Without a Social Security number, mortgage pre-approval takes more documentation — proof of funds, source-of-funds paperwork, and often a 25% down payment. In New Jersey specifically, there's also a three-day attorney review window after an offer is accepted, during which either side can still walk away.

It's a visual inspection only — running the water, checking for cracks, testing appliances — typically done within a 10–15 day window. Inspectors won't open up walls, but they'll flag anything worth a deeper look, like a chimney, sewer line, or pool inspection.

Many older homes used underground oil tanks that were simply abandoned rather than properly decommissioned. A surface sweep checks for old tanks before they become an expensive surprise. Candice's wildest find: a car buried under a client's yard.

Candice's move: ask “do you have this saying in your country?” instead of assuming. It turns a confusing moment into a shared one. This is really its own topic, and Candice and I go deep on it in a separate conversation — if you want the full breakdown of idioms, tone, and confidence in cross-cultural communication, read International Team Communication: What Non-Native English Speakers Need to Know.