Real Stories

New York Couple becomes New Jersey homebuyers after seeing only two homes

Myrna and Felix never thought they would move to New Jersey. Native New Yorkers, they had been living in Queens and working in the city all their lives. Both of Myrna’s children, decided to settle down in the Garden State. Her daughter moved to New Jersey about 10 years ago, and her son followed in 2007. When they saw their son’s Manalapan neighborhood, they decided to stop taking long car rides to visit him and to buy a home there instead.

The couple was looking for a break from living in the city, and instead wanted a house in a small, family-filled neighborhood. They knew that Manalapan had the basic amenities they needed, like local shopping and good restaurants, and would give them the opportunity to have a house with more space and a big back-yard. Myrna and Felix looked forward to days at the beach and walks along their block.

“We liked the sense of community and family in Manalapan,” said Myrna. “Everybody’s pace was slower, it was quieter, and there were still enough restaurants to try and places to shop.”

They couldn’t buy in 2007 because of financial reasons, but kept the idea in the back of their minds. In the fall of 2009, homes started becoming more affordable and Myrna retired from her job, so they began to look for homes by checking online listings and driving by homes for sale. They decided to look exclusively in Manalapan to be close to their family.

“We met our REALTOR®, Tg, when we inquired about a home we had driven by,” Myrna said. “The home was too expensive for us, but we stayed in touch and Tg got to know our interests and requirements. This was all through phone and e-mail – we hadn’t even met him.”

The couple finally met Tg in December when he took them to see a house that seemed to be a good fit. They were looking for a one-story home that was in good condition, away from major arteries, in a neighborhood with a lot of families, and that was close to shopping and restaurants.

“It was during the first snowfall of the year and everything was already dark,” said Myrna. “But we thought it looked beautiful. We decided not to put in an offer because the parkway was right behind it and the taxes were too high.”

After seeing that house, Felix and Myrna took a short break from house-hunting because Myrna wanted to get acclimated to retired life and spend time with friends. It was those friends who got the couple back in action in April 2010.

“They kept asking when we were going to move and what was holding us up,” said Myrna. “On April 20th, Tg brought us to a home that looked just as beautiful as the one we saw in December but was in a better location.”

It was that day that they found out about the federal home buyer tax credit. They knew they didn’t have time to spare and would have to make a quick decision.

“We loved the house even though we knew it would require some renovations,” said Myrna. “We put in an offer right away. It was a 10-day blur.”

Luckily, they were under contract before the April 30th deadline. Tg helped them stay focused and reassured them that it would work out.

“I questioned our decision a lot during those 10 days,” said Myrna. “We had to get it done quickly and it was only the second home we looked at. I felt like I was thrown into the ocean and couldn’t swim. But Tg kept us organized and taught us what to expect.”

Because the original closing date deadline for the tax credit was set for June 30th, Myrna and Felix were set to close in June. In late-May, they found out that the house had violations against it from a previous owner who did not process renovation permits correctly and the seller could not get a certificate-of-occupancy. Although the seller resolved the issue in time, she had to postpone the closing date because of issues with a home she was buying.

“Luckily, Congress extended the closing date deadline to September 30th,” said Myrna. “We knew they were considering an extension, but once we heard that the president signed the bill we breathed a sigh of relief.”

Felix and Myrna closed in early July and plan to renovate the kitchen and bathrooms before moving into their new home. They will certainly keep in mind any renovations permits that may be required.

“I’m looking forward to cooking in my future kitchen and gardening,” said Myrna. “After the whirlwind buying experience, we’re ready for anything. We learned that we could handle the tight deadlines if we have a great REALTOR® to help.”