Relocating to Northern New Jersey

Almost everyone moving here arrives with the same three questions in a different order: where should we actually live, what will it cost compared to where we are now, and how bad is the commute really.

This page answers those, then covers the parts people find out too late.

Where people land, and why

Northern New Jersey is six counties and 171 municipalities, and they are not variations on one theme. The fastest way to narrow it is by how you will travel:

Hudson County is closest to Manhattan, mostly apartments and condos, and largely served by PATH and the light rail. Shortest commute, smallest space per dollar.
Eastern Bergen County is bus territory and the Palisades, with a mix of houses and two-to-four family buildings.
Central and western Bergen runs on three rail lines. Whole houses, larger lots the further out you go, and a commute that lengthens with them.
Essex climbs from Newark to the Watchung ridge. Midtown Direct service from the ridge towns, older housing stock, and 2-4 family buildings in the eastern boroughs.
Passaic, Morris and Union reach further out. More land, more car dependence, and in parts of Morris, houses on well and septic rather than municipal water.

Test the commute once, at the hour you would actually travel. A map will not tell you whether you get a seat, and it will not tell you about the transfer.

What changes financially when you come from New York

The headline swap is that New York City income tax goes away and New Jersey property tax arrives. Whether you come out ahead depends entirely on your own numbers, and it is a question for your accountant rather than for me.

What I can tell you is where the surprises are:

Property tax is set municipally, not by the state or the county. Two houses at the same price in adjoining towns can carry very different annual bills. Compare the actual assessment on the actual house, never a town average.
The tax bill belongs in your budget from day one, not at the end. It changes which towns are genuinely affordable more than the purchase price does.
Running costs are different from an apartment. A roof, a boiler, a driveway and a garden are all yours now.
New Jersey charges the buyer an additional fee on residential purchases above a $1 million threshold. The rates and thresholds were amended in 2025, so confirm the current position with your attorney.

The timeline

Three to six months out. Work out the budget including taxes, and talk to a lender if you are buying. Start narrowing towns rather than looking at houses.
Two to three months out. Visit. Ride the commute. Walk the towns on a weekday evening, not only on a Sunday afternoon.
Six to eight weeks out, if renting. This is the right window. Much earlier and what you see will be gone; much later and you choose from what is left.
Six to ten weeks out, if buying. From an accepted offer, expect roughly 45 to 60 days to closing when you are financing.
On arrival. Utilities, driver's licence, vehicle registration, and school registration if you have children. Each has its own document requirements.

Rent first, or buy straight away?

Renting first is often the sensible order when you do not know the area. A year in a town tells you what no amount of research will: whether the commute wears on you, whether you use the downtown, whether the road is louder than it seemed.

Buying straight away makes sense when you know the area already, when your timeline is fixed, or when you are moving a household that cannot easily move twice.

There is no general right answer. If you are undecided, say so early, because it changes the lease length worth signing and the towns worth looking at. How renting here works, or how buying works.

If you are moving from another country

Buying and renting as a non-resident both work, and the obstacles are rarely the ones people expect.

No United States credit history is the usual sticking point, for renting more than for buying. Raise it at the very start, not at the application stage. Landlords generally look for other evidence instead, such as an employment offer, bank statements or international references.
Financing is available to non-citizens, though the terms differ. A licensed loan officer will tell you what applies to your situation.
Moving money internationally takes longer than people plan for, and deposit deadlines do not move because a wire is slow.
Signing from another time zone is normal and workable, and your attorney will tell you what can be done remotely.
Immigration status and property ownership are separate questions. Anything about visas or residency goes to an immigration attorney.

I speak English, French, Italian and Creole, and I have moved countries myself. It is not a process I am guessing at.

If your employer is relocating you

Corporate moves run on someone else's timetable, which changes what is practical. Temporary or corporate housing while you look is common here and worth arranging early rather than compressing the search into a single visit.

If a relocation package is involved, find out early what it actually covers, because that determines whether renting first costs you anything.

What to sort out once you arrive

Driver's licence and vehicle registration. New Jersey has its own requirements and its own document list for new residents.
Utilities. Which provider serves you depends on the municipality.
School registration. Districts set their own enrolment process and proof-of-residency requirements. Check with the district directly.
Refuse and recycling. Municipal, and the schedules vary more than you would expect.

How I help

Before you commit to anywhere, I will put together a shortlist of towns based on where you need to travel, what you need from a house, and what your budget realistically buys in each one. Commute times, housing stock, lot sizes and what the tax bill looks like at your price point. Places and numbers, so you can compare them properly.

Then whichever route you take, renting or buying, I take it from there.

I am Reshmee Jugmohun, a licensed New Jersey real estate agent with Prominent Properties Sotheby's International Realty in Saddle River. My New Jersey Real Estate License number is 1909890. I am a REALTOR®, a member of NJMLS and GSMLS, and a licensed New Jersey Notary Public. I work across Bergen, Passaic, Essex, Morris, Hudson and Union counties.

Where to start

Get a town shortlist. Tell me where you need to travel, your timing and your budget, and I will come back with towns that fit, with the commute and the numbers attached. Get in touch.
Renting first. What landlords ask for, what it costs to move in, and how the process runs. Renting in northern New Jersey.
Buying straight away. The order things happen in, and what is specific to New Jersey. How buying works here.
Just looking. See what is on the market while you decide. Search homes.

Common questions about relocating

Is it cheaper to live in New Jersey than New York City?

It depends on your own numbers, and the honest answer is that it is a different cost structure rather than a straightforwardly cheaper one. New York City income tax goes away and New Jersey property tax arrives, and the property tax is set municipally so it varies a great deal between neighbouring towns. Your accountant is the right person to run your specific position before you commit.

How long does the commute to Manhattan actually take?

It ranges from about twenty minutes from parts of Hudson County to well over an hour from the outer towns, and the published journey time is only part of it. What matters is whether you get a one-seat ride or a transfer, how far you are from the station, and whether you can park there. Ride it once at your real hour before you decide.

Should I rent first or buy straight away?

Rent first if you do not know the area, because a year in a town tells you things research cannot. Buy straight away if you know it already, if your timeline is fixed, or if moving twice is not realistic for your household. There is no general answer, and it is worth deciding early because it changes which towns and which lease lengths make sense.

Can I buy a home in New Jersey if I am not a US citizen?

Yes. Property ownership and immigration status are separate questions. Financing is available to non-citizens, though the terms and documentation differ, and a licensed loan officer will tell you what applies. Anything about visas or residency belongs with an immigration attorney.

Can I rent with no United States credit history?

Yes, and it is common for people arriving from abroad. Landlords generally look for other evidence instead, such as an employment offer, bank statements or international references. Raise it at the very start rather than at the application stage, because it is solvable early and becomes a lost property late.

How far ahead should I start looking?

Start narrowing towns three to six months out. If you are renting, the search itself works best about six to eight weeks before you move. If you are buying, allow roughly 45 to 60 days from an accepted offer to closing when you are financing, plus however long the search takes.

Do I need to visit before deciding on a town?

I would strongly recommend it, and I would recommend visiting on a weekday rather than a weekend. Traffic, parking, noise and the actual commute all look different on a Tuesday evening than on a Sunday afternoon, and those are the things people regret rather than the house itself.

What do I need to sort out once I arrive?

Utilities, a New Jersey driver's licence, vehicle registration, and school enrolment if you have children. Each has its own document requirements, and school registration in particular is handled by the individual district with its own proof-of-residency rules, so check with them directly rather than assuming.

My employer is relocating me. What should I ask them first?

Find out exactly what the package covers, and specifically whether it covers temporary housing and a second move. That single answer usually decides whether renting first costs you anything, which in turn shapes the whole search.

Are property taxes really that different between towns?

Yes, and it surprises almost everyone. Each municipality sets its own rate against its own assessed values, so two similar houses at the same price in adjoining towns can carry annual bills that differ by thousands. Always look at the actual assessment on the actual property rather than a town-level average.