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The Buyer Experience | Suzie & Ed, Diane Turton, Realtors
Finding the right home takes patience. We have plenty of it.
Suzie and Ed have helped buyers find the right Shore property for decades. Some searches take weeks. Some take years. Either way, they stay with you until you find the one.
Our Approach
Local knowledge makes all the difference.
Buying a home in Bay Head or Mantoloking is not like buying a home anywhere else. These are small, close-knit communities with limited inventory, strong seasonal demand, and market nuances that take years of on-the-ground experience to understand. Suzie and Ed have that experience. They grew up here. They know what properties have sold for, why some sit and others go quickly, and what a buyer needs to know before making an offer.
Whether you are looking for a primary residence, a beach house, or an investment property, and whether your search takes three weeks or three years, Suzie and Ed will be with you from the first conversation through the closing table and beyond.
50+ Years combined real estate experience
330+ Career transactions on both sides of the table
$11M Top single transaction
Need to sell before you buy?
Many buyers are also sellers. If you need to sell your current home before purchasing a new one, Suzie and Ed can manage both sides of that process. They understand the timing, the contingencies, and how to structure a transaction that works for your situation.
See the Seller ExperienceThe Process
What buying with Suzie and Ed looks like.
1
The First Conversation
We start by listening.
The first meeting is not a tour. It is a conversation. We want to understand what you are looking for, why you are drawn to this market, what your timeline looks like, and what would make a home feel right. We also ask questions buyers do not always think to answer up front: Is this a primary residence or a seasonal home? Do you plan to rent it? Are there school districts, flood zones, or commute routes that matter?
The more we understand about what you are trying to accomplish, the better we can focus your search and advise you when the right property appears.
This conversation costs you nothing and carries no obligation. Many of our buyer relationships begin years before a purchase takes place.
2
Financing
Know your number before you fall in love with a house.
Before touring properties in earnest, we recommend connecting with a mortgage professional to understand your financing options and establish your buying range with confidence. In a competitive market, a pre-approval is not a formality. It is often the difference between a credible offer and one that gets passed over.
We can introduce you to trusted mortgage partners who know this market and can move quickly when you need them to. For cash buyers, having proof of funds ready before you make an offer is equally important. Sellers in this market expect it, and having it prepared in advance keeps the process moving without unnecessary delays.
Many Shore properties attract multiple offers. Whether you are financing or paying cash, knowing your position and having the documentation ready puts you in a stronger place from the start.
3
The Search
Patient, focused, and honest about what we see.
We set up listing alerts tailored to your criteria so you see new inventory as soon as it appears. We also draw on our network of relationships with other agents, our knowledge of properties that have not yet come to market, and our familiarity with owners who may be considering a sale. In a tight market, the right home sometimes comes through a conversation before it ever appears on Zillow.
We will tour properties with you and give you an honest read on each one, including the things that may not show up in the listing photos. We know these streets, these neighborhoods, and the history of many individual properties in this market. That local knowledge is an asset in every showing.
Some of our buyer relationships have spanned several years and multiple market cycles before the right property came along. We do not push. We stay ready.
4
Making an Offer
Strategy matters as much as price.
When you find the right property, we move quickly. We review the comparable sales, assess the competitive situation, and advise you on an offer that reflects the market and gives you the best chance of success. In multiple-offer situations, we have helped buyers secure homes through creative strategies that go beyond simply offering the highest number.
We present your offer professionally, communicate directly with the listing agent, and follow up promptly. The way an offer is presented and handled matters, especially in a small community where agents know each other and reputations are long.
One of our recent buyers secured a competitive Mantoloking home after Ed developed a strategy that set them apart from the other offers on the table. The price was not the only factor.
5
Negotiation
We have been on both sides of the table many times.
After an offer is accepted, negotiation does not stop. Attorney review, inspection results, and due diligence often produce additional points of discussion. Suzie and Ed guide you through each of them: which requests are reasonable, which are overreaches, and how to keep a deal together when something unexpected surfaces.
Because they represent buyers and sellers in the same market, they understand how sellers think, what motivates them, and how to find common ground when both sides want to reach an agreement.
6
Inspections & Due Diligence
Know what you are buying before you close on it.
A licensed home inspector will examine the property, and Suzie or Ed will attend the inspection in person. Being there matters. It gives us firsthand knowledge of what the inspector finds, how significant any issues are, and how to respond to the report when it arrives. We can recommend qualified inspectors who know Shore properties, including the particular challenges that come with coastal construction, flood exposure, and older homes.
If the inspection surfaces issues that affect the value or condition of the property, we will advise you on how to address them in negotiation, or when to walk away.
For Shore properties specifically, flood zone status, elevation certificates, and insurance costs can meaningfully affect the total cost of ownership. We help buyers understand all of it before committing.
7
Closing
The beginning of something, not just the end of a transaction.
Closing day should be straightforward. By the time you sit down at the table, every document has been reviewed, every contingency has been addressed, and you know exactly what to expect. We coordinate with your attorney, the lender, and the other side to make sure nothing falls through at the finish line.
After closing, Suzie and Ed remain a resource. They know the local tradespeople, the rental market, the town processes for permits and renovations, and the neighbors. They are genuinely glad to hear from past clients and continue to be a part of the communities their buyers join.
Many of our buyer clients have come back to us years later, when they were ready to sell, or to help their children find a home of their own. That continuity is something we value and work hard to earn.
Why It Matters Who You Work With
What buyers get that most agents cannot offer.
Local knowledge no outsider has.
Suzie grew up in Bay Head. Ed grew up in Mantoloking, year-round. They know the flood history of specific streets, the nuances of individual neighborhoods, the significance of a property's elevation, and the history of homes they may have listed or sold before. That is not something you can find in a listing sheet.
Access before properties hit the market.
In a small, relationship-driven market, inventory sometimes moves before it appears publicly. Suzie and Ed's network of agent relationships, community connections, and 330+ career transactions gives their buyers an advantage that purely digital searches cannot replicate.
Honest counsel, not encouragement.
They will tell you when a property is priced right, when it is not, and when something they see in a showing gives them pause. Their job is to help you make the right decision, not to close a transaction. Buyers consistently describe this as one of the most valuable things about working with them.
Patient through a long search.
Some of their buyer relationships have lasted years before the right property came along. They showed one family homes for several summers of rentals before the right one became available. They were ready when it did. That patience is genuine, not performative.
Present at inspections.
Suzie or Ed attend every inspection in person. It is not standard practice for every agent. For buyers, it means having an experienced local professional in the room who can put what the inspector finds into context and advise on next steps immediately.
A network that keeps working after closing.
Contractors, attorneys, architects, property managers, rental agents, neighbors. Suzie and Ed have spent decades building relationships in these communities. When a buyer needs someone they can trust for a renovation, a repair, or a local question, they know who to call.
Buyer Success Stories
Finding the right home, when the time is right.
Some searches are quick. Others take patience. Here are a few of the buyer transactions Suzie and Ed have guided to a successful close.
$11,350,000 1073 Ocean Ave, Mantoloking Their clients had rented in Bay Head and Mantoloking for many summers and toured a number of homes over the years. None were quite right. They were patient together, and when the right oceanfront home appeared, they were ready.
$3,200,978 978 East Ave, Mantoloking Their clients first inquired about another listing. When this property came to market, they moved quickly. A competitive multiple-offer situation, resolved with a creative strategy that worked.
$2,025,000 1021 Barnegat Lane, Mantoloking A young family rented in Bay Head and Mantoloking for several summers while Suzie and Ed watched the market with them. When the right home became available, they were ready. They have now enjoyed their first summer in their new beach house.
$1,854,200 29 4th Ave, Lavallette After selling a long-time family home, their clients wanted to downsize without leaving the area. After a brief, focused search, they found the right home for the next chapter.
$1,080,000 91 Bay Point Harbour, Point Pleasant A client who lost her beachfront home in Superstorm Sandy had wanted to return to the area ever since. Working with her daughter, Suzie and Ed helped them find a third-floor harbour unit with water views from nearly every window.
$1,100,000 Bay Head area search Ed first responded to an email inquiry in 2009 when others did not bother. He showed a couple properties across three towns, helped them find a lot, and guided them through a new construction purchase. They later made it their full-time home and returned to Ed for a property search for their son.
From Our Buyer Clients
In their own words.
"Buying a home can be stressful, but his expertise and knowledge of the market, along with his calm demeanor, made our purchase seamless. I would give him our highest recommendation."
Paul B. | Google Review"Five stars don't even come close to doing him justice. He guided us through a challenging home purchase in Mantoloking, and his expertise and calm, steady approach were invaluable. Ed came up with a brilliant strategy that set us apart from other buyers and ultimately helped us secure our dream home. We now consider him not just our realtor, but a friend."
Pat C. | Google Review"Ed is AMAZING. He spent countless hours helping me find a home to rent last summer that satisfied the many requirements I was looking for. Then, he helped my 83-year-old mom find and purchase her dream home. He walked us each through every minor and major step of the process. He is a real estate expert and a kind person, to boot."
Karin A. | Google Review"From our first phone call, Ed hit the ground running to help us find properties that fit our criteria, taking a lot of the legwork out of the process for us. He often had the answers to our questions before we even asked them. He is accessible, knowledgeable, patient, and an all-around professional."
Mollye M. | Google Review"Ed was the only realtor who felt it worth his time to respond to my email inquiry. He showed us a great variety of properties across three towns. One became the site of our new home. Ed worked with us and the seller to make the process straightforward without surprises. We never felt pushed or rushed during the process."
Jim and Barb T. | Google ReviewReady to Start Looking?
The first conversation costs you nothing.
If you are thinking about buying in Bay Head, Mantoloking, or the surrounding Shore communities, reach out and we will take it from there. No pressure. No obligation. Just an honest conversation about what you are looking for and how we can help.
Suzanne Van Schoick & Edwin O'Malley | Diane Turton, Realtors | 88 Bridge Ave., Bay Head, NJ 08742
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