Real Stories
Family Grows to a Bigger Home
April 2009
When they found out they were expecting a second child, Al and Christina decided to look for a new home. With the help of their REALTOR® and a market full of incentives, they were able to find the perfect house in Piscataway for their newly expanded family.
The couple decided to take a leap and buy a bigger house for their soon-to-be bigger family after realizing their Edison co-op would be too small for their family of four.
“I had a secure job and we needed a bigger home,” said Al. “I heard that the market had gotten tougher and that some buyers were being hit with delays and difficulties. But, I didn’t let the stories I had heard get in the way of my search.”
They began the process by attending open houses and browsing home listings in the newspaper.
By November 2008, right after the birth of their second child, they decided to get serious. The couple contacted a REALTOR® to conduct a formal house-hunting search, and noticed that it made the process simpler.
“The process went smoothly because of our REALTORS®, Mike and Malvina,” Al said. Mike was there to help us with anything we needed. He dealt with the bank and everything that we thought would make the process a headache. We didn’t deal with the expected difficulties.”
Timing of their search also played a key role in their success. Because of low interest-rates and favorable asking prices, Al found that there were many houses that used to be out of reach for them, which they could now afford to purchase. The affordability also allowed Al and his family to keep the co-op even after buying the new home.
“The market was favorable and I could tell it was a good time to buy,” he said.
Al also saw opportunities for his career in New Jersey – the reason he decided to stay in the same area. As a machinist, the manufacturing businesses that are abundant in Central New Jersey were important to him.
“There is still a lot of industry here,” said Al, “providing me great opportunities for my line of work.”