Moving from Bergen County to Florida: A Complete 2026 Guide for NJ Homeowners

The NJ-to-Florida migration has been one of the defining real estate trends of the past decade. According to United Van Lines, New Jersey has ranked among the top states for outbound moves every year since 2018, and Florida has been the number-one destination for those movers year after year. Bergen County homeowners, in particular, are drawn by the combination of tax savings, warmer winters, and a pace of life that feels different from the constant hustle of the New York metro area.

I am licensed in both New Jersey and Florida, and I help Bergen County homeowners navigate this transition regularly. The move is not simple -- selling a home in one state, buying in another, changing your legal domicile, and dealing with two different tax systems takes planning. Here is the complete guide to doing it right.

Step One: Decide on Your Timeline

A well-executed NJ-to-FL relocation typically takes 6 to 12 months from the initial decision to closing day in Florida. That may sound long, but the sequence matters: you need to sell your NJ home (or decide to keep it as a rental), research Florida neighborhoods, secure financing, and coordinate the closing timeline of both transactions.

Most of my clients start the process by visiting Florida at least twice -- once to explore neighborhoods and once to narrow down their options and tour specific homes. If you are retiring or downsizing, you may want to rent for a year in your target Florida community before committing to a purchase. That gives you time to learn the area without pressure.

For a full list of resources to help you plan, visit our Relocation Checklist page.

Step Two: Prepare Your Bergen County Home for Sale

The Bergen County housing market in 2026 remains competitive, with median single-family home prices around $822,000 and inventory still tight at roughly 1.4 to 1.7 months of supply. Well-priced homes in desirable towns are selling in 30 to 45 days. That is good news for sellers planning a Florida move.

But getting top dollar requires preparation. Buyers paying premium prices expect move-in-ready condition. Fresh paint, decluttering, professional photography, and strategic staging make a measurable difference in final sale price. I recommend starting the preparation work at least 8 to 12 weeks before you plan to list. For a complete walkthrough, see our home staging guide.

And if your Bergen County home is a condo or townhome, the condo cliff changes that took effect August 3, 2026 are important to understand. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac eliminated Limited and Streamlined Review for projects with 11+ units, meaning every building now faces Full Review. If you have not checked your building's certification status, that needs to be on your pre-listing checklist. See our condo cliff guide for details.

Step Three: Understand the NJ Exit Tax

Here is a detail that surprises many sellers. When you sell your New Jersey home and move out of state, the state withholds what is called the NJ exit tax at closing. It is not actually a new tax -- it is a withholding against your estimated New Jersey capital gains tax on the sale.

The amount withheld is the greater of 10.75% of the estimated taxable gain or 2% of the total sale price. On an $800,000 home sale, that means $16,000 could be held at closing. You get the excess back when you file your NJ non-resident tax return (Form NJ-1040NR), but the cash is tied up in the meantime.

There are ways to reduce the withholding if you can document your actual tax liability, but it requires planning and the help of a qualified tax professional. I always recommend consulting with both a CPA and a real estate attorney before you list your home if an out-of-state move is part of your plan.

Step Four: Establish Florida Residency

If you are moving to Florida for the tax advantages, establishing legal domicile is the most important step. Florida has no state income tax, no estate tax, and no inheritance tax -- but only if you genuinely live there. New Jersey is aggressive about claiming that former residents are still statutory residents if they maintain a home in NJ and spend more than 183 days a year in the state.

To properly establish Florida residency, take these steps within 30 days of your move:

• File a Florida Declaration of Domicile with your new county clerk's office. This is the formal legal document establishing your intent to make Florida your permanent home.
• Get a Florida driver's license within 30 days of moving. This is one of the most important steps -- Florida law requires it, and it creates a clear paper trail of your residency.
• Register your vehicles in Florida and surrender your New Jersey plates. Expect fees of roughly $150 to $300 per vehicle.
• Register to vote in Florida. Voter registration is a strong indicator of legal domicile.
• Update your address with the IRS, Social Security Administration, all financial institutions, insurance companies, and Medicare/health providers.

Keep detailed records of where you spend your time in the first year. If the state of New Jersey ever audits your residency change, those records are your best defense.

Step Five: Understand Florida's Real Estate Market

Florida's housing market is different from Bergen County's in several important ways. First, you generally get more square footage per dollar. A $500,000 budget that buys a modest two-bedroom condo in Fort Lee or Edgewater can buy a three-bedroom single-family home with a yard in many Florida communities.

Second, Florida has no state-level transfer taxes. In New Jersey, the realty transfer fee alone can cost thousands on a typical home sale. Florida also has no state income tax, which is the single biggest financial benefit of the move. On a $150,000 annual income, New Jersey state income tax runs roughly $9,500. In Florida, that number is zero.

Third, and this is the big catch: homeowners insurance in Florida is expensive. Average annual premiums in Florida have climbed to roughly $8,000 to $8,500 in 2025-2026 -- about 2.8 times the national average. In coastal areas like Boca Raton and Deerfield Beach, premiums can run even higher. Flood insurance is often required in addition to standard homeowners insurance. This partially offsets the property tax and income tax savings, so it needs to be in your budget from the start.

Step Six: File for the Homestead Exemption

One of Florida's best homeowner benefits is the Homestead Exemption, which reduces the taxable value of your primary residence by up to $50,000. The first $25,000 applies to all property taxes, and the next $25,000 applies to non-school levies. You must file for this by March 1 of the year following your move, and it applies only to your primary residence.

Even more valuable over time is the Save Our Homes provision, which caps annual increases in your home's assessed value at 3% or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower. In a rising market, this can save longtime homeowners thousands of dollars per year compared to what new buyers pay in property taxes.

The Bottom Line: Is the Move Worth It?

For most Bergen County homeowners, the answer is yes -- but with caveats. The financial case is strong: no state income tax, lower property taxes, and a lower cost of living in many categories can save a household $7,000 to $15,000 or more per year compared to staying in New Jersey. But higher homeowners insurance premiums, hurricane risk, and the emotional cost of leaving family and friends are real considerations.

The key is treating the move as a process, not a single event. Start planning early, work with professionals who understand both markets, and visit your target Florida community at different times of year before committing to a home. The NJ-to-FL transition works best when it is paced, informed, and supported by people who have done it before.

As a licensed agent in both New Jersey and Florida, I guide Bergen County homeowners through every step of this process -- from pricing and preparing your NJ home to connecting you with trusted colleagues in your target Florida market. I would be glad to help you evaluate whether the move is right for your situation.