Personal Planners for Buyers

The Buyer’s Personal Planner gives you a detailed approach to your options, to prioritize your value considerations and a comfortable budget range. This crystalizes your search parameters step by step. Along with consulting the Mastering Manhattan, in particular Educating Yourself, the Personal Planner guides you through each necessary step from searches, negotiations, and to Contract to Purchase.

Buyer Priorities

High priorities
Sell first
Why
Why not

 

Buy first
Pros
Cons

Primary considerations

• Outdoor space
• Pet-friendly
• Washer/dryer

Other:

Important considerations

Condition

Overall

• Mint
• Excellent
• Good
• Fair

Specifics

Kitchen

• Decorate only
• Cosmetic changes
• Update
• Renovate

Bathrooms

• Decorate only
• Cosmetic changes
• Update
• Renovate

Financial considerations

Housing budget

Monthly expense

• Building charges (with taxes)
• Mortgage service

Estimated purchase price range

Cash down portion

Pre-approved mortgage amount

Liquid assets

Personal considerations

• Conveniences
• Commute time
• Schools
• Parks
• Transportation

Other considerations

Move-in timeframe

Co-ownership type

• Cooperative
• Condominium
• Condop
• Town House only
• Loft only

Neighborhood preference for

• Lower Manhattan
• Downtown East
• Downtown West
• Midtown East
• Midtown West
• Upper East Side
• Upper West Side
• Uptown
• Upper Manhattan

Dwelling-type choice

• Tenement-style
• Loft
• Flats (early apartment house)
• Apartment Hotel (deluxe service)
• Small Apartment House
• Pre-war
• Post-war
• Apartment House Tower (service-oriented)
• Row House
• Town House
• Brownstone conversion
• Office building conversion

Appurtenances
Elevator
Lobby service

• Full-time
• Concierge
• Attended elevator
• Part-time
• No doorman
• Live-in super

Amenities

Additional services
Indoor

• Garage
• Gym
• Pool
• Common areas

Outdoor

• Roof
• Garden

 

Room count

Private space

• Studio

Bedrooms

Number:

• Convertible space

Bathrooms

Number:

• Powder room
• Comments:

Public space

Living room

Dining space type

Kitchen

• Window
• Eat-in
• Galley

Additional spaces

• Library
• Live-in help’s quarters

Comments:

 

Priority musts

Exposure

• N E S W

Light

• Bright
• Direct sunlight
• Other

View

• Park
• River
• Skyline
• Cityscape
• Street
• Garden
• Other

Private outdoor space

• Balcony
• Juliette balcony
• Terrace
• Garden

Special considerations

• Wood-burning fireplace
• Moldings
• Hardwood Floors
• Built-ins
• Window type
• Closet space