One Agent, Two States: Selling in NJ, Buying in Florida

Quick Answer: Selling a New Jersey home and buying in Florida means running two different contract systems on one timeline. New Jersey contracts written by a licensed agent carry a three business day attorney review period, while Florida purchases typically run on a standard form contract without one. I hold a New Jersey license (#9236275) through KW City Views Realty and a Florida sales associate license (#SL3588731) through Keller Williams Boca Raton Realty, so one person tracks both deadlines. The goal is simple: your sale and your purchase should support each other instead of competing for your cash and your calendar.

By Scott Selleck, KW City Views Realty | November 10, 2026

In my experience, most people who leave Bergen County for Florida hire two agents who never speak to each other. One sells the house in New Jersey. The other finds the house in Florida. Neither is watching the date that matters most to you: the day the money from one closing has to fund the other.

This video is my introduction to that work, and why I became licensed in Florida: to help clients who asked me for help with the move.

Why is selling in NJ and buying in Florida harder than it looks?

Because the two states run on different rules, and the timing has to line up anyway.

In New Jersey, a contract prepared by a licensed agent goes into a three business day attorney review period. Either side's attorney can disapprove it in that window. Then come inspections, the mortgage commitment and the closing, usually handled by attorneys on both sides.

In Florida, most residential purchases use a standard form contract. There is no attorney review period, the inspection period starts on the contract's effective date, usually when the last party signs, and title companies often run the closing.

Put those side by side and you can see where moves go wrong. A buyer signs a Florida contract with a short inspection period while the New Jersey sale is still sitting in attorney review. Now two deadlines are running, and only one of them is protected.

I explain why I added the Florida license at 0:16

What does one agent coordinating both sides actually do?

Here is what I would do for a Bergen County seller headed to Palm Beach or Broward County.

Price the New Jersey home first. Your Florida budget starts with a realistic net, not a hoped-for list price. I start with a home valuation (a market estimate, not an appraisal) and a net proceeds estimate.
Pick the sequence. Sell first, buy first, or line them up. Each has a cost. I lay out the trade-offs in Should you sell in NJ or buy in Florida first?
Write the Florida offer around the New Jersey dates. Inspection period, financing deadline and closing date get set with the New Jersey closing in view.
Track both files on one calendar. Attorney review, inspections, appraisal, mortgage commitment, the walk-through and both closings.
Coordinate the people. NJ attorney, Florida title company, both lenders, movers and, when it applies, your CPA.

Thinking about selling in Bergen or Hudson County and buying in Florida in the next year? Start with the sequence, not the listing. Request an appointment in the Meet with Me section below, or call (201) 970-3960.

Which taxes and residency questions should be on the list?

Three come up on almost every move, and each belongs with your CPA.

New Jersey seller forms. If you are not a New Jersey resident on the day of closing, the GIT/REP forms apply, and an estimated income tax payment may be collected at closing. I break this down in the NJ exit tax explained.
Florida homestead. You must own and occupy the Florida home as your permanent residence on January 1 and file by the county deadline, typically March 1.
Residency date. When you become a Florida resident affects both states' income tax treatment for that year.

I am a licensed real estate agent, not a tax advisor or attorney. Confirm residency dates and tax treatment with your CPA before acting on them.

Who is this kind of coordination for?

Anyone selling a home in Northern New Jersey to buy in Florida, especially when a lot of equity rides on getting the timing right. The bigger the dollar amounts, the more one missed date costs.

For the Florida side, my NJ to FL Transition Plan start page lays out the steps in order.

By the Numbers

New Jersey attorney review period: 3 business days on agent-prepared contracts (N.J.A.C. 11:5-6.2(g); New Jersey State Bar Ass'n v. New Jersey Ass'n of Realtor Boards, 93 N.J. 470 (1983))
Florida homestead filing deadline: March 1 (Florida Statutes 196.011)
Florida homestead ownership and residency test date: January 1 (Florida Statutes 196.031)
Bergen County single-family median sale price: $835,000, September 2026 (NJ REALTORS Local Market Update)
Bergen County single-family median days on market: 34, September 2026 (same source)

The Bottom Line

If you are selling in New Jersey and buying in Florida, the most important document is the calendar that connects the two. Build it before you list, not after you find the Florida house.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can one real estate agent handle my NJ sale and my Florida purchase?

Yes, if that agent is licensed in both states. I hold a New Jersey license through KW City Views Realty and a Florida sales associate license through Keller Williams Boca Raton Realty.

Does Florida have attorney review like New Jersey?

Not as a standard step. Most Florida purchases use a form contract without an attorney review period, so the inspection period starts on the contract's effective date, usually when the last party signs.

Should I sell my New Jersey home before buying in Florida?

It depends on your equity, financing and tolerance for a temporary move. Selling first protects your budget; buying first protects your Florida choice.

Meet with Me

Request an appointment or call me. Cell: (201) 970-3960 | Office: (201) 592-8900.

About Scott Selleck

Scott Selleck leads The Selleck Group at KW City Views Realty in Fort Lee and helps New Jersey homeowners plan a move to Florida. Licensed since 1993. Over 500 transactions closed.

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Scott Selleck | The Selleck Group

KW City Views Realty | Licensed since 1993 | Over 500 transactions closed

SRES® (Seniors Real Estate Specialist®) | e-PRO®

2200 Fletcher Avenue, Suite 502, Fort Lee, NJ 07024

Cell: (201) 970-3960 | Office: (201) 592-8900

[email protected] | SelleckSellsNJ.com

Florida: Keller Williams Boca Raton Realty