Passaic County guide · Probate & inherited homes

How to Sell an Inherited House in Passaic County, NJ (Probate Guide)

A house in Paterson, Passaic or Clifton often comes with tenants and decades of repairs. Before any of it can be sold, someone has to be recognized by the Passaic County Surrogate. In New Jersey the Surrogate admits a will to probate, which means the will is proved to have been signed in the way the law requires. After that, the executor can act for the estate.

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Kaizen's county notes describe dense Paterson and Passaic City multifamily and attached homes, rehab-grade urban buildings and tenant-occupied sales. An inherited two-family can mean a rent roll, open repairs and heirs in three states. This guide covers the Surrogate steps, the inheritance tax classes, the tax waiver, and where a cash as-is sale fits. It is general information, not legal or tax advice.

Step by step in Passaic County

1
Confirm you are in the right county
The Passaic County Surrogate's page tells an executor to visit the Surrogate's Court in the county where the person lived. A Paterson two-family owned by someone who lived in another county can raise a question about where the estate belongs. An estate attorney can answer it before you book anything.
2
Book an appointment and use the right door
The court takes visitors by appointment only, Monday through Friday, and closes from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. for lunch. Enter at 77 Hamilton Street, because the entrance at 71 Hamilton is closed. Call (973) 881-4760 to ask what to bring for your type of estate.
3
Ask about Night Court if work hours are a problem
The Surrogate offers evening appointments at satellite locations around the county, including West Milford, Totowa, Hawthorne, Wayne and Paterson. That helps a family member who cannot leave a job during the day. Ask when you call which sites are open and what they can handle.
4
Match the tax class to each heir
A parent, child, grandchild or spouse is Class A and owes no tax. A sibling is Class C, with the first $25,000 exempt and 11% on the next $1,075,000. Everyone else is Class D, taxed at 15% on the first $700,000. Return and payment are due within eight months of death.
5
Get the waiver before the deed moves
New Jersey's inheritance tax is a lien on the decedent's property for 15 years unless it is paid or secured by bond. A tax waiver releases it, and the state says you cannot get Form 0-1 online or fill it out yourself. For real property, resident estates use an affidavit called IT-L-9. A tax professional can handle the paperwork.
6
Gather the building paperwork if tenants live there
Tenant-occupied sales are a recurring issue in Passaic County, according to Kaizen's notes. Collect leases, rent records, security deposit details and utility accounts early. Ask a real estate attorney how existing leases affect a sale before you promise anyone a closing date.

Typical timeline

Stage	Typical time
Surrogate appointment	Scheduled by appointment; call (973) 881-4760
Inheritance tax return and payment	Within 8 months of the date of death
Interest on late direct tax	10% annual rate after 8 months
State lien on decedent's property	15 years unless the tax is paid or secured
Kaizen cash offer after you send details	Within 24 hours
Kaizen closing	14 to 30 days, or on the estate's date

Passaic County offices you may deal with

Passaic County Surrogate's Court

71 Hamilton Street, Room 101, Paterson, NJ 07505

(973) 881-4760

Probate of wills, by appointment. Use the 77 Hamilton Street entrance. Night Court sessions are offered at satellite locations.

Official page

NJ Division of Taxation, Inheritance Tax Branch

609-292-5033

Issues Form 0-1 tax waivers. Email [email protected].

Official page

Your selling options

An inherited multifamily can be kept as a rental, listed with an agent, or sold to an investor. Keeping it means taking over the leases, the repairs and the tax bills, which not every heir wants. Listing may bring a higher price when units are in good order, but it brings showings through occupied apartments and agent commission. Each path should be weighed with an attorney and an accountant.

Kaizen buys as is for cash, which suits a building that needs more than the heirs want to spend. We make an offer within 24 hours of getting the details, with no repairs and no agent commission, and we close in 14 to 30 days or on the date the estate picks. We wait for the Surrogate's letters before signing. Call 267-329-0084 to talk it through.

Passaic County probate questions

Do I need an appointment at the Passaic County Surrogate?

Yes. The court's page says it is by appointment only. Call (973) 881-4760, and enter through 77 Hamilton Street, since the 71 Hamilton Street entrance is closed.

What does the Surrogate do with a will?

The county page says the Surrogate admits wills to probate, meaning the will is proved to have been signed as the law requires. An executor named in a will should go to the Surrogate in the county where the person lived.

What New Jersey inheritance tax rate applies to a brother or sister?

Siblings are Class C. The first $25,000 is exempt, the next $1,075,000 is taxed at 11%, the next $300,000 at 13%, the next $300,000 at 14%, and anything over $1,700,000 at 16%. A tax professional can run the numbers for your estate.

Can heirs sell a tenant-occupied Paterson building?

Tenant-occupied sales are a known issue in Passaic County, per Kaizen's county notes, and each lease affects timing. The estate still needs letters from the Surrogate before anyone signs. A real estate attorney can explain how the leases fit into a sale.

Does Kaizen buy rehab-grade multifamily buildings?

Kaizen makes as-is cash offers with no repairs and no agent commission, and the offer reflects what the building needs. Send the address, unit count and occupancy details, and we respond within 24 hours. The estate decides whether to accept.

Related Passaic County pages

Sources

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm details with the office or a professional.

County market notes (Passaic County) (Kaizen Home Buyers, 2026-07-15)
Kaizen process steps (Kaizen Home Buyers, 2026-10-23)
Inheritance and Estate Tax (New Jersey Division of Taxation, page shows last updated 09/28/26)
Inheritance Tax Beneficiary Classes (New Jersey Division of Taxation, undated PDF)
Inheritance Tax Filing Requirements (New Jersey Division of Taxation, page shows last updated 09/28/26)
Inheritance and Estate Tax rates (New Jersey Division of Taxation, page shows last updated 04/22/25)
Lien on and Transfer of a Decedent's Property: Tax Waiver Requirements (New Jersey Division of Taxation, page shows last updated 09/28/26)
Will / Probate (Passaic County Surrogate, undated page)

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How to Sell an Inherited House in Passaic County, NJ (Probate Guide)

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Get Your Free Cash Offer

Step by step in Passaic County

Confirm you are in the right county

Book an appointment and use the right door

Ask about Night Court if work hours are a problem

Match the tax class to each heir

Get the waiver before the deed moves

Gather the building paperwork if tenants live there