We Buy Houses for Cash in Trenton, NJ

Trenton sellers deal with a city that wants an inspection before title changes hands and charges steeply for buildings left empty. Swifty Home Buyers buys houses for cash in Trenton. Our offers are firm with no financing contingency, we buy as-is and ask for no repairs, there are no agent commissions, and you choose the closing date. Local points to check come from Trenton's code and official pages, plus the Mercer County sheriff's sale basics. Fees change, so confirm with the city and a local attorney. This is general information, not legal advice.

Areas we cover: Mill Hill, Berkeley Square, Ewing-Carroll, Fisher-Richey-Perdicaris Place, Greenwood-Hamilton, Hanover-Academy, South Warren, State House district, East Trenton

Trenton's code (§ 132-109) says a Certificate of Housing Code Compliance must be obtained from the Division of Housing Inspections before ownership of residential property changes. The city's page says a Certificate of Approval or Certificate of Continued Occupancy can stand in for it, and that a transfer may also proceed if the owner files an affidavit that the property will stay unoccupied until a certificate is issued. The code exempts some transfers, including those to immediate family of an owner-occupant, probate transfers and buildings headed for demolition (§ 132-110). The Director can issue a nonrenewable temporary certificate of up to six months for owner-occupied transfers, but not where a life hazard exists (§ 132-111). The city lists a $200 base fee, $15 more per unit above four units, and reinspections at $50 for one or two units or $25 per unit for larger buildings. The city's pre-inspection checklist is specific: screens in windows and entry doors, a 3-inch house number on the building, peeling paint removed, smoke detectors on every level, and a washable kitchen floor covering (carpet is not approved). The Division of Housing Inspections handles applications, so contact it through the city's website before scheduling a closing.

Section 132-91.1 treats a building as vacant when it is not legally occupied or when business or construction operations have substantially ceased. The owner must file a registration statement within 30 days of vacancy. The code's fees are $500 initially, $1,300 for the first renewal, $2,000 for the second, and $3,000 for each renewal after that, and the city's page lists the same steps. Owners must carry at least $300,000 of liability insurance on buildings designed primarily for one- to four-unit residential use. An owner who documents a rehabilitation plan within 12 months can be exempted from the fee (§ 132-91.1B(6)). Violations draw fines of $250 to $1,000 per offense, and each day counts separately. Each renewal costs more than the last, so an empty house gets pricier to hold.

Paying cash does not waive Trenton's paperwork. What a Swifty purchase removes is the retail side of the sale: no financing contingency, no repair requests, no agent commission, and a closing date set by you. Tell us the address and whether it is occupied, rented, vacant or part of an estate.

• A Trenton owner whose house would struggle with the city's pre-inspection checklist and who would rather not fix screens, paint and kitchen flooring before closing.
• A landlord with a tenant-occupied Trenton rental who is unsure whether registration and the five-year inspection are current.
• An heir to an empty Trenton house watching the vacant property fee climb from $500 toward $3,000.
• An owner in a historic district such as Mill Hill who wants to sell without taking on exterior review or renovations.
• A homeowner with a Mercer County sheriff's sale notice who wants to understand the sale-day terms and the 10-day redemption window.

• Selling a house in New Jersey
• Sell as-is
• Inherited house
• Foreclosure

• Trenton Code: Article XIV, Transfer of Property
• City of Trenton: Division of Housing Inspections
• City of Trenton: Housing inspection pre-inspection checklist (PDF)
• Trenton Code: Renting of Dwelling Units (Chapter 132, Article X)
• Trenton Code: Chapter 222, Rent Control
• City of Trenton: Information for Taxpayers
• City of Trenton: Division of Tax
• Trenton Code: Sewerage System Rates and Charges
• Trenton Water Works: Lead Service Line Replacement Program
• Trenton Water Works: Lead Service Line Program FAQ
• Trenton Code: Article 15, Historic District Regulations
• Mercer County Sheriff's Office: Sheriff's foreclosure sale
• NJ Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency: Foreclosure prevention

Last reviewed: September 2026. General information only, not legal or tax advice. Rules vary by county and municipality and change over time; talk to a local real estate attorney or title company before you decide.