Manasquan, NJ: A Beach Town Where Kids Have "A Little More Freedom" (2023)

When Fabricio and Amy Pazmino started thinking about leaving their home in Colts Neck, N.J., to move to the Jersey Shore, they immediately thought of a place where they had spent some happy summers after college, filled with little beach bungalows with friends. Rental.

After nearly five years of searching — and repeated superlatives — the Pazminos finally found their beach house this year: a four-bedroom, four-bathroom house in Manasquan, near the entrance to Glimmer Glass, which they bought for $970,000.

This storm started a process that changed the image of this formerly funky beach town. Less than a decade later, an influx of townspeople seeking refuge during Covid helped cement the Monmouth County township's more sophisticated image.

"It's a little more luxurious than when we were here before," says Ms. Pazmino, 49, CEO of NYU Langone Health.

"But it still retains the small beach town feel that brought us here in the first place," says 50-year-old Mr. Pazmino, chief financial officer of Princeton Orthopedic Associates.

Michael Mangan, a lifelong resident of Manasquan, has seen his town change over the years – especially over the past decade, as this year-round township of nearly 6,000 residents (a population that triples in the summer) sees a wave of new full-time residents. residents absorbed. Mr Mangan, who has served on the city council for 16 years and is now running for mayor, said the question on most people's minds is, "How are we going to keep Manasquan what it's always been?"

“We are trying to find ways to keep the small town charm,” continued Mr Mangan, 39. “There is a lot of nostalgia for these bungalows, but people know that these old houses are going to be replaced by new, bigger houses. Change is inevitable."

However, when asked what they like most about Manasquan, many people paint a nostalgic picture.

"Their parents won't see these kids for the rest of the day," said William Feehan, 52, realtor at Re/Max Revolution, pointing to three boys riding surfboards on the beach. recent morning in July.

"It's a good lifestyle for kids growing up," said Mr. Feehan, who has two teenage stepsons and lived in Manasquan for eight years. “Everyone is very active, with boats, bikes, fishing. Chances are you have some knowledge of the water, whether surfing or sailing or just for fun.”

Rooted in this aquatic culture, third-generation resident Andy Manser teaches math at Manasquan Elementary School during the school year and runs Paddle Out, a paddle and kayak rental shop, in the summer with his brother Brian. Manser. The brothers purchased the building just after Hurricane Sandy, when it was submerged by five feet, and renovated it before opening it the following year.

What will you find?

Manasquan is located at the southernmost tip of Monmouth County and covers 4.23 square kilometers, but almost half of it is water. The numerous creeks, lakes, and waterways leading to Manasquan Inlet offer extensive moorings and water views, as well as easy access to the Atlantic Ocean.

Route 71 runs north to south, connecting Manasquan to many neighboring beach towns and unofficially dividing the community between the beach and what is considered a historic district, west of Route 71, which is home to some of the larger Victorian-era homes. Route 71 is intersected by Main Street, with a bustling and upscale shopping and dining area. During Covid, the council began closing Main Street to traffic one or two nights a week and this practice is still in effect.

That was a business boon for Neil Ducharme, 47, who moved to Manasquan from Rhode Island 20 years ago. Mr. Ducharme, president of Ralco Builders, said he has built or renovated 75 to 100 homes in the township.

That made him unpopular with some residents, he said, noting that he was "tortured" on the city's Facebook site, Overheard in Manasquan. "There was a blow to the demolition of older buildings and the destruction of history," he said. "But on the other hand, we're creating new places for other people to come here."

The beach hut atmosphere has not completely disappeared from Manasquan. In the blocks closest to the coast, overcrowded bungalows (often two too many) are rented out to large groups of young people during the summer, perpetuating the borough's reputation as a party town.

What you will pay

House prices have risen dramatically in Manasquan since the pandemic, said Patricia Florkowski, a real estate agent for Re/Max. As he put it, "If you can buy a house 10 minutes from the beach for less than a million dollars, that's the magic number."

But Manasquan is still considered a bargain, he noted, compared to nearby Monmouth County beach towns like Sea Girt and Spring Lake.

By mid-August, there were 33 homes on the market, from a waterfront property with front and back homes and a total of five bedrooms and four bathrooms, priced at $3.4 million, to a one-bedroom, 90-square-foot cottage. in 1912, listed for $569,000.

According to information from Monmouth Ocean Regional Realtors, 38 homes in Manasquan have been sold this year through August 7 for an average price of $1.455 million — a 25 percent increase from the average sale price of $1.159 million for the same period in 2022, when Er 52 houses were sold.

Rental options are largely limited to entire houses, which can cost up to $15,000 a week in the summer. In the off-season, more modest homes rent for $2,000 to $3,000 per month.

The atmosphere

Manasquan is all about summer. On Wednesday nights, hundreds of volleyball players gather on the beach to compete on more than twenty nets as part of Gee-Gee's Volleyball League. On Thursday nights, the action shifts to the cove, where people gather to watch the weekly fireworks hosted by neighboring Point Pleasant Beach.

Most nights, the student and postgraduate crowd queues outside the Osprey Night Club on First Avenue or next to Leggetts Sand Bar.

Schools

Students in kindergarten through eighth grade attend Manasquan Elementary School, which had 517 students enrolled in the 2021-2022 school year. For grades nine through twelve, they attend Manasquan High School, which had approximately 970 students in 2021-2022.

The high school, which also enrolls students from seven neighboring communities, offers 21 Advanced Placement courses and five career-focused areas of study in economics, health, engineering, performing arts, and public safety. The average SAT scores in 2021-2022 were 566 for reading and writing and 552 for math, compared to state averages of 538 and 532.

Private school options in the area include two Catholic schools serving kindergarten through eighth grade students: Saint Peter School, in Point Pleasant Beach, and St. Catherine School, in Spring Lake.

The transportation

The drive to New York City, about 60 miles north, can take an hour and a half to two hours, depending on traffic.

During rush hour, New Jersey Transit offers direct services to Manhattan's Penn Station, a trip that takes just under two hours. the rest of the day's journey requires a train transferMany thanks, NJand takes just over two hours. Tickets cost $16.75 one way or $480 for a monthly pass.

New Jersey Transit also offers bus service, which takes three and a half hours and requires two transfersAsbury-parkInProperty; One-way tickets cost $20.85 and monthly tickets $470.

The history

Squan Beach Rescue Station No. 9 was established in 1902 by volunteers to rescue shipwreck victims. In the 1930s it became part of the United States Coast Guard and continued to conduct maritime rescue missions until it was decommissioned in 1996. The municipality purchased the building in 2000 for $1. Today it houses a museum of artifacts recovered from the ocean floor by the New Jersey Historic Divers Association.

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