A welcoming colonial-style home in Hillsborough Township at golden hour, photographed for the Todd TJ James Realtor homepage.
Todd TJ James
Realtor — Broker of Record
Independent Practice
Hillsborough Township
New Jersey 08844
By Appointment

Honest, hand-drawn real estate from Hillsborough.

Sixteen years of listing, showing, and closing homes across Somerset County — without the corporate polish, without the empty promises. Just clear advice, honest numbers, and a steady hand through every signature.

08844 · 08876 · 08873 Hillsborough · Belle Meade
South Branch · Flagtown
01

About the practice

Hillsborough, NJ

I started this practice in 2009 with a clipboard, a hand-drawn map of Hillsborough Township, and a stubborn belief that buying a home shouldn't feel like a transaction. Sixteen years later, the clipboard is digital — but the belief hasn't moved.

I work one client at a time. No call center, no assistant reading your file for the first time at the closing table, no listings ghosted by a junior agent two towns over. When you call, I answer. When you email, I reply the same business day. When you're standing in a driveway wondering whether the foundation is sound, I'm the one walking the basement with you.

Hillsborough is my home — I've lived off Amwell Road for nineteen years, my kids went through the district, and I've sold more than four hundred homes within a ten-mile radius of Route 206. I know which neighborhoods flood in a nor'easter, which septic systems the township will flag, and which streets hold value when the market softens. That local memory is the thing a national portal can't sell you.

Todd TJ James reviewing property listings and a hand-drawn neighborhood map at his desk in Hillsborough Township. Todd TJ James · Broker of Record
16+ Years in practice
Hillsborough, NJ
412 Homes closed
Somerset & Hunterdon
$284M Total sales volume
2009 — present
98% List-to-sale ratio
last 12 months
02

What I handle

Four disciplines · One agent

Home Sales

From $4,500 flat · or 1.5% listing fee

Full-service listings for sellers in Hillsborough, Montgomery, Branchburg, and the surrounding townships. Professional photography, a hand-built comparable analysis, and a pricing strategy grounded in what has actually closed — not what's still sitting.

  • MLS listing + syndication to Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin
  • Staging consultation and pre-listing inspection review
  • Open houses by appointment, not by crowd
  • Offer review within 4 hours of receipt

Property Rentals

Tenant placement: one month's rent

Long-term rental placement for landlords and lease-up for tenants. I screen income, employment, and prior-rental references by hand — no algorithmic scoring, no skipped calls. Lease drafting and renewal handled in-house.

  • Tenant screening: credit, income, references
  • Standard NJ lease drafting + addenda
  • Move-in / move-out walkthrough documentation
  • Annual renewal support: $250 per renewal

Home Valuations

Comparative market analysis: $150 · refunded at listing

A hand-built comparative market analysis — not an automated estimate. I walk the property, pull the last eighteen months of closed sales within a tight radius, and deliver a defensible number in writing. The fee is credited back if you list with me within six months.

  • On-site walkthrough · 45 to 60 minutes
  • Closed-sale comparables within 0.7 miles
  • Written 8–12 page valuation report
  • Net-sheet estimate at three price points

Advisory & Consulting

Hourly: $185 · 90-minute strategy session: $350

For buyers and sellers who want a second opinion, a sounding board, or a guide through a complicated transaction. Estate sales, divorce listings, relocations, and investment property analysis. No commission tied to the conversation — just advice.

  • Pre-purchase offer review
  • Investment property cash-flow modeling
  • Estate and probate listing guidance
  • Relocation coordination across NJ counties
03

How we work together

Four steps · No surprises
i

First conversation

A thirty-minute call or coffee at my office on Route 206. You tell me what you're trying to do; I tell you honestly whether I can help and what it will cost.

30 min · no fee
ii

Walk & value

I walk the property, pull comparables, and deliver a written valuation with a net-sheet at three price points. Sellers see exactly what they'd clear at each.

3–5 days · $150
iii

List & market

Photography, MLS listing, signage, open houses by appointment. Every offer is reviewed with you in writing within four hours — no pressure, no games.

2–4 weeks · on market
iv

Close & hand off

Inspection negotiation, attorney review, appraisal coordination, and a final walkthrough together. I attend your closing in person — every time, no exceptions.

30–45 days · to close
04

Commission, plainly

No hidden fees

One number,
in writing,
before we begin.

I don't bury my fee in a stack of closing documents. You'll see the commission, the buyer-side offer, and your net proceeds on page one of the listing agreement — signed before a single photograph is taken.

Following the 2024 NAR settlement, buyer-side compensation is now negotiable and disclosed in writing up front. I'll walk you through exactly what that means for your transaction.

"If a number on the closing disclosure surprises you, I haven't done my job."

Listing tier My fee What's included
StandardMost Hillsborough listings 1.5% Photography, MLS, open houses, full negotiation through closing.
ConciergeEstates, new construction 2.5% Adds drone videography, 3D tour, custom property website, targeted social.
Flat-feeFor-sale-by-owner support $4,500 MLS listing + paperwork only. You handle showings and negotiation.
Buyer-sideRepresenting you as buyer 2.0% Negotiable per 2024 NAR rules. Disclosed in writing before any showing.
Buyer-side compensation is negotiable and will be documented in a written agreement before we tour any property together, in line with the August 2024 NAR settlement. No surprise fees at closing — ever.
05

Request a listing or valuation

Replies within one business day

Tell me about your home.

Fill out the form and I'll reply within one business day with next steps — usually a thirty-minute call and an on-site walkthrough. No obligation, no automated drip emails, no third-party sharing.

  • Written valuation report within 3–5 business days
  • Walkthrough at your property, not in a conference room
  • Valuation fee refunded if you list with me within six months
  • Your information stays with me — never sold, never shared

By submitting, you agree to be contacted by Todd TJ James about your request. Your information is never shared with third parties.

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