Renting a Home in Northern New Jersey

Rentals here move faster than sales and they reward preparation more. The people who get the place they want are usually the ones who had their paperwork ready before they walked in, not the ones who offered more.

This page covers what renting in this area actually involves, what landlords will ask you for, and what it costs to get in.

What you can rent, and where

The rental stock changes a lot across the six counties I cover, and it is worth knowing the shape of it before you start:

• Hudson County is mostly apartments and condos, much of it newer, much of it close to PATH or the light rail.
• Bergen County is a mix: apartments near the train towns, two-to-four family houses in the eastern boroughs, and whole houses further north and west.
• Essex, Passaic, Morris and Union run from urban apartments to single-family houses on real land, depending how far out you go.

Whole houses are a larger share of the rental market here than people expect, particularly outside the dense eastern towns.

What it costs to move in

Budget for more than the monthly rent. Typically you are asked for:

• The first month's rent, due at or before move-in.
• A security deposit, which New Jersey limits by statute and which the landlord must hold in a specific way and tell you about.
• A broker fee, where one applies. This varies, it is negotiable, and it is not set by law or by any standard rate. Ask early who pays it, because it differs from listing to listing.
• Application and screening costs, which vary by landlord.

Ask for the full figure in writing before you apply, not after you are approved.

The process, in order

1. Work out the real budget. Rent plus utilities, plus parking if it is not included, plus what you need up front.
2. Get your documents together first. This is the single thing that decides who gets the place when two people want it. The list is below.
3. Decide where, honestly. Commute, parking, whether you need to be walkable to a station. These narrow the search far faster than price does.
4. See places quickly. Good rentals here are gone in days, sometimes hours. If you are still assembling paperwork when you view, you are already behind.
5. Apply. Application, documents, and any fee. Applications are considered on a consistent basis and within what the law allows.
6. Screening. The landlord verifies income, employment, references and credit.
7. The lease. Read it before you sign it. If anything in it concerns you, an attorney can review it, and that is a reasonable thing to do.
8. Certificate of occupancy. Many New Jersey towns require an inspection before a new tenant moves in. It is routine, and it can move your move-in date, so ask about it early.
9. Move in. Document the condition of the property with photographs on day one. It matters when you leave.
   
   

What landlords will ask you for

Having these ready before you view is the whole game:

• Photo identification.
• Proof of income, usually recent pay stubs, an offer letter if you are starting a new role, or tax returns if you are self-employed.
• Employment confirmation.
• Bank statements, in some cases.
• Previous landlord references, where you have them.
• Whatever the landlord requires for a credit check.

If you are arriving from another country and have no United States credit history, say so at the start rather than at the application stage. It is a normal situation and there are usually ways to address it, but it works far better raised early.

Renting before you buy

Plenty of people moving into this area rent first, and it is often the sensible order. A year in a town tells you things no amount of research will: what the commute is really like, whether you use the downtown, whether the road is louder than it seemed on a Sunday.

If that is your plan, say so. It changes which rentals make sense, particularly the lease length, and I would rather help you rent somewhere for a year and buy well afterwards than push you into a purchase you have not tested. How buying here works if you want to see what the second step involves.

What I do for renters

I find the properties, arrange the viewings, tell you what I know about the building and the street, and take you through the application and the lease to move-in.

I am not a property manager and I do not manage the tenancy afterwards. Once you are in, your relationship is with the landlord or their management company.

I am not an attorney. If you want a lease reviewed, that goes to a New Jersey attorney, and I will say so rather than offer an opinion on it.

Who I am

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. I speak English, French, Italian and Creole, and I have moved countries myself, so if you are arriving from abroad you are not explaining it to someone who has never done it.

Where to start

• Search what is available. Use the rental search at the top of this page to see what is on the market now.
• Tell me what you need. Area, budget, timing and anything that complicates it. I will tell you honestly what is realistic. Get in touch.
• Renting now, buying later. Say so at the start and we will plan the lease around it. How buying works.
  
  

Common questions from renters

What do I need to apply for a rental in New Jersey?

Photo identification, proof of income such as recent pay stubs or an offer letter, employment confirmation, and whatever the landlord requires for a credit check. Previous landlord references help. Have all of it ready before you view, because in a competitive rental the prepared applicant usually wins rather than the one who offers more.

How much is the security deposit?

New Jersey limits security deposits by statute and also sets rules for how the landlord must hold the money and notify you where it is. Ask for the exact figure and the terms in writing before you commit, and if anything about the handling looks wrong, an attorney can tell you quickly.

Do I have to pay a broker fee?

It depends on the listing. Sometimes the landlord pays it, sometimes the tenant does, and sometimes it is shared. It varies, it is negotiable, and it is not set by law or by any standard rate. Ask who pays it on any property before you apply, because it changes what you need up front.

Can a landlord refuse me because I have a housing voucher?

No. New Jersey protects lawful source of income, which includes housing vouchers and other rental assistance, so it cannot be a reason to refuse your application or to advertise that vouchers are not considered. This protection is broader than federal law and it applies to small landlords as well as large ones.

What credit score do I need to rent?

There is no single number. Landlords set their own criteria and weigh credit alongside income, employment stability and references. If your credit is thin or damaged, a larger deposit within the legal limit, a guarantor, or a frank explanation up front all tend to work better than hoping it is not noticed.

Can I rent with no United States credit history?

Yes, and it comes up often with 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 a solvable problem that becomes a lost apartment if it surfaces late.

Can I rent with a pet?

Some landlords allow pets, some do not, and some allow them with conditions or an additional deposit within the legal limit. Assistance animals are treated differently from pets under fair housing law and are not covered by a no-pets policy. Say what you have early so we only look at places that will work.

Why does the town have to inspect before I move in?

Many New Jersey municipalities require a certificate of occupancy or continued occupancy inspection before a new tenant takes possession. It is routine and it is the landlord's responsibility to arrange, but it takes time and it is one of the more common reasons a move-in date slips. Ask about it as soon as your application is accepted.

How far ahead should I start looking?

About six to eight weeks before you need to move is usually right. Much earlier and most of what you see will be gone by the time you can take it. Much later and you are choosing from what is left rather than from what is best.

Can I get out of a lease early?

A lease is a binding agreement and ending one early is not simply a matter of giving notice. What your options are depends entirely on what the lease says and on the circumstances, and that is a question for an attorney rather than for me. If you think there is a real chance you will need to move within the year, raise it before you sign, not after.