Attorney review is a three-business-day period after a New Jersey home sale contract is signed, when either side’s attorney can cancel it or propose changes. It applies to contracts prepared by real estate agents, which covers most home purchases in Robbinsville and across the state. Here’s what first-time buyers should know:
The clock starts when the signed contract is delivered to both the buyer and the seller.
Weekends and legal holidays don’t count. A contract delivered on a Friday usually doesn’t finish review until the following Wednesday.
During review, either attorney can disapprove the contract. Under New Jersey rules, the notice goes by certified mail, telegram, or personal delivery to the broker’s office.
Attorneys often send changes instead of canceling, like adjusting the inspection timeline, the closing date, or who pays for certain items.
If no one disapproves within the three days, the contract becomes legally binding as written.
Sellers can still hear other offers until review ends, so a buyer’s contract isn’t locked in until then.
That last point surprises a lot of first-time buyers. In a busy market, a seller may accept a stronger offer that comes in during review. Having an attorney lined up before making an offer helps keep things moving.
Fred Gomberg works with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach in Princeton and connects buyers with real estate attorneys he has worked with for years, so no one is scrambling to find one after an offer is accepted. For a first-time buyer in Robbinsville, a quick conversation before touring homes clears up a lot of these steps.
