2A:83-1. Value of real estate

In any action or proceeding for the acquisition or sale of land, or any interest or interests therein, or on review of the assessment for taxes of any real property, or in any action or proceeding in the Tax Court, any person offered as a witness in any such action or proceeding shall be competent to testify as to sales of comparable land, including any improvements thereon, contiguous or adjacent to the land in question, or in the vicinity or locality thereof, or otherwise comparable, from information or knowledge of such sales, obtained from the owner, seller, purchaser, lessee or occupant of such comparable land, or from information obtained from the broker or brokers or attorney or attorneys who negotiated or who are familiar with or cognizant of such sales, which testimony when so offered, shall be competent and admissible evidence in any such action or proceeding.

In any action or proceeding in the Tax Court, the realty transfer fee, if any, paid upon the recording of any deed or other instrument of conveyance as well as the consideration or sales price stated therein or in the affidavit of consideration attached to and filed with any such deed or instrument shall be admitted as prima facie evidence of the true consideration or sales price of the said property.

This section shall not be construed to apply to any action or proceeding instituted by any individual or private corporation authorized to take property for public use where compensation must first be made to the owner thereof.

L.1951 (1st SS), c.344; amended by L.1979, c. 114, s. 14, eff. July 1, 1979.