Short answer
The sheriff has 150 days from the writ of execution to auction the property. During that time the homeowner and the lender can each ask for two stays to delay the sale, and a fifth is possible if both request it. Mediation does not stop the case on its own.
The 150-day period
The New Jersey Judiciary says the sheriff has 150 days from the writ of execution to auction the property. A writ of execution is the court paper that follows final judgment. The clock does not tell you the sale date. You still need the actual sale date from the lender's attorney or the county Sheriff's Office handling the sale, and you should confirm it more than once, because dates can change.
Stays that can move the date
The court explains that during the 150 days, the debtor and the lender may request two stays each to delay the sale. A fifth stay is possible if both parties request it. A stay only delays a sale. It does not cancel the debt, so use the added weeks for something that changes the outcome, such as a signed sale contract or an approved modification.
Mediation is not a freeze
The Judiciary's mediation packet says in plain words that mediation does not stop a foreclosure action and that the plaintiff can continue to proceed despite mediation. Owners who assume that being in the program protects the sale date are caught off guard. If your house is already scheduled, ask your counselor or attorney how the schedule and any mediation interact, and ask for answers in writing.
What to do in the 150 days
Three things matter most. Get a current payoff figure from the lender's attorney. Decide whether a modification, a cure or a sale is realistic. And if a sale is, start it now, because a closing needs a contract, title work and a buyer who is ready. Your attorney can tell you how a pending sheriff sale fits with a private sale and what the lender must be told.
Who can tell you what
The Judiciary's foreclosure page lists Customer Service at 609-421-6100 for copies of foreclosure documents, and the mediation packet gives the Superior Court Clerk's Office address for mediation filings. Those offices can help with court papers. The actual sale date comes from the sheriff handling the sale and the lender's attorney. Keep a written log of every call, with the date, the name of the person and what you were told.
A fast cash closing
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. If the sale date is close, tell us right away and tell your attorney. Listing with an agent can bring a higher price in the right conditions, but it is slower and not always possible with a date on the calendar.