The New Jersey Foreclosure Process: Steps, Deadlines, and Options

If you’ve fallen behind on your mortgage in New Jersey, the hardest part is often not knowing what happens next or how much time you have. The good news is that New Jersey foreclosures move through the court system in defined steps, and each step comes with notices, deadlines, and chances to act. This guide lays out the New Jersey foreclosure process in plain English, the free help available, and how selling the house fits in, including selling as-is for cash.

I’m Nick Maccini, a local investor and the founder of Nick Buys Houses. We’ve done 400+ deals since 2020 in the Philadelphia area and South Jersey. I’m not an attorney, so everything below comes from the New Jersey Courts and other official sources linked in the text. If you want to talk about your situation, call (215) 792-3189.

New Jersey is a judicial foreclosure state

Per the New Jersey Courts foreclosure self-help page, a lender can’t foreclose in New Jersey without going through the court. The Office of Foreclosure and the Superior Court’s General Equity judges handle the process. Here are the main steps.

1. Notice of Intent to Foreclose

Before filing, the lender must send a Notice of Intent to Foreclose (NOI). Among other things, the notice must state the amount needed to cure the default, include a statement that you can sell or transfer the title, and include information about the foreclosure mediation program. You have 30 days from receiving the notice to pay off the debt or make other arrangements with the lender, and you can request mediation at this time.

2. The complaint and your 35 days to answer

If the default isn’t cured, the lender files a foreclosure complaint with the Office of Foreclosure. That creates a lis pendens, a public notice that a suit is pending against the property. The lender must serve you with the complaint, by certified mail, courier, or in person, and the summons again includes information about mediation. You then have 35 days to file an answer. If you don’t respond, or you accept the complaint, the case is treated as uncontested and stays with the Office of Foreclosure. A contested case goes to a judge, and if you plan to challenge the complaint, the courts strongly recommend talking to an attorney.

3. Default and a final chance to cure

Next, the lender asks the court to enter default. The lender must give you a final chance to cure 14 days before filing for default. You then have 10 days to respond, and from that point, 45 days to cure the debt or make other arrangements.

4. Final judgment and the writ of execution

If the debt isn’t cured, the court grants the lender a final judgment and issues a writ of execution. The writ instructs the county sheriff to sell the property at public auction.

5. The sheriff sale and the 10-day redemption period

The sheriff has 150 days from the writ to auction the property. During that time, the homeowner and the lender may each request two stays to delay the sale, and a fifth stay is possible if both sides request it. After the sale, the homeowner has 10 days to redeem, meaning to buy the property back or sell it. If not, the sale proceeds pay off what’s owed on the mortgage. If there’s money left over, the remainder goes back to the homeowner. If the proceeds fall short, the lender can sue the homeowner for the remaining amount.

In Camden County, for example, the Sheriff’s Office says sheriff sales are held on the first and third Wednesday of each month at noon, excluding holidays, at City Hall, 520 Market Street, Camden. The Sheriff’s Sales Division can be reached at (856) 225-5531 or (856) 225-5551 (Camden County Sheriff). The winning bidder must pay 20% of the bid right away and the balance within 30 days. Other counties set their own schedules, so check with your county sheriff.

Free help: mediation and housing counseling

New Jersey’s courts run a free foreclosure mediation program, where a neutral mediator helps you and the lender work toward an agreement. Know the limits. The Judiciary’s borrower instructions say:

• Mediation does not stop a foreclosure action. The lender can keep moving the case forward.
• You can request mediation up to 60 days after you’re served with the summons and complaint. After that, you’d need to file a motion.
• The property must be your primary residence, a one- to four-family home, and you can’t be in bankruptcy.
• Mediation isn’t available for foreclosures of homeowners’ association or tax liens.

Free housing counseling is available through the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency’s Foreclosure Mediation Assistance Program (FMAP). Since January 24, 2022, it also covers homeowners who haven’t been sued yet but are behind or at risk of default (NJHMFA). It’s for owner-occupants of one- to four-unit homes with a mortgage. Tenants, heirs, owners without a mortgage, and owners or investors who don’t live in the property aren’t eligible. To find a counselor, the court instructions list NJHMFA at 609-278-7508.

If you haven’t received a complaint and haven’t filed for bankruptcy, the Judiciary also offers pre-foreclosure assistance, starting with a Pre-Foreclosure Questionnaire. The same page warns about scams: be careful with companies that promise loan modifications or offer to rescue your home, and check their credentials before you pay anyone. For legal help, the courts list Legal Services of New Jersey at 732-572-9100, and the Office of Foreclosure at 609-421-6100.

Your options if you’re behind

• Catch up or work it out with your lender. Call your servicer early and ask about repayment plans or a loan modification.
• Use mediation and free counseling. A HUD-certified counselor through NJHMFA can help you prepare.
• Talk to an attorney. Especially if you plan to contest the complaint or are considering bankruptcy.
• Sell the house. The NOI itself has to tell you that you can sell. Selling before the sheriff sale can let you pay off the mortgage at settlement and, if there’s equity left, keep it.

If tenants live in the house, the courts note that legitimate residential tenants may be protected during foreclosure by New Jersey’s Anti-Eviction statute, N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1 to 61.12. We also buy houses with tenants in place.

How a cash as-is sale works with us

Here’s the short version (full details on How We Buy Houses and our foreclosure page):

1. You contact us by phone at (215) 792-3189 or through our cash offer form. Tell us where you are in the process.
2. We look at the property as it is. No repairs, no cleaning.
3. We make a cash offer. There’s no obligation.
4. Once title is clear, we can close within 7 days. Most sales close within 30 days from start to finish.

We buy as-is, we pay the settlement costs, and we can help with moving costs when needed. In South Jersey we buy in Camden, Gloucester, Burlington, Atlantic, and other nearby counties.

Seamless transition. Great outcome. Would work with them again.

Steve Chaloult, Google review

New Jersey foreclosure FAQ

How long does foreclosure take in New Jersey?

There’s no fixed length, but each step has its own deadline: 30 days after the Notice of Intent, 35 days to answer the complaint, 45 days to cure after default, and up to 150 days from the writ of execution for the sheriff to hold the sale, with stays possible.

Can I sell my house during foreclosure in New Jersey?

Yes. The Notice of Intent to Foreclose must include a statement that you can sell or transfer the title, and the courts note that after a sheriff sale you have 10 days to redeem, which includes selling the property.

Does foreclosure mediation stop the sheriff sale?

No. The New Jersey Judiciary’s instructions say mediation does not stop a foreclosure action, and the lender can keep proceeding while you mediate.

What happens to extra money from a New Jersey sheriff sale?

After the mortgage is paid off from the sale proceeds, any remainder goes back to the homeowner. If the proceeds are less than what’s owed, the lender can sue for the remaining amount.

Do you buy houses in foreclosure in South Jersey?

Yes. We buy as-is in Camden, Gloucester, Burlington, Atlantic, and other South Jersey counties, pay the settlement costs, and can close within 7 days once title is clear.

This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. For advice about your case, talk to a New Jersey attorney or a HUD-certified housing counselor. Details were checked on November 4, 2026, from the official sources linked above, and they can change.

Get an as-is cash offer

Call (215) 792-3189 or request a no-obligation cash offer online. You can also learn more about me or read our FAQ.

Related pages

• Stop foreclosure · How we buy houses · Get a cash offer
• We buy houses in Camden County · All areas we serve
• Selling an inherited house in Camden or Burlington County · Facing foreclosure in Philadelphia