Buying a home in New Jersey? Use our free Smart Start Tool to learn more about the property you&rsquo;re buying and which inspection services may make sense for that particular home.
Start here: <a href="https://callsmartchoice.com" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">callsmartchoice.com</a>
Simply enter the property address to review available information such as permits, flood zones, radon potential, fire history, home age, and more. Smart Start will also help identify services you may want to consider, including radon testing, sewer scope, termite inspection, lead screening, and more.
Complete Smart Start to claim your gift &mdash; a FREE underground oil tank sweep to use with your Smart Choice home inspection.
No one-size-fits-all inspection package. Learn about the house first, see what you may need, and make a Smart Choice.
Visit <a href="https://callsmartchoice.com" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">callsmartchoice.com</a> to get started.

Essex County

Eric Kiefer

New York City Metropolitan Area

Montclair

New Jersey

A Gift for New Jersey Home Buyers

Buying a home in New Jersey? Use our free Smart Start Tool to learn more about the property you’re buying and which inspection services may make...

An Essex County home inspector has built a free website that lets anyone look up the public records behind a New Jersey property &mdash; building permits, flood zones, fire history, property taxes, and more &mdash; by typing in an address.
The site, <a href="https://oprasearch.app/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Permit &amp; Parcel</a>, covers all 564 New Jersey municipalities and brings together records from official sources, including state and county databases, FEMA flood maps, and the towns&rsquo; own municipal codes. No account or email is required, and there&rsquo;s no cost.
&ldquo;I kept watching buyers fall in love with a house before anyone checked the paper trail &mdash; the open permits, the flood zone, what the town actually requires when a home changes hands,&rdquo; said Leo Betancor, a Certified Master Inspector based in Cedar Grove and the founder of the site. &ldquo;All of that is public record. It just wasn&rsquo;t in one place anyone could actually use.&rdquo;
Alongside the main lookup, the site includes free single-purpose tools: a <a href="https://oprasearch.app/tools/lead-safe/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">lead-safe inspection lookup</a> showing which of the two state-required inspection methods each town uses under New Jersey&rsquo;s lead paint law, a searchable <a href="https://oprasearch.app/lead-contractors/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">directory of DCA-certified lead evaluation and abatement contractors</a> sorted by distance, a <a href="https://oprasearch.app/tools/fire/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">fire-incident map</a> built from more than 40 years of state fire records, and a <a href="https://oprasearch.app/tools/radon/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">radon map</a> covering every municipality.
Homeowners can also <a href="https://oprasearch.app/tools/tax/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">look up property taxes and assessments</a>, <a href="https://oprasearch.app/tools/hvac-age/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">check the age of a furnace, air conditioner or water heater</a> using its serial number, and <a href="https://oprasearch.app/tools/co/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">find their town&rsquo;s certificate-of-occupancy requirements</a> before selling or renting a home.
A companion site, <a href="https://njflood.zone/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">njflood.zone</a>, gives instant FEMA flood-zone answers for any New Jersey address &mdash; built after the federal government shutdown left FEMA&rsquo;s own map site unreliable &mdash; running on the site&rsquo;s own servers with the complete flood map data for the state loaded locally.
The project was recently featured in <a href="https://www.tapinto.net/towns/east-hanover-slash-florham-park/columns/at-home-with-holly/articles/deep-dive-conversations-what-the-house-won-t-tell-you" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">TAPinto</a>&rsquo;s &ldquo;At Home with Holly&rdquo; column. Both sites are free at <a href="https://oprasearch.app/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">oprasearch.app</a> and <a href="https://njflood.zone/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">njflood.zone</a>.

Cedar Grove Home Inspector Builds Free Property...

An Essex County home inspector has built a free website that lets anyone look up the public records behind a New Jersey property — building permits...

Cedar Grove Home Inspector Builds Free Property-Records Lookup for Every NJ Town

Making an offer on a home is an important step in the New Jersey homebuying process, but buyers should have a clear understanding of the property and transaction before deciding how much they are prepared to offer.
Hudson Digs Realty, a New Jersey real estate brokerage serving buyers, sellers and investors, is sharing several questions homebuyers should consider before submitting an offer on a property.
&ldquo;An offer should be based on more than the asking price and how a property looks during a showing,&rdquo; said Dan Francess, Owner of Hudson Digs Realty. &ldquo;Buyers should understand the property's condition, the surrounding market, potential costs and the terms of the transaction before deciding what makes sense for them.&rdquo;
<h2>1. How Does the Asking Price Compare With Recent Sales?</h2>
Buyers can ask their real estate professional for information about comparable properties that have recently sold in the area.
Factors that can affect comparisons include:
<ul><li>Property size</li><li>Number of bedrooms and bathrooms</li><li>Condition</li><li>Location</li><li>Property type</li><li>Renovations and upgrades</li><li>Lot size</li><li>Parking</li><li>Amenities</li></ul>
Recent comparable sales can provide useful context when evaluating the asking price and determining an offer strategy.
<h2>2. How Long Has the Property Been on the Market?</h2>
Days on market can provide additional context about a listing.
A property that has recently entered the market may have a different negotiating environment than one that has been listed for an extended period. Buyers can also ask whether the property has previously been listed, whether the asking price has changed and whether there have been previous offers.
<h2>3. Are There Any Known Issues With the Property?</h2>
Buyers should ask about known property defects, repairs and maintenance issues before making an offer.
A professional home inspection can provide additional information about the condition of the property. Depending on the property, buyers may also consider inspections for specific systems or concerns.
For condominium properties, buyers should also understand the condition of the building and common areas rather than focusing only on the individual unit.
<h2>4. What Are the Monthly and Annual Costs?</h2>
The purchase price does not represent the entire cost of owning a property.
Before making an offer, buyers should understand applicable:
<ul><li>Property taxes</li><li>Homeowners insurance</li><li>Flood insurance, when applicable</li><li>Homeowners association or condominium fees</li><li>Utilities</li><li>Maintenance expenses</li><li>Potential assessments</li></ul>
For condominium buyers, reviewing association documents can help provide insight into monthly fees, reserves and planned or recent assessments.
<h2>5. Are There Any Upcoming Assessments or Major Repairs?</h2>
Buyers considering a condominium or homeowners association property should ask whether major projects or special assessments are planned.
Roof replacement, exterior repairs, elevators, building systems and other major projects can create additional expenses for owners.
Understanding these potential costs before making an offer can help buyers evaluate the overall financial commitment.
<h2>6. What Is Included With the Sale?</h2>
Buyers should clarify which items are included in the transaction.
Depending on the property, this may include appliances, fixtures, parking spaces, storage units or other items.
The purchase agreement should clearly identify the items included in the sale.
<h2>7. Are There Any Restrictions on the Property?</h2>
Certain properties may have rules or restrictions that affect how owners can use or modify them.
Condominium and homeowners associations may have rules regarding renovations, pets, rentals, parking and other aspects of property ownership.
Buyers interested in making significant changes to a property should also investigate applicable zoning, permitting and building requirements.
<h3>About Hudson Digs Realty</h3>
Hudson Digs Realty is a boutique New Jersey real estate brokerage based in West New York, New Jersey. The company works with homebuyers, sellers and investors across New Jersey and provides services related to residential real estate, waterfront properties, new developments and real estate investment.
Hudson Digs Realty 9 Avenue at Port Imperial, Suite #111 West New York, NJ 07093 (201) 669-0483 <a href="mailto:dfrancess@hudsondigsrealty.com" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">dfrancess@hudsondigsrealty.com</a>

Hudson County

Hudson

West New York

Hudson Digs Realty Shares Key Questions New...

Making an offer on a home is an important step in the New Jersey homebuying process, but buyers should have a clear understanding of the property...

Hudson Digs Realty Shares Key Questions New Jersey Homebuyers Should Ask Before Making an Offer 

New York City

New York County

Miranda Levingston

Upper West Side

New York

Ainsley Martinez

Central Park

Carly Baldwin

Secaucus

Midtown-Hell's Kitchen

Chelsea

Upper East Side

Caren Lissner

Hoboken

West Village

Gramercy-Murray Hill

North Bergen Flea & Collectible Market

Tremendous Office Furniture & Soft Seating Liquidation Sale

Community Wellness Day!

Daddy Rabbit Live Opening Weekend At The Ace Hotel 

Read, Build & Grow!

Spencer Savings Bank Hosts Pet Adoption Day

NY's Medical Aid in Dying Act   

6th Annual Dining Out Jersey Foodie Expo

A Tribute To Frank Sinatra 

Celebrate 60 Star Trek Fan Event - Brooklyn SciFi Film Festival

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Make time for Saving Walden's World: Award-Winning Documentary Screening on the West New York Patch calendar

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Community Corner

🌱 Hudson County Parent Cafe and 11 more events

And on the West New York Patch calendar - Saving Walden's World: Award-Winning Documentary Screening

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