but also, you want the house sold.
  • Knowing the price needed vs. wanted facilitates compromise if needed.
  • Be flexible with home showings, focus on the goal; a sold sign out front.
  • Respond to offers in a timely manner otherwise, they’ll expire.

3. Show your home at its best.

  • Curb appeal matters. You have one shot at the first impression.
  • Consider staging to show your home in its best light.
  • Declutter, clean, refresh. Discuss whether upgrades are wise or just repairs.
  • If you believe your home will be bought for a tear down then ignore all of #3.

LUXURY HOME BUYING ON
LONG BEACH ISLAND

Island High-End Buyer Tips
1. Foremost is to work the right agent.

    • Use of a local, highly dedicated full-time professional Realtor ® is the only option for success.
    • The key is that they have their hand on the pulse of the LBI real estate market.
    • They’ll know of available properties that, for privacy reasons, have no signs out front and are not listed in the MLS.

2. High-end home buying has its own considerations.

  • Once you have the right agent, it’s time to take in the process often associated with searching for and buying a luxury home.
  • Ask your agent what, if any, financial qualifications you may need already in hand. A given property listing may have a required form of vetting to be allowed access for a viewing of the home.
  • Viewing photos of these type properties, no matter how well done, really do not do the home justice. You can only appreciate the feeling these spaces impart, is in person; the interplay of shape, form, texture, and light.
  • Allow more time for the showing as these properties tend to be larger and have a sizable set of features that you’ll benefit from as the future owner. Hence, you’ll likely have a lot of questions that go beyond those that typical house hunting would generate. For example; special construction methods or the interesting interpretations of architectural highlights.
  • Once an offer is made, home inspections may be more involved, if for no other reason than due to the variety of amenities, electronics, and mechanics some of which may require specialists to do a portion of the home inspection. Sophisticated alarm and surveillance systems are just one example.
  • Expect the financing process to take a little longer, even if you have prepared your documentation well.

     ABOUT JUDITH “JUDY” COLLINS

A life Long LBIer Judy has a 25-year history in land lording and building spec houses and was flipping properties in college before it even had a name.  Coming home to a real estate career on Long Beach Island was a plan that she put into place at age 14 when she decided that LBI was the place to buy. For the investor, the vacationer, or the newly retired; this is the place to be.

Judy is knowledgeable in all areas of the buyers’ possible needs; such as zoning issues for teardowns, the latest CAPHRA and FEMA for insurance and house raising and has worked with many of the islands builders and subs. For the seller, she has a strong background in marketing and advertising that moves a property with cutting edge exposure in both print and electronic media.

Judy graduated with a Degree in Fine Arts.  After two years with a Madison Avenue Ad Agency’s, LA office; Judith then spent 12 years in the film/TV business in Los Angeles and then moved to North Carolina to invest in real estate in the Charlotte Lake Norman area as well on Long Beach Island.

Judy Collins Direct:
609-492-2090

Office Phone:
609-494-2090

Weichert Realtors
326 W 9th St.
Ship Bottom, NJ 08008

Sales Associate

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    Licensed in the State of NJ
    Copyright 2017 - 2018 Judith Collins, Independant Agent

    888-407-6564