There is no single magic number, but most lenders do not begin foreclosure until a loan is around 120 days delinquent, and New Jersey law requires a 30-day Notice of Intention before a complaint can be filed.
Late fees and credit damage begin much earlier than foreclosure does. The gap between your first missed payment and an actual court filing is typically the widest window of opportunity you will have, because every option, including reinstatement, modification, forbearance, and selling on the open market, is still available during it.
Federal servicing rules generally prohibit starting a foreclosure until a loan is more than 120 days delinquent, which is where that number comes from. Use the window: call your servicer's loss mitigation department before the fourth missed payment, not after. A hardship application filed early, while the arrears are one or two payments, is dramatically easier to resolve than one filed after a case exists.
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Educational information, not legal advice. Your own court documents control your deadlines; a licensed New Jersey attorney can confirm what applies to your case.