Buy Your Next Home With Jacki & Stan Smoyer
Clear guidance on buyer agreements, offers and New Jersey attorney review.
Talk With Us About Your SearchBrowse Homes for SaleBuying in Burlington and Camden County means choosing between towns with different school districts, tax rates, commutes and housing types, often in the same week. Jacki and Stan help you narrow the search, see the right homes, and write an offer that wins without overpaying.
How buying with The Smart Move works
1. Strategy call. We talk through budget, timing, must-haves and the towns that fit. If you aren't pre-approved yet, we'll suggest you get pre-approved before touring.
2. Buyer agreement. Before we tour homes together, we'll sign a written agreement. It's required, and it protects you (see the next section).
3. Touring and research. We'll show you homes, point out condition issues, and pull the sales history and comparable sales for any home you're serious about.
4. Writing the offer. We'll help you set your price, deposit, financing, inspection and appraisal terms using what's actually selling nearby.
5. Attorney review through closing. New Jersey contracts include a three-business-day attorney review period (New Jersey Supreme Court opinion). After that, we coordinate the home inspection, appraisal, the seller's municipal certificates and the final walk-through.
Buyer agreements, explained plainly
Since August 17, 2024, MLS participants working with a buyer must have a written agreement with that buyer before touring a home, in person or by live video (NAR). New Jersey's Real Estate Consumer Protection Enhancement Act, effective August 1, 2024, adds state requirements (NJ DOBI Bulletin 24-11):
- You'll get the state's Consumer Information Statement, which explains the available brokerage relationships: buyer's agent, seller's agent, disclosed dual agent, designated agent and transaction broker.
- The agreement has to state the term, the compensation and how it's calculated, and whether it's exclusive.
- It has to say that broker compensation is fully negotiable and not set by law.
- It has to explain what happens if a seller offers less compensation than you agreed to, or none at all. That way you know your options before you write an offer.
We'll go over every line with you before you sign.
Choosing a town
| Town | County | Public schools | 2025 effective tax rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Laurel | Burlington | Mount Laurel Schools (PreK–8) → Lenape High School (LRHSD) | 2.017 |
| Moorestown | Burlington | Moorestown Township Public Schools, K–12 (MTPS) | 1.842 |
| Marlton (Evesham) | Burlington | Evesham Township School District (PreK–8) → Cherokee High School (LRHSD) | 2.288 |
| Medford | Burlington | Medford Township Schools → Shawnee High School | 2.311 |
| Cherry Hill | Camden | Cherry Hill Public Schools, PreK–12, 18 schools (CHPS) | 2.598 |
*The effective tax rate is roughly annual property tax per $100 of market value. These figures come from the NJ Division of Taxation 2025 General Tax Rates. Always check a specific property's actual tax bill.
Explore: Mount Laurel Moorestown Marlton Medford Cherry Hill Voorhees
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to sign an agreement before seeing a house?
Yes, if you're touring with an agent who participates in an MLS. You don't need one to walk into a public open house on your own.
Who pays the buyer's agent?
It's negotiable. Sometimes the seller offers compensation, sometimes the buyer pays, and sometimes it's split. Your agreement must explain what happens in each case.
What can I cancel during attorney review?
During the three-business-day attorney review period, either party's attorney can disapprove the contract, which ends it. Attorneys often use this window to negotiate changes instead.
Can you help me estimate a monthly payment?
Yes. Start with our mortgage calculator, then ask your lender for a Loan Estimate that includes taxes and insurance.
Ready to start looking?
Call Jacki at (856) 296-7226 or Stan at (609) 805-0835, or send us a message.