Are you looking to move to or within Freehold Township but aren’t sure where you should settle? In this episode of Monmouth Redefined, I’m going to take you on a tour of Stonehurst, one of the popular developments here in Freehold Township. We’ll look at this development’s housing options and take you to some of the local spots you can enjoy nearby.
Welcome To Stonehurst
The Stonehurst development is located in Freehold Township, specifically in West Freehold directly off of Route 9. It’s also about 60 minutes or so to get to New York City. The homes within the Stonehurst development were built in the mid-1960s, and you’ll find a variety of styles. This includes ranches, colonials, split levels, and bi-levels.
Most of the homes offer basements, and you’ll also notice that all of the lot sizes within the development are very spacious. This is great for privacy and entertaining your kids; you’ll have plenty of room for an inground pool and outdoor entertainment spaces. I’ve lived in Freehold, New Jersey for my whole life. I moved out in 2012 for a good 8 to 10 years and recently moved back, simply due to the fact that I couldn’t find a development like this anywhere else.
My kids get to bike to all their friends’ houses, which is something that I had when I grew up. Additionally, the Freehold Township schools are all top-rated schools. If you live in the Stonehurst development, you can even walk your kids to school. I absolutely love that I’m able to wake up in the morning and just take them to school, even if it’s a cold day. It’s literally a 30-second walk from my house.
All About Location
This development was built back in the 60s and 70s, and people are always looking to get in here. As soon as a house comes on the market, it flies right off because it’s just a great development to live in. One of the reasons people love living in the Stonehurst development is because of its location and everything close by.
For example, you have several parks to choose from including Michael J. Tighe Park and Turkey Swamp Park—a gorgeous green space located on over 2,000 acres. Turkey Swamp Park was built with campers in mind, and you can make reservations and go camping there. They also have a lake, which is one of the main attractions, and you can rent paddle boats to use and go fishing.
It’s also a great place to go ice skating in the winter. They have several trails for walking along with playgrounds and soccer fields. It’s a gorgeous park to visit and enjoy with your family. You also have several supermarkets like ShopRite and Stop & Shop both nearby. The best part is that you’re only about a 10-minute car ride to downtown Freehold.
Plentiful Amenities
Stonehurst offers plenty of convenient amenities, including a plaza full of stores to provide almost everything that you need on a daily and weekly basis. There’s a Walgreens, a gym, a UPS store, a pizzeria, Panera Bread, and Livoti’s, which is what they call an old-world market.
The Livoti’s here in Freehold just opened a few months ago, but they also have one in the Marlboro area. If you go inside the store during the holidays, you’re going to find that it’s mobbed. People here love it and they offer easy, prepared meals that you can take out.
In addition to the Livoti’s, this plaza also includes a fantastic art school. My daughter did a few classes there, and they offer camp sessions through the summer. Last but not least is Dunkin’ Donuts. As you can see, this plaza here gives you everything that you’re going to need—with the Stonehurst development right around the corner.
Downtown Freehold
When you live in the Stonehurst development, you’re close to Downtown Freehold and everything it has to offer. This borough is about a 10-minute car ride from the Stonehurst development. A lot of people will come down here and go to dinner, sitting outside in the warmer months with a glass of wine and enjoying the town and all that it offers.
During the warmer months, Downtown Freehold has a variety of events going on, including parades. You’ll notice that this town has a great sense of community. It’s a great place to come and hang out with your friends and just relax.
One cool landmark in the area is the American Hotel, a historic hotel here in the borough that has a great restaurant. There are rooms for events, weddings, bar mitzvahs, and meeting rooms. I actually had my client appreciation party here a few years ago, and they did such an amazing job. We had face painters, Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, DJs, and dancing. It’s just a beautiful hotel and well known here in the area.
Education
Now that you’ve seen some of the places nearby, let’s talk about another reason people love living in Stonehurst so much: the schools. If you live in the Stonehurst development, your child is going to attend Laura Donovan Elementary School, Barkalow Middle School, and Freehold Township High School.
The Freehold Township High School is part of the Freehold Regional High School District, which is a top-rated program here in Monmouth County. When your child enters 9th grade, they can apply for one of the magnet programs.
Renting, Wiring, And Housing Costs
One thing you need to know about the Stonehurst development is that there are Stonehurst condos located nearby some of the homes. That can deter some people from living here because owners may rent them to tenants that don’t take care of the property like they would if they were their own. That’s something that you need to be aware of.
Another thing you should know about the development is that, because the homes were built in the mid-60s, they have aluminum wiring. However, they found out there were safety issues with aluminum. So if you’re purchasing a home in the Stonehurst development, I highly recommend that you do a thorough electrical inspection to ensure that the wiring was either pigtailed or converted to copper wiring. This will ensure your safety.
Lastly, the home prices in the Stonehurst development vary greatly. Recent sales are anywhere from the mid-$400,000 range all the way up to about $800,000. As far as property taxes go, it will depend upon your square footage, update, and amenities. You can plan on paying anywhere from about $10,000 to about $13,000 yearly in property taxes.
Make Your Home In Stonehurst
I hope you enjoyed taking a tour with me, seeing and learning all about the Stonehurst development. If you are thinking about moving to the area, are considering selling your Monmouth County home, or just have real estate questions, please reach out to me and I’ll be happy to connect with you.
For further information about Freehold Township and the surrounding towns, make sure you subscribe to my channel so you’re notified when future videos come out. Stay tuned to the next episode of Monmouth Redefined as I talk about everything and anything related to Monmouth County, New Jersey, and stay tuned to see what I feature next!
