Holiday City West in Berkeley Township, NJ: A Guide to This Adult Community

Holiday City West is one of five separate Holiday City communities in Berkeley Township, Ocean County, and each of the five has its own homeowners association and its own amenities. 55places says Holiday City West was built in 1981 and counts over 1,800 homes. The association describes it as an active retirement living community for people age 55 plus, with single homes with garages, a clubhouse and a community pool.

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 Holiday City West Is

The clubhouse is at 45 Cabrillo Boulevard. Mail here is addressed to Toms River, but the municipality is Berkeley Township. The association's own About page names Berkeley Township, and the Census Bureau's geocoder places both the clubhouse and the association's mapped boundary inside Berkeley Township. That matters because the municipality sets your property tax rate and provides township services. The association's website also notes that the community is in the Pinelands. It is not gated.

Holiday City West is a member of the Senior Coalition of Berkeley Township Communities, a group of ten adult communities that the township links to from its Community Resources page. The other Holiday City sections (Holiday City at Berkeley, Carefree, South and Heights) are separate associations with separate clubhouses, so a listing that says "Holiday City" is worth checking against the section it actually belongs to.

The Homes

The association describes the homes as single homes with garages. Wikipedia's article on the Holiday City area describes ranch homes on lots of at least 50 by 100 feet. 55places publishes 20 floor plans, from 757 to 1,852 square feet, for all the Holiday City sections combined, but it does not say which plans were built in Holiday City West, so I have not listed them here as this section's models. With the community built in 1981, homes for sale here are resales, and condition and updates vary a great deal from one house to the next.

Clubhouse and Amenities

The clubhouse at 45 Cabrillo Boulevard has solar panels on its roof. The association's website and photo gallery show what is inside and around it:

• An outdoor pool with a shaded seating area
• An auditorium with a stage, and a banquet and meeting hall
• A lounge with a fireplace, a library and a card room
• A billiards room, a fitness room and a ceramics room
• Outdoor shuffleboard courts, a covered bocce court and tennis courts

The association lists clubhouse hours of 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends, with the office open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays.

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 Holiday City West and I will get the figure for the specific home you are considering, along with what it covers.

The governing documents sit behind a residents-only login on the association's website, so I have not quoted the exact occupancy rule here. Your attorney will review it with you during the attorney review period, and I can request the documents for any home you are serious about.

Shopping, Medical Care and Getting Around

• Hospital: Community Medical Center (RWJBarnabas Health), 99 Highway 37 West in Toms River, is about 3.3 miles away in a straight line from the clubhouse.
• Bus service: Ocean County's Ocean Ride runs fixed bus routes, including route OC 2 Manchester, which runs through Berkeley to Toms River 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.

Distances are measured in a straight line from the clubhouse, so driving distances will be a little longer.

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 Holiday City West. 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Holiday City West in Toms River or Berkeley Township?

Berkeley Township. The mailing address is Toms River, but the association's own About page names Berkeley Township, and the Census geocoder confirms it.

Is Holiday City West a 55+ community?

Yes. The association describes it as an active retirement living community for people age 55 plus. The exact rule is in the governing documents.

How many homes are in Holiday City West?

55places counts over 1,800 homes, built in 1981. The association's public pages do not give a count.

Is Holiday City West the same as Holiday City at Berkeley?

No. They are two of the five Holiday City communities in Berkeley Township, and each has its own homeowners association, clubhouse and amenities.

Is Holiday City West gated?

No. 55places lists the Holiday City communities as not gated.

Thinking About Holiday City West? Let's Talk

I'm Dennis Mark Interdonato, a REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty Ocean Living, and I help buyers and sellers in Berkeley Township and across Monmouth and Ocean County. If you would like to see what is for sale in Holiday City West, 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.