Understanding Middletown

Q: I recently sold my house in Toms River and am looking in Middletown, NJ, for a 3 Bed, 2 Bath under $420,000 single family home. I drove around this past Sunday to Open Houses and found myself in some not so desirable areas around Route 36. How do I weed out good from bad when searching in Middletown?

Tom, Home Buyer
Toms River, NJ

A: It's not surprising if you feel a bit overwhelmed at understanding Middletown. Monmouth County's Middletown is about 40 square miles and encompasses many smaller neighborhoods, each with their own character. It's a huge area and frequently a challenge for buyers from outside the area. An illustration in point: there are currently 378 homes (wow!) available for sale in Middletown ranging from about $125,000 to almost $17 million!

In getting to know Middletown, you'll learn it has historic neighborhoods like Locust, the Village and Navesink; bayshore towns like Belford & Leonardo with histories that include commercial fishing & summer bungalows; communities that were developed in the 1980's housing boom, and many more. Middletown caters to all ranges of the economic spectrum so there's definitely neighborhoods that are likely to fit your budget.

What's interesting is, like other towns, Middletown has experienced many changes over the past 10 years and housing options have changed considerably; for instance, because of the high speed commuter ferries to Manhattan, we've seen some very upscale new construction in neighborhoods that previously did not offer it.

Some buyers will use school reports to help guide them, others will examine zoning, and still others will consider proximity to major roadways, public transportation, flood maps, shopping or recreational opportunities (in some parts of Middletown you can ride your bike to the beach!)

My advice: seek out a knowledgeable realtor who services Middletown and is familiar with all of it. Get what I call "the nickel tour" that will give you a clear picture of the town, the pros & cons of each neighborhood, and the relative house values of each. I'd also advise being clear with your realtor about what your needs & wants are: don't presume there's one best neighborhood for everyone's needs.

Lastly, I would encourage your consideration of other surrounding towns. All are smaller in size and each has their individual merits.

I hope that helps.... I'm glad to be of assistance.

Thomas McCormack