When Amanda DeRise’s father sent her a listing for a 140-year-old six-bedroom, two-bathroom house in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, in 2024, her first thought was that it needed a lot of work. Her realtor even called it a “money pit.”
But Amanda, 32, and her husband, Vincent, 34, saw potential in the home.
Amanda and Vincent decided to start saving for their future home in 2021, but quickly realized a new build or freshly renovated property would be out of their budget, Vincent says. It’s why the listing Amanda’s father sent her seemed to be perfect for them, she says.
The location would also allow Amanda to take the local ferry into New York City for work.
The couple’s realtor told them the house was for sale by an older man who had raised his family there and did not want to sell it to an investor.
