Last weekend I attended my good friend, Jacqueline's, Dr. Seuss-themed baby shower. She recently moved to Manalapan, New Jersey with her husband Dean and lucky for me the shower was at her newly renovated home, so I got to celebrate the pending new arrival and check out the new digs all at the same time.
Jacqueline and I have known each other for over five years. We used to work literally two feet from one another and I've been privileged to watch her relationship with Dean grow from the beginning. Last year, Lyle and I boarded a plane to Aruba to take part in their quintessentially beautiful beach wedding. Right out of a bridal magazine, Jacqueline was a picture perfect bride and Lyle and I had a blast spending a few days hanging Caribbean style.
Jacqueline and Dean's Aruban wedding, August 2013
Within six months of the wedding, the two found out they were expecting a new family addition and quickly moved from their Staten Island rental into the 5-br, 2.5-bath house in Manalapan. I remember many a lunch date with her waffling on whether Jersey was the right choice, but with a renovation promise from a husband who owns his own contracting business and a need for space, it wasn't long before she crossed the river.
The couple is currently in an eighteen-month lease with the option to purchase contract, giving them enough time to get their ducks in a row before buying. This can certainly be a great option for people looking to own, but for one reason or another can't at a particular moment. This type of agreement gives the tenant the right, but not the obligation, to purchase their home at the end of the lease. Jacqueline and Dean definitely plan on purchasing this house they've certainly made their home.
I had never been to Manalapan, so prior to the shower I drove around a little to get a taste of the neighborhood flavor. The name Manalapan is derived from a word in the Lenape language meaning "good land to settle upon," and it's easy to see why it has stuck. The town is full of suburban tree-lined streets and houses surrounded by sizable properties. Prices are affordable, but if you're working in Manhattan the commute is extensive, easily taking two hours or more.
Upper Left: 14 Sugar Maple Ave., $400,000; Lower Left: 4 Colleen Ct., $669,900; Right: 15 Juniper Ave., $380,000
Although we ended up being rained out of the backyard party, it was a fabulous day highlighted by the entertainment. What lady has a quartet at her baby shower??? Adorable.
