For buyers
New Jersey buyer resources
The checklists and reference material we hand people in person.
Before you start looking
- Talk to a licensed lender and get pre-approved
- Check your credit report for errors
- Decide your monthly comfort number, not just the maximum approval
- Identify a New Jersey real estate attorney
- Set your realistic timeline, including lease end or sale of a current home
While you are looking
- Save searches and turn on alerts on our property search site
- Ask for the property taxes and any association fee on every home
- Ask for the flood zone on anything near water
- Note age of roof, heating system, water heater and electrical panel
- Visit at different times of day
Once you are under contract
- Attorney review begins — stay reachable
- Schedule inspections immediately; the window is short
- Formally apply for the mortgage
- Get insurance quotes
- Track your contract deadlines in writing
- Do not open new credit or change jobs without telling your lender
Terms worth knowing
We keep a fuller list on the real estate glossary.
Where to go for official information
- Municipal tax assessor and construction office, for taxes, permits and CO requirements
- New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, for smoke and CO certification rules
- FEMA flood map service center, for flood zone designation
- New Jersey Real Estate Commission, for licensee and consumer information
Requirements and fees change. Verify current information directly with the agency or municipality.
Not legal or financial advice
This page describes general practice in New Jersey residential real estate. It is not legal, tax, financial, insurance or engineering advice, and practice varies by county, contract and circumstance. Consult a New Jersey attorney, a licensed lender, a licensed home inspector and a tax professional about your own transaction.
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