Homeowners in New Jersey sometimes search for hard money when a bank says no or a deadline is approaching. A short-term loan secured by the home you live in can put that home at risk, and it is treated as a consumer loan with ability-to-repay protections. Use this page to understand those protections, the warning signs that call for caution, and alternatives such as non-QM, renovation and bridge options from licensed lenders.
Call to talk with a licensed loan officer. Programs vary by borrower, property and investor.
New Jersey contractor licensing: Home Improvement Contractor registration. The New Jersey Contractor's Registration Act requires home improvement contractors to register with the Division of Consumer Affairs and display their NJHIC registration number. Lenders funding renovation work often ask for the contractor's license and bid.
Where the numbers point in New Jersey
Counties with the most owner-occupied homes built before 1960:
| County | Owner-occupied homes built before 1960 |
|---|---|
| Union County | 67.0% |
| Essex County | 65.6% |
| Bergen County | 57.1% |
| Passaic County | 55.8% |
| Hudson County | 53.6% |
| Salem County | 43.8% |
| Camden County | 42.5% |
| Mercer County | 40.9% |
| Cumberland County | 38.0% |
| Warren County | 35.5% |
Start your application in a few minutes. A licensed loan officer reviews it and follows up with your options.
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Prefer to talk first? Call (888) 865-8230. Applying is not a loan approval or commitment to lend; programs vary by borrower, property and investor. ClearPoint Mortgage Advisors, NMLS #173855. Properties in FL, NY, NJ, PA, CT and VA only.
Hard Money Loans for a Primary Residence by city in New Jersey
- Absecon
- Allendale
- Asbury Park
- Ashland
- Atlantic City
- Audubon
- Avenel
- Barrington
- Bayonne
- Beachwood
- Bellmawr
- Belmar
- Bergenfield
- Berlin
- Bernardsville
- Bloomingdale
- Bogota
- Boonton
- Bound Brook
- Bradley Gardens
- Bridgeton
- Brigantine
- Brookdale
- Browns Mills
- Budd Lake
- Butler
- Caldwell
- Camden
- Carlstadt
- Carteret
- Cherry Hill Mall
- Clayton
- Cliffside Park
- Clifton
- Closter
- Collingswood
- Colonia
- Cresskill
- Crestwood Village
- Dayton
- Dover
- Dumont
- Dunellen
- East Franklin
- East Orange
- East Rutherford
- Eatontown
- Echelon
- Edgewater
- Elizabeth
- Elmwood Park
- Emerson
- Englewood
- Englewood Cliffs
- Fair Haven
- Fair Lawn
- Fairview
- Fanwood
- Finderne
- Florham Park
- Fords
- Fort Dix
- Fort Lee
- Franklin
- Franklin Center
- Franklin Lakes
- Franklin Park
- Garfield
- Glassboro
- Glen Ridge
- Glen Rock
- Gloucester City
- Green Knoll
- Greentree
- Guttenberg
- Hackensack
- Hackettstown
- Haddon Heights
- Haddonfield
- Haledon
- Hamilton Square
- Hammonton
- Harrison
- Hasbrouck Heights
- Hawthorne
- Heathcote
- Highland Lakes
- Highland Park
- Hightstown
- Hillsdale
- Hoboken
- Holiday City-Berkeley
- Hopatcong
- Iselin
- Jamesburg
- Jersey City
- Keansburg
- Kearny
- Kendall Park
- Kenilworth
- Keyport
- Kingston Estates
- Kinnelon
- Lake Mohawk
- Laurence Harbor
- Leonia
- Lincoln Park
- Lincroft
- Linden
- Lindenwold
- Linwood
- Little Ferry
- Little Silver
- Lodi
- Long Branch
- Madison
- Madison Park
- Manasquan
- Manville
- Margate City
- Marlton
- Martinsville
- Matawan
- Maywood
- McGuire AFB
- Mercerville
- Metuchen
- Middlesex
- Midland Park
- Milltown
- Millville
- Montvale
- Moorestown-Lenola
- Morganville
- Morris Plains
- Morristown
- Mount Arlington
- Mountainside
- Mystic Island
- New Brunswick
- New Milford
- New Providence
- Newark
- Newton
- North Arlington
- North Caldwell
- North Haledon
- North Plainfield
- Northfield
- Norwood
- Oakland
- Ocean Acres
- Ocean City
- Oceanport
- Old Tappan
- Oradell
- Palisades Park
- Palmyra
- Paramus
- Park Ridge
- Passaic
- Paterson
- Paulsboro
- Perth Amboy
- Phillipsburg
- Pine Hill
- Pine Lake Park
- Pitman
- Plainfield
- Pleasantville
- Point Pleasant
- Pomona
- Pompton Lakes
- Princeton
- Princeton Meadows
- Prospect Park
- Rahway
- Ramblewood
- Ramsey
- Ramtown
- Red Bank
- Ridgefield
- Ridgefield Park
- Ridgewood
- Ringwood
- River Edge
- Robertsville
- Roseland
- Roselle
- Roselle Park
- Rumson
- Runnemede
- Rutherford
- Salem
- Sayreville
- Secaucus
- Short Hills
- Smithville
- Somerdale
- Somers Point
- Somerset
- Somerville
- South Amboy
- South Plainfield
- South River
- Spotswood
- Springdale
- Stratford
- Strathmore
- Succasunna
- Summit
- Tenafly
- Tinton Falls
- Totowa
- Trenton
- Twin Rivers
- Union Beach
- Union City
- Upper Montclair
- Upper Saddle River
- Ventnor City
- Villas
- Vineland
- Waldwick
- Wallington
- Wanaque
- Washington
- Watchung
- West Freehold
- West Long Branch
- West New York
- Westfield
- Westwood
- Wharton
- White Horse
- White Meadow Lake
- Williamstown
- Wood-Ridge
- Woodbury
- Woodcliff Lake
- Woodland Park
- Yardville
- Yorketown
Common questions
Can I say the home is a rental to get a hard money loan?
No. Misrepresenting occupancy on a loan application is mortgage fraud with serious legal consequences. If you will live in the home, the loan must be made as an owner-occupied consumer loan. A lender or broker who suggests otherwise is putting you at legal and financial risk. Look for a licensed lender who will make the loan honestly or point you to another option.
What alternatives should I ask about first?
Depending on your situation, a licensed loan officer may suggest a non-QM loan for income that is hard to document, an FHA 203(k) loan for a home that needs repairs, a bridge loan from a licensed lender to buy before you sell, or a HELOC on your current home. You may or may not qualify for each, but they are worth comparing before a hard money offer.
Does the Ability-to-Repay rule apply to hard money on a primary residence?
For a consumer loan secured by your home, the lender generally must make a reasonable, good-faith determination that you are able to repay, under the CFPB Ability-to-Repay rule. That usually means looking at income or assets, debts, credit and the full payment. Ask the lender to explain how it carried out that review for your loan, and keep the answer in writing.
Other investor loans in New Jersey
DSCR loansDSCR requirementsDSCR down paymentAirbnb / STR loansHard money lendersFix and flip loansInvestor bridge loansPortfolio lendersBlanket mortgagesInvestment property loansHELOC on a rentalInvestor cash-out refiSecond home loansInterest-only investor loansPrivate money lenders
Related guides
- Hard Money vs DSCR Loan: Which Fits Your Investment Property?
- DSCR Loan vs Conventional Investment Property Loan
- What Is a DSCR Loan? Meaning, the Ratio, and How It Works
Hard Money Loans for a Primary Residence overview · New Jersey investor loan overview
- Census ACS 2020-2024, table B25036