Private buying
Buying a home quietly, with someone on your side who knows what to look for
Some buyers would rather not have their name, their budget or their search become local news. We represent them the same way we represent everyone: honestly, carefully, and without broadcasting who they are.
Prefer to keep it off email? Call or text either of us directly.
Who this is for
Buyers who would rather not announce a move
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A second home at the shore
You want a place on the water or near the beach without every agent in town calling you once word gets out that you are looking.
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A move you are not ready to share
A job change, a sale of your current home, a family decision. You need to look seriously before anyone else knows.
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Buying for a family, a trust or a company
Your attorney, accountant or family office is involved, and someone needs to keep everyone working from the same plan.
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Someone who simply values privacy
No reason needed. You would rather your name, your budget and your search stay between you and your agent.
Discretion
How we keep your search private
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We are the point of contact
Showing requests, questions to listing agents and early conversations about price go through us. Your name does not need to appear until it has to, which is usually the contract.
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Proof of funds, shared carefully
Sellers of higher priced homes often want to know a buyer is qualified before they schedule a showing. We share what is needed, when it is needed, and only with the seller's side.
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Confidentiality agreements when they help
Some sellers ask buyers to sign a confidentiality agreement before seeing a home or its details, and some buyers want one of their own. We already run confidential, agreement first processes on business sales, and we handle these the same way.
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Buying through an LLC or a trust
Many private buyers take title in an LLC or a trust. That decision belongs with your attorney and accountant, and we coordinate with them from the start so the contract, the title work and the closing line up. Federal reporting rules for some all cash purchases by LLCs and trusts have been in the courts, so we confirm what applies with your attorney and title company before closing.
We are real estate agents, not attorneys or tax advisors. This is general information to help you know what to ask. Your attorney and accountant should guide how you take title and any tax decisions.
How it works
A private search, step by step
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A private conversation
A call or a meeting, not a form. We learn what you want, where, your timing, and who else is involved, such as your attorney or accountant. We also walk you through the written buyer agreement we sign together before touring homes.
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A plan for proof of funds and financing
We agree on what can be shared with sellers and when. If you are financing, we bring your lender in early. If you are paying cash, we decide together how to show it without sharing more than a seller needs.
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Building the list
Homes on the market, homes coming up through the normal listing process, and homes that are not for sale at all, where we can ask the owner quietly on your behalf.
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We see it first
We tour homes before you do and send you honest notes, photos and video, including what the listing does not show. You only spend time on the homes that deserve it. If you are out of the area, we can walk you through a home live on a video call.
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Private showings
Showings are scheduled under our names, at times that suit you, with as few people involved as possible.
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The value case and the offer
We put together what the home is worth and what it will cost to own, then build an offer that is strong on the terms the seller cares about, not only the price.
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Attorney review, inspections and closing
In New Jersey a signed contract goes into a three business day attorney review. Then come the inspections the home needs, which on a waterfront or estate home can include engineers and specialists. We coordinate your attorney, lender and title company through to closing.
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After you own it
Contractors, inspectors, insurance agents and local services we trust, so the home is looked after whether you live there full time or a few weeks a year.
Knowledge
What we check before you are committed
What the home is actually worth. A list price is an advertising tool, and that is especially true at the top of the market, where there are fewer sales to compare. Vin's background is underwriting properties for investors, so we build the value case from what similar homes actually sold for, what it would cost to replace or renovate, and what the home will cost to own each year.
Waterfront homes. We look at the flood zone and the elevation certificate, the age and condition of the bulkhead and dock, and what flood insurance is likely to cost. New Jersey claims land that is now or was once flowed by the tide, so some waterfront lots need a riparian grant or license from the state, and the title company checks for it. We raise these questions early, and we always recommend a qualified engineer or contractor for anything structural.
Estate homes and larger lots. Well and septic systems need their own inspections. Land taxed under farmland assessment can owe rollback taxes if it stops qualifying, and a property's use and size decide how it is taxed. We check the tax record and the town's rules before you make an offer, not after.
The seller's costs, and why they matter to you. Since July 2025, New Jersey sellers, not buyers, pay the mansion tax on homes over $1 million. It is a stepped rate, from 1 percent to 3.5 percent of the full price. A seller's real net shapes how they negotiate, so we factor it into your offer strategy.
Homes that are not for sale. If the right home is not on the market, we can contact owners directly on your behalf, without naming you, to ask whether they would consider an offer.
Negotiating
Negotiating when there are few comparable sales
At the top of the market, a town might see only a handful of similar sales in a year, and no two waterfront or estate homes are quite alike. That gives sellers room to price on hope. We look at how long a home has been on the market, its price history, what nearby homes actually sold for once you adjust for land, water access and condition, and what the seller is likely to net after costs such as the mansion tax.
If you are financing, the appraisal matters too. A jumbo loan is based on the appraised value, so we plan for what happens if the appraisal comes in below the price, before you sign, not after.
Second homes
Buying a second home at the shore
Rental rules vary by town. If you might rent the home when you are not using it, check the town's rules first. Some shore towns limit short term rentals or require registration and inspections, and condominium and homeowner associations can have their own rules.
Insurance and upkeep. Flood and wind coverage, storm preparation, and someone to check the home after a storm all matter more when you are not there. We help you line up the people before you need them.
Seasonal life. Beach badges, parking, summer traffic and what a town is like in January. Our town guides cover each shore town, and we will tell you honestly what we see.
Where we work
Towns our private buyers often ask about
We help buyers in every town in Monmouth and Ocean counties. These are some of the places with waterfront, beachfront and estate properties. Each guide covers homes, property taxes, flood zones and getting around.
On the water and near the beach
- Rumson
- Fair Haven
- Little Silver
- Sea Bright
- Monmouth Beach
- Deal
- Allenhurst
- Spring Lake
- Sea Girt
- Manasquan
- Brielle
- Point Pleasant Beach
- Bay Head
- Mantoloking
- Lavallette
- Long Beach Township
Estates and larger properties
Financing
Paying cash or borrowing at a higher price point
Cash buyers can often close faster and on cleaner terms. Buyers who finance at higher price points usually need a jumbo loan, which is underwritten more closely than a typical mortgage. Zach has spent years in mortgage lending and can walk you through how these loans work. You are free to use any lender you like, and we work with all of them.
Zachary Silk, NMLS #1745851, is a mortgage loan originator with United Mortgage Corp., NMLS #1330. Licensing information: www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org.
Common questions
Questions private buyers ask us
Can I buy a home in New Jersey without my name being public?
During the search, yes: we handle showings and conversations with listing agents, so your name does not need to come up. At closing, the deed and the mortgage are recorded and become public records. Many private buyers take title in an LLC or a trust for that reason, and an attorney should set that up.
Do I still sign a buyer agreement if I want to stay private?
Yes. Under current REALTOR practice rules, which took effect in August 2024, we sign a written agreement with you before touring homes. It stays between you and us, and its terms are negotiable.
Who pays the mansion tax in New Jersey?
The seller. For transactions on or after July 10, 2025, the seller pays a stepped mansion tax on sales over $1 million: 1 percent up to $2 million, rising to 3.5 percent above $3.5 million, applied to the full price. It is separate from the Realty Transfer Fee, which sellers also pay.
Can you show me homes that are not listed for sale?
We can contact the owners of homes that fit what you want and ask whether they would consider an offer, without naming you. We cannot promise early access to homes that are being listed, because listings are shared through the multiple listing service under its rules.
Will my purchase price be public?
In New Jersey, the sale price becomes part of the public record through the recorded deed and the state's property sales records. Taking title in an LLC or a trust can keep your name off the deed, but the price is still recorded. Your attorney can explain what is and is not public.
Can I buy through an LLC if I am getting a mortgage?
Ask your lender early. Many residential mortgages are made to individuals rather than companies, which affects whether an LLC can take title. Your lender and attorney can tell you which structures work with your loan.
Can you tour homes for me if I am out of the area?
Yes. We tour homes first and send you honest notes, photos and video, and we can walk you through a home live on a video call. You come in person only for the homes worth your time.
How do you decide what a home is worth when there are few sales to compare?
We look at the closest sales we can find and adjust for land, water access, condition and size, then check the result against what it would cost to build or renovate something similar. We also look at how long the home has been listed and its price history. A list price is an advertising tool, and at the top of the market that is especially true.
Can my attorney or family office be the main contact?
Yes. Many private buyers prefer that. We work directly with whoever you choose and keep you informed as much or as little as you like.
Do I have to use your mortgage lender?
No. You are free to use any lender you like, or to pay cash. Zach can explain how larger loans work, and we coordinate with whichever lender you choose.
A private conversation
Tell us what you are looking for
A call is the easiest way to start, and it stays between us. Tell us the towns, the kind of home and your timing, and we will tell you honestly what is out there.
Call or text either of us directly.