An Army veteran and his family are getting ready to start a new life in their first home thanks to the Habitat for Humanity program.

Roger Pharel, his girlfriend Kimberly Puryear and his 18-month-old son visited their new home Tuesday as work continued.

Pharel says that the process from applying for the home to it being completed only took about a month.

"We can't wait to be able to actually, finally move in; to watch everything get built, and finally it's ours,” he says.

Pharel served seven years in the National Guard. The family will be able to move into the home next month. Previously, they had been living in a 1-bedroom apartment.

"It's not just being a homeowner. It's putting your family together,” says Puryear. “You want a place where you can say you're sturdy, you're stable and you can have somewhere for your kids to play and just to have a great community. You want that for your life."

The home was built by volunteers from the Monmouth County Habitat for Humanity.

“The need has always been there and I think certainly that it increases as people's wages do not and I think that the idea of having a home to raise your family is something that crosses all socioeconomic boundaries,” says Habitat for Humanity Development Director Felicia Levine.

Levine says that the Monmouth County Habitat for Humanity sees about 15-20 applications every year.