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• Check out the window exposure in the home. When and where does the
house get sunlight? This will impact both quality of life, as well as utilities.
For example, an end-unit townhouse will have more sun and space, but
higher utility bills.
• Drive down the street at different times of night and day. Are the neighbors
noisy? Is there a lot of vehicular traffic at certain times? Are there
unsavory characters using the street as a shortcut or hangout? Who can
see into the backyard?
• Ask about utilities. Inquire whether there was ever an underground oil
tank and whether it was properly removed. If the house is heated through
an above-ground oil tank, make sure you understand what that entails;
many people today prefer gas heat. Most people also prefer city sewer instead
of a septic tank (if you have a septic tank, the potentially expensive
repairs would be your headache, not the city’s, although septic tanks are
much cheaper on a monthly basis).
• Has the house been renovated? Verify that all renovations were performed
properly, and that the utility systems in place are capable of handling the
added space, so that the addition will be properly cooled and heated when
necessary. If you are thinking of adding to the home, double check the zoning
laws to make sure that you can.
• Find out the amount of the property taxes on the home.
• Search the State Police database at www.njsp.org for any nearby registered
offenders.
Lakewood Living: Development or Private Home
For many prospective Lakewood homeowners, this is the million-dollar question.
Developments are convenient, sociable, and often cost-effective, and
the houses are well-designed for frum families. Private homes can be more
costly, are often older and generally do not have amenities designed for frum
living. These homes do often provide more privacy and outdoor space that
you can call your own. How do you choose between the two options?
Here are some questions that you can ask yourself to help you decide which
style better suits your personality.
• Do you crave a unique home, or do you love that easy and convenient layout
and don’t care that your house is identical to those of your neighbors,?
• Are you a private person or more sociable? Will it bother you if all the outdoor
space you have access to is communal, or will you love the built-in social life?
58 | 2017 Lakewood Home Buyer’s Guide