New Jersey Real Estate Digest: Untapped Resource

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Untapped Resource

While the home selling boom is ending, the new trouble spot is home maintenance.
More New Jersey residents are finding home maintenance a challenge according to Beth Fitzgerald in her story:

Dire State of Repairs

Homeowners often allow contractors they don’t know to make repairs without checking there license, checking their references, or even checking to see if there have been complaints lodged again the contractor. Home improvement contractors are required by law to register in New Jersey. Complaints against home improvement contractor have been rising steadily for the last few years.

Source: New Jersey Intstitute for Social Justice

The best way to find a good contractor is to ask the real estate professional from whom you purchased your home. Not just because I am a real estate professional do I recommend this. The truth of the matter is a real estate professional has an interest in you keeping your home in the best condition that has nothing to do with the friendship you developed while looking for your home: future commission. Whether you sell with the same real estate professional or not the potential for commission either as the buyer’s or seller’s agent means that homeowner have a place to look for home contractors that are likely to do a good job. I know I have a list of contractors for all kinds of home repairs even though few homeowners contact me for them. I don’t see why my colleagues would not have them too.