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Mountain Lakes is a Morris County borough of approximately 4,400 residents that represents one of New Jersey’s most distinctive residential achievements — a planned Arts and Crafts community developed in the early twentieth century around a series of interconnected lakes. The borough was conceived by Herbert Hapgood in 1911 as a residential community that would combine the amenities of the Arts and Crafts movement with the recreational appeal of lakefront living, resulting in a collection of Craftsman bungalows, colonial cottages, and informal lake-oriented homes that have been remarkably well-preserved over the century since their construction. The Mountain Lakes Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005 and takes in roughly 450 of Herbert Hapgood’s original stucco houses.

Mountain Lakes’ lake system — Mountain Lake, Wildwood Lake, and a series of smaller connected ponds — creates a water-oriented residential environment of extraordinary appeal, with kayaking, swimming, fishing, and year-round lakefront living defining the community’s character. The borough’s K-12 school system is consistently among Morris County’s most highly regarded, and Mountain Lakes High School has maintained a long history of outstanding academic performance.

Key neighborhoods and areas: Key areas include the original Arts and Crafts neighborhoods surrounding Mountain Lake and Wildwood Lake, the conventional residential sections in the borough’s less lakefront-adjacent areas, and the more recently constructed homes on the borough’s periphery.

Community & market context: Mountain Lakes is served by NJ Transit’s Montclair-Boonton Line at Mountain Lakes Station. Trains west of Montclair are diesel-hauled, so service runs to Hoboken Terminal and Manhattan requires a transfer. Home prices typically range from $700,000 to $1.5M+ for single-family homes, with lakefront properties commanding significant premiums. Mountain Lakes High School has consistently ranked among Morris County’s top-performing public schools.

Mountain Lakes home inspections address a distinctive combination of concerns. Lakefront and lake-adjacent properties require particular attention to moisture-related issues — foundation seepage, basement moisture, sump pump systems, and the structural impacts of long-term exposure to the lakefront moisture environment. The borough operates its own municipal water utility and a borough-wide sanitary sewer system installed in the late 1970s, so private wells and septic are rare here. Radon is a primary Morris County concern requiring testing for every Mountain Lakes purchase.

In the borough’s original Arts and Crafts homes — now over 100 years old — the pre-war inspection concerns of knob-and-tube wiring, cast iron plumbing, oil tanks, and original heating systems apply in full. These early homes, while architecturally distinctive and carefully maintained, require evaluation of systems that may have been in continuous service for a century.

No matter what Michael finds, his job is to give you a complete, honest picture of your Mountain Lakes property — so you can negotiate from knowledge, not guesswork. Schedule your inspection today.

Mountain Lakes is one of Morris County’s most distinctive communities — a planned lake borough founded in 1900 with Arts and Crafts bungalows and early 20th-century homes on wooded lots surrounding multiple lakes. The architectural uniformity and age of the housing stock create one of the most consistent and historically interesting inspection profiles in the region. Mountain Lakes homes are beautiful, old, and complex.

Arts and Crafts and Early 20th-Century Construction

Mountain Lakes was developed primarily between 1900 and 1930, and many of its most desirable homes date from this era. Knob-and-tube wiring is the standard electrical system in these properties. Galvanized steel supply lines and cast iron drain stacks — in some cases approaching or exceeding 100 years of service — are the standard plumbing. Original foundation types including fieldstone and rubble masonry are common throughout the oldest sections. These homes require experienced inspectors who can evaluate early 20th-century construction methods and materials accurately.

Your Inspector: Michael Del Greco, CMI

How long does a home inspection in Mountain Lakes take?
Most Mountain Lakes home inspections take 2.5 to 4 hours depending on the size, age, and condition of the property. Older pre-war homes and larger properties typically take longer. See our full FAQ.

Should I be present for the inspection?
Your presence is required at the inspection. Walking through the home with your inspector is one of the most valuable things you can do as a home buyer. Here are questions to ask during the inspection.

Do you offer radon testing and other add-on services?
Yes. In addition to a standard home inspection, we offer additional services such as radon testing, WDI inspection, septic inspection, oil tank search, lead paint testing, and sewer scope — all especially useful for Northern New Jersey properties. These can be added when you schedule, and results are processed by certified professionals and included with your inspection report.

How do I schedule a Mountain Lakes home inspection?
Call our office at (973) 812-5100 or use our contact form. Our office staff answers the phone and can typically schedule within 24–48 hours.