Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ Real Estate Guide for Buyers, Sellers & Renters

Ho-Ho-Kus is a small Bergen County borough with 4,258 residents as of the 2020 Census. It was incorporated as the Borough of Orvil in 1905 and took the name Ho-Ho-Kus in 1908. The most accepted explanation traces the name to a Lenape term for "the red cedar." It pairs a historic train station and a compact downtown along the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook with a housing stock made up almost entirely of detached single-family homes. Here's what to know before you buy or sell in Ho-Ho-Kus.

Why People Choose Ho-Ho-Kus

History is easy to see in Ho-Ho-Kus. The Hermitage on North Franklin Turnpike is a National Historic Landmark where George Washington and his officers stayed in 1778. Elijah Rosencrantz remodeled the house in the Gothic Revival style in 1847, and the Friends of the Hermitage now run it as a museum. Across town, the Ho-Ho-Kus Inn on East Franklin Turnpike was built in 1796. The borough bought it during World War II to keep it from being torn down, and it is listed on both the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places.

Open space includes Ackerman-Nagle Park, known as "The Fifteen Acres," with a wooded trail of about two-thirds of a mile through conserved land. For buyers who want a train line, a small business district and single-family homes in one compact borough, Ho-Ho-Kus belongs on the list.

Getting Around: Commuting from Ho-Ho-Kus

• Train: The Ho-Ho-Kus station on Brookside Avenue is served by NJ Transit's Main Line and Bergen County Line, which run to Hoboken. Connecting service to New York is available at Secaucus Junction. The current one-story station building dates from 1908.
• Parking: Commuter parking is limited to designated streets and lots, with permits issued to residents and business owners. The borough has no overnight street parking without police approval.
• Car: Route 17 runs through the borough, with access at Hollywood Avenue. Franklin Turnpike, Maple Avenue and Sheridan Avenue, all county roads, meet downtown.

Neighborhoods and Housing Types

According to the borough's 2019 Master Plan, nearly all Ho-Ho-Kus homes are detached single-family houses, with a small number of townhouses, two-family homes and multi-unit buildings. Most of the housing stock predates 1960, and the plan also records teardowns and rebuilds, so older homes and newer construction sit side by side.

• Park Estates: Built on the grounds of the former Ho-Ho-Kus Race Track. The Nagle estate sold the land in 1950, and more than 100 houses were built. Race Track Road still marks the site.
• Downtown and the station area: The business district is centered on Franklin Turnpike and Sheridan Avenue. The station parking area on the former Zabriskie mill grounds was modified in 2022 for Brookside at the Station, a 13-unit affordable housing development.
• Historic homes: The Master Plan's historic preservation section lists early houses such as the Terhune-Demarest House and the Terhune-Ranlett-Jefferson House.

Buying a Home in Ho-Ho-Kus

Since almost every home here is a detached single-family house, most buyers are deciding between an older original home they can update and a newer home built on a rebuilt lot. Two-family homes and townhouses are scarce, so we watch for them closely. If you're using an FHA loan on a two-family home, you can buy with a low down payment as long as you live in one of the units.

A few things we help buyers check:

• Older-home inspections: With so many homes built before 1960, we pay close attention to the age of systems, the roof, the foundation and drainage.
• Flood hazard areas: The borough's Master Plan notes that parts of Bogert Road and Hollywood Avenue fall within flood hazard areas, and that parts of the borough lie in the 100-year floodplain near the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook and the Saddle River. We check current FEMA maps and insurance requirements for any home near the water.
• Permits and zoning: If you're planning an addition, a pool or a rebuild, the borough's Construction Department and Zoning Official review projects before work starts.
• Property taxes: Ho-Ho-Kus bills taxes quarterly. We pull the current tax figure for every home you're considering so it fits your budget.

Need financing? We can connect you with a lender for pre-approval before you start touring.

Selling Your Ho-Ho-Kus Home

Pricing in Ho-Ho-Kus depends heavily on the individual home. An original mid-century house, a renovated home and new construction on a rebuilt lot can sit on the same street but compete for very different buyers. How close a home is to the train station and the downtown, and whether it sits in a flood hazard area, also affect value. We'll prepare a free comparative market analysis based on recent sales of comparable homes, then market your home across every MLS and online channel.

Renting and Investing in Ho-Ho-Kus

With most homes owner-occupied, Ho-Ho-Kus has a small rental supply: mostly single-family homes, a few multi-unit buildings and affordable units. For investors, single-family rentals and the occasional two-family home make up most of the opportunity. Before you buy, we'll help you work through realistic rents, taxes, insurance and condition so the numbers make sense.

Local Landmarks and Amenities

• The Hermitage, a National Historic Landmark and museum, at 335 North Franklin Turnpike
• The Ho-Ho-Kus Inn, built in 1796, at 1 East Franklin Turnpike
• Ackerman-Nagle Park, with its wooded trail
• Zabriskie Park and the remains of the Zabriskie Dam
• The Ho-Ho-Kus Community Garden
• Worth-Pinkham Memorial Library, 91 Warren Avenue
• The stone railroad viaduct over the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook and the Warren Avenue truss bridge, which dates to about 1890
• The downtown business district along Franklin Turnpike and Sheridan Avenue
• Public schools: Ho-Ho-Kus School District (Ho-Ho-Kus Public School) and Northern Highlands Regional High School

Nearby Town Guides

Comparing Ho-Ho-Kus with nearby towns? Read our guides to Ridgewood, Waldwick, Saddle River and Allendale, or browse all of our North Jersey town guides.

Talk to a Local Broker

The Thompson Realty Group is a licensed New Jersey real estate brokerage based at 20 MacArthur Ave in Garfield, serving buyers, sellers, renters and investors across Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic and Union counties. Whether you're a first-time FHA buyer, a cash investor, or a homeowner wondering what your place is worth, we'll give you straight answers about Ho-Ho-Kus.

Call or text 201-928-5562 or book a free 15-minute consultation. You can also search every active New Jersey listing on our website.

Information on this page is provided for general guidance and is believed accurate as of October 2026. Programs, ordinances, taxes and transit schedules change, so please verify details for any specific property. Equal Housing Opportunity.