Buy or relocate / North Jersey
Get a clear picture of your budget, building and timeline before you start touring.
Shpresa Lita, Realtor The Tony Nabhan Collective / Keller Williams City Views Realty
Buy smarter / Decide earlier
Compare the tradeoffs that shape a North Jersey move before you fall for a listing.
Buy or relocate / 3 minutes
Get an honest read on your budget, timing and the kind of home that fits. Your result appears right away, no email needed.
Tools / Affordability
Start with a price to see the full monthly payment, or switch to What I can afford and work back from your income. Pick a town to fill in its property tax rate.
Tools / Rent vs buy
If you might move again within a few years, renting can cost less. This compares the true cost of owning, NJ selling costs included, with renting.
Checklist / Before you offer
Know what to ask for before you make an offer on a condo or co-op, from reserves to rental rules. Your checks are saved on this device.
Local guide / Hudson waterfront to Bergen
A few North Jersey realities that change the math or the timeline. Plain English, with sources.
01
Towns publish two rates. The general rate applies to the assessed value; the effective rate compares the tax to market value. West New York's 2025 general rate is 8.71%, but its effective rate is 1.77%. Fort Lee's effective rate is 1.84% and Edgewater's is 1.55%.
02
A 2024 New Jersey law requires many condo and co-op associations to keep reserve studies and, for concrete, masonry or steel buildings, structural inspections. Ask for both before you commit.
Source: Summary of the 2024 law (lawnj.com). Confirm what applies to a building with your attorney.
03
Most NJ home purchases include a three business day attorney review after the contract is fully signed. Either side's attorney can approve it, ask for changes or cancel it in that window.
Source: NJ attorney review explained (simonattorneys.com). Your attorney confirms the details.
04
Bus, ferry, PATH, light rail or a bridge: the trip from Fort Lee or Weehawken changes a lot by the hour. Ride it at your actual commute time before you make an offer, and add the Port Authority toll if you drive.
Source: Port Authority bridges and tunnels.
Questions / Answers
Less than many people think. FHA loans allow as little as 3.5% down, and 20% down avoids mortgage insurance on most conventional loans. Plan for closing costs on top, and ask a lender which programs fit you. The calculator above compares 3.5%, 5%, 10% and 20% down side by side.
In many Hudson waterfront condos and co-ops, the monthly fee covers staff, amenities, the master insurance policy and reserves. Lenders count it as part of your housing cost, and so should your budget. Ask how fees have changed in recent years and whether any special assessments are planned.
Yes. Many buyers here work in Manhattan. Compare the full monthly cost town by town, including NJ property taxes, building fees and your commute. If you keep working in New York, ask a CPA how New Jersey's credit for taxes paid to other jurisdictions (Schedule NJ-COJ) applies to you.
After a purchase contract is fully signed, there is usually a three business day attorney review period. Your attorney can approve the contract, ask for changes or cancel it. Weekends and holidays do not count. Your attorney confirms the details for your contract.
Since July 10, 2025, the NJ Graduated Percent Fee on sales over $1 million is paid by the seller, not the buyer. Many older articles still say the buyer pays 1%. Confirm the details with your attorney.
Your answers stay in this browser on your device, so you can pick up where you left off. Nothing is sent to anyone unless you choose to email your plan or ask a question. Start over clears your answers.
Resources / More tools
Next step / No pressure
Bring your quiz result or your numbers. Shpresa will help you sort out the next step, at your pace.
Interested in off-market opportunities? Ask Shpresa about homes that may not be publicly listed.
You work directly with Shpresa, backed by The Tony Nabhan Collective at Keller Williams City Views Realty. Calculators and quizzes are planning guides, not legal, tax or lending advice.
