Crestwood Village 4 in Manchester Township, NJ: A Guide to This Adult Community

Crestwood Village 4, also called Crestwood Village Co-op Four, is a 55+ cooperative community of one-story homes in the Whiting section of Manchester Township, Ocean County. The co-op's own website calls it "A Beautiful 55 and Older Community." 55places says the Kokes Organization built it between 1974 and 1978 and counts 1,190 homes. Because it is a co-op, buying here works differently from buying a house, and that is the most important thing to understand before you look.

I'm Dennis Mark Interdonato with Keller Williams Realty Ocean Living. This guide covers where the community is, the homes, the clubhouse, the rules and what to check before you make an offer, using the published sources listed with it.

Where Crestwood Village 4 Is

The co-op's clubhouse, Independence Hall, and its office are at 15E Moccasin Drive in Whiting. Whiting is a section of Manchester Township, which is the municipality. Crestwood Village 4 is one of several numbered Crestwood Villages in Whiting; each has its own co-op or association, so a listing that says "Crestwood Village" should name the village number. The community is not gated.

How Co-op Ownership Works

In most homes you buy a deed to the house and the land under it. In a co-op you buy a share in a corporation, and that share gives you the right to live in your home. The co-op's website says the corporation owns the structures and grounds. Seven elected trustees run the co-op.

Two practical points follow from that:

• Insurance. The co-op's website says owners must carry an HO-6 policy, the type of insurance that covers the inside of your home and your belongings.
• Financing. 55places describes Crestwood Village 4 homes as cash-only co-ops, and the co-op's own purchase agreement confirms it: no mortgages or liens of any kind are permitted, and all purchases are made with cash (certified check).

The Homes

The co-op's Our Homes page shows one-story homes in eleven models: the Cambridge, Devon, Essex, Georgetown, Hampshire, Lexington, Madison, Oxford III, Stratford, Windsor and Yorktowne. Sizes appear on the floor-plan images on that page. 55places describes the homes as attached. Every sale is a resale, and condition varies from home to home.

A note on numbers: 55places counts 1,190 homes in Crestwood Village 4, but the co-op does not publish a count. The Ocean County Planning Department lists Crestwood Villages I through VI together, at 5,381 units, without a figure for each village.

Clubhouse and Amenities

Independence Hall is the co-op's clubhouse. The co-op's website describes clubs, activities and events there, bus service, and walking areas.

Fees and Rules

The association charges a monthly fee. Fees vary by section and home type, and they change every year when the association adopts its budget, so a number printed in an old listing or on a directory site can already be out of date. Ask me for the current fees at Crestwood Village 4 and I will get the figure for the specific home you are considering, along with what it covers.

In a co-op, the monthly charge covers the corporation's costs for the buildings and grounds, so ask what it includes along with the amount.

Shopping, Medical Care and Getting Around

• Groceries: Stop & Shop, 400 Lacey Road in Whiting, is about 1 mile away in a straight line and appears in the chain's current store directory.
• Hospital: Community Medical Center (RWJBarnabas Health), 99 Route 37 West in Toms River, is about 8.2 miles away in a straight line.
• Bus service: Ocean County's Ocean Ride runs fixed bus routes, including OC 1A Whiting Express, which runs from Whiting to Lakehurst, Seacourt Pavilion and the Ocean County Mall, and its Reserve-A-Ride service offers door-to-door trips for county residents 60 and older or disabled residents 18 and older. The county page does not list a stop inside the community.
• Township rides: Manchester Township Senior Services offers medical and non-medical transportation for residents 60 and older.

Before You Buy: Questions for Any Age-Restricted Community

I walk every buyer through the same short list when we look at a community like Crestwood Village 4. This is general guidance, not legal advice, and your attorney will review the association documents with you.

• The age requirement. Ask exactly how the documents word it, and how they treat a younger spouse or partner, a live-in caregiver and overnight guests.
• The budget and reserves. Ask for the current fee, what it includes, the size of the reserve fund and whether any special assessment is planned.
• Association charges at closing. Ask whether a capital contribution, transfer fee or resale certificate fee applies to buyers.
• Who maintains what. Ask who is responsible for the roof, siding, driveway, lawn and snow removal at the home you are considering.
• Everyday rules. Ask about pets, renting your home out, exterior changes, and parking for a second car, a boat or an RV.
• Co-op approval. Ask whether the board must approve a buyer, and how long that takes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean that Crestwood Village 4 is a co-op?

You buy a share in the corporation that owns the structures and grounds, and that share gives you the right to live in your home, rather than a deed to the house and land.

Can I get a mortgage on a Crestwood Village 4 home?

No. The co-op's purchase agreement says no mortgages or liens of any kind are permitted, and all purchases are made with cash (certified check).

Is Crestwood Village 4 a 55+ community?

Yes. The co-op calls itself a 55 and older community.

Is Crestwood Village 4 in Whiting or Manchester?

Both. Whiting is a section of Manchester Township, which is the municipality.

Do I need insurance on a co-op home?

Yes. The co-op's website says owners must carry an HO-6 policy.

Thinking About Crestwood Village 4? Let's Talk

I'm Dennis Mark Interdonato, a REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty Ocean Living, and I help buyers and sellers in Whiting and Manchester Township and across Monmouth and Ocean County. If you would like to see what is for sale in Crestwood Village 4, get the current fees, compare it with other adult communities nearby, or find out what your current home could sell for before you move, call or text me at (732) 598-2672 or send me a message. You can also browse the other communities in my Adult Communities guide.