Meet the baby chasers - they're transforming -2-

"We knew it was time because we were young enough still to do it," she said. "I came to this town strictly because our daughter was here. We could be five minutes from our grandchildren instead of 45 minutes away."

When in came to finding a place in South Orange, the decision was easy, she said, because there were very few two-bedroom condos with single-floor living on the market. The couple looked at fewer than 10 places before finding their unit. And even though this was their first home purchase in 45 years, Kaiser said they avoided sticker shock because they came with their "eyes wide open" and knew what they could buy.

"We got to be near the grandchildren when they were tiny. We got to witness and be part of their lives throughout," Kaiser said. Those grandchildren are now ages 11 and 7.

"It's different when you're the emergency number. I can babysit and be there. I wouldn't have that immediacy if I lived farther away. I'm not the nanny - they're extremely conscious of our time - but I'm part of their lives," Kaiser said.

"A hundred twenty years ago, people all lived together - for good or bad," she added. "Now everyone's spread out. I feel lucky to be close together again."

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-Aarthi Swaminathan -Jessica Hall

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