Tolliver Wren / Matters / Residential
Residential real estate attorneys, Morristown, New JerseyThree business days. Then it's binding. We use all three.
When a realtor-prepared contract is signed in New Jersey, each side's attorney gets three business days to review it. That window is where inspection terms, credits and deadlines get fixed. After it closes, they mostly don't.
What happens in those three days.
The clock starts when the fully signed contract is delivered to the buyer and the seller. Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays don't count.
Inside the window, either attorney can disapprove the contract. Usually we send a letter of proposed changes instead: inspection deadlines that fit the actual inspector's calendar, a written credit instead of a vague promise to repair, a mortgage contingency date your lender can meet.
If nobody disapproves in time, the contract binds as written. That's why we want it the day it's signed, not the day after.
General information, not legal advice. Your contract and your dates decide what applies to you.
When does attorney review end?
Enter the day the fully signed contract was delivered to both buyer and seller.
The date appears here. We confirm it on every file we open.
Who owes what before closing.
The list we send every client in the first week, so nobody learns about a missing document at the table.
| Who | What they bring or send |
|---|---|
| Buyer | Photo ID for everyone signing. Homeowner's insurance binder. Signed loan documents, through your lender. Closing funds, by wire, after you've called to confirm the instructions. |
| Seller | Photo ID for everyone signing. Mortgage payoff authorization. Condo or homeowner association documents. Keys, openers and codes. |
| Lender | Loan commitment. Closing Disclosure, at least three business days before closing. Final loan package. |
| Us | Title search and title commitment. Survey review and municipal certificates. Settlement statement, checked line by line. The deed, and recording after closing. |
Illustrative. Every closing has its own list, and yours arrives with your engagement letter.
One flat fee for the sale or the purchase.
From $1,850 for a residential purchase or sale. Sample figure.
Not included: title insurance, recording fees, survey and the other closing costs, which appear on your settlement statement. We quote your fee in writing before we start, and a quoted fee holds for 90 days.
They sent the list of what we needed on day one, and they answered the phone the night before closing.
Questions we get every week.
Do I need an attorney to buy or sell a home in New Jersey?
Closings in North Jersey are usually handled by attorneys; in parts of South Jersey, title companies often run them. Either way, attorney review only protects you if an attorney actually does the review.
What happens if nobody objects during attorney review?
When the three business days pass with no disapproval from either attorney, the contract becomes binding as written. Changes after that need everyone's agreement.
Can my attorney cancel the contract during review?
Either attorney can disapprove the contract within the review period, and no reason has to be given. In practice we usually send proposed changes instead, and the deal continues on better terms.
When and how do I send my closing funds?
By wire, a few days before closing. We will never send or change wiring instructions by email. Before you wire, call us at (973) 555-0140 from this page and confirm the instructions with a person.
Do you represent both the buyer and the seller?
No. We represent one side of a transaction. Before we talk about the details, we run a conflict check, which is why our intake form asks for the names of the other side.
General information, not legal advice.