HGTV's 'Beachfront Bargain Hunt' To Feature Ocean City

Update: The air date has been postponed, according to Stephanie Scibal. No future air date has been announced.

OCEAN CITY, NJ — Stephanie and Stephen Scibal wanted to purchase an Ocean City property. Then a casting agent called.

The Haddonfield couple's home search will air on HGTV's "Beachfront Bargain Hunt." The episode will air at 8 p.m. Feb. 1.

Each episode features a family attempting to find a beachfront home on a budget. Ocean City was also featured on the show last year. Read more: Ocean City Homes, Attractions Featured on HGTV

Stephen was an Ocean City lifeguard for five years, according to Stephanie. He grew up in Northfield, and the Scibals visit Ocean City every summer weekend.

Coincidentally, Stephanie Scibal is a realtor for Berkshire Hathaway in Haddonfield. As she looked for homes, HGTV contacted a listing agent in Ocean City to see if anyone might be good for the show.

The agent contacted Stephanie to set up an interview with her and her husband. Then the Scibals were ready to look at Ocean City homes mid-September, when they looked at three properties.

"We looked at them online (before filming)," Stephanie said. "One of them was kind of a funny story. My husband didn’t realize until I sent him the listing ... but he had rented (one of the homes) for senior week with like 20 of his friends maybe 10 years ago."

Even though the show is only a half hour — not counting commercials — the show required about eight hours of filming per day for three days.

"(Each day), you do a house tour," Stephanie said. "We go to one of the houses and walk through and talk about what you like and didn’t like. Then they do a quick interview outside the house about what your thoughts are. You might go on the Boardwalk and do an interview there."

Stephanie was also 8 1/2 months pregnant. She gave birth to their daughter Sept. 27 — less than two weeks after filming.

The filming gave the Scibals plenty of time for activities that highlighted Ocean City. The HGTV crew followed them for activities. Stephen surfed, and the couple enjoyed shops on the Boardwalk. They also rode the ferris wheel and played a couple games at Playland's Castaway Cove.

Now the Scibals own a home in Ocean City, which they'll use for investment and enjoyment. Plus their daughter, Savanna, is now 3 1/2 months old.

"I was pretty pregnant in the show," Stephanie said. "I’m excited to see how I look."

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