Short answer
The New Jersey Judiciary says that after the sale, the debtor has 10 days to redeem the property, meaning buy it back or sell it. If you do not redeem within 10 days, sale proceeds go to the mortgage. After that window, you generally are no longer in control. Speak with a foreclosure attorney immediately.
The 10-day window
The court's self-help page says that after the sale of the property, the debtor has 10 days to redeem it. It explains that this means they can buy the property back or sell it. Ten days is tight. A sale needs a buyer, a signed contract and enough time for title work, so this window is better used to protect a deal already in progress than to start one from scratch.
What happens if you do not redeem
If the debtor fails to redeem within 10 days, the court page says the proceeds of the sheriff sale pay off what is owed on the mortgage. If the proceeds are more than the debt, the remainder returns to the debtor. If they are less, the lender can sue the debtor for the remaining amount. Those are the three outcomes to understand before the sale, not after.
Why earlier is better
Nothing on the court page suggests the 10 days can be stretched. A homeowner who sold before the sheriff's sale controls the price and the timing. After it, the price is whatever the auction produced. If you are reading this before a sale date, the most useful question for your attorney is whether a private sale can close first. If you are reading it after, ask the attorney today what, if anything, can be done.
Your house, after a sale
Moving out is another subject. The court page says legitimate residential tenants have rights to stay on the property during a foreclosure. The sources I reviewed do not explain the steps for a former owner after the sale, so ask your attorney and the lender's attorney in writing what the timeline is. Do not rely on rumors from neighbors or buyers at the auction.
Gather your papers now
Collect the final judgment, the writ of execution, any sheriff's notice and your lender's payoff letters. The Judiciary's Customer Service line, 609-421-6100, can provide copies of court documents. A foreclosure attorney can use these papers to advise you inside the 10-day window. The court's packet says a person who cannot afford a lawyer can contact the legal services program in the county, and the number is online under Legal Aid or Legal Services.
A cash buyer inside a short window
If you have a purchase contract in hand, speed matters. Kaizen Home Buyers makes cash offers on New Jersey houses as-is, with no repairs and no agent commission. We can give an offer within 24 hours and close in 14 to 30 days or on the date you choose. Call 267-329-0084. We cannot promise to fit inside a 10-day window, so talk to an attorney first about whether a sale is possible and how to structure it.