NJ - buying property to occupy - current tennant questions

[Felicia R.]

Hello, 

I’m interested in buying a property in NJ that has two single family homes on one lot. Currently, the owner has one tenant in the larger house. That tenant is on a month to month lease. The other unit is unoccupied.

I plan to move in to the larger house that is currently occupied by the tenant, and then rent the smaller house. Since the lease is month to month, am I required to provide 60 days notice from the time of closing?

Also, the current owner sent a text message to the tenant a few months ago saying that she intended to renew the lease. This was before the owner decided to sell the property, instead. Is the owner obligated to renew the lease before any sale because she showed intent in a text message? If the lease is renewed, will I be obligated to honor it if I purchase, even though I plan to occupy that unit?   

Please let me know if I can provide more information. I did try to figure all of this out by reading Truth in Renting and the current eviction laws, but it was a bit confusing for me. Thank you in advance for your help!