David and Victoria Halsband enjoy living on the beach in Long Branch and they love the atmosphere and amenities of Pier Village, the premier Jersey Shore lifestyle destination located along the oceanfront. So when 55 Melrose came to market in June and offered the first ownership opportunity ever at Pier Village, it was only a matter of time before they decided to buy. David and Victoria purchased a new one-bedroom, one-bath condominium on the top floor of the four-story building, with almost 1,000 square feet of living space. Since they are already full-time Long Branch residents, the couple was attracted to the property for its investment potential as much as for the lifestyle it offers.
They knew Pier Village intimately from their days as renters in the community and knew the combination of beautiful beaches, chic shops, gourmet restaurants and now modern new condominium residences would lead to sky high demand. They wanted to be among the first buyers.
“We rented at Pier Village for two-anda half years and we always wanted to buy, but at the time, there were no ownership opportunities available,” Victoria said. “When 55 Melrose opened, it was important to us to get the exact condo that was right for us, so we knew we had to act quickly. We looked at everything that we thought would be appropriate and ended up choosing the largest one-bedroom on the top floor. It is in the perfect location and offered us the best bang for our buck.”
The Halsbands split their time evenly between Bergen County and Pier Village from 2008 to 2011. They spent almost every weekend in Long Branch year round, typically three- or four-day weekends. The couple embraced the lifestyle wholeheartedly, soaking up the lively atmosphere. They dined at Avenue, one of three oceanfront restaurants, several times per week and frequented other Pier Village eateries. They even slipped their boat at a local marina.
They were having so much fun at their beach home that they entertained the thought of moving to Long Branch fulltime. Victoria, a retired meetings logistics manager, and David, a dentist, realized that David could easily commute to his Hackensack practice, so they decided to search for a home. They purchased a residence nearby and now that they also own at Pier Village, they have a number of options available to them, including using it as a part-time residence when they decide it’s time to retire to Florida. In the mean time, they intend to take full advantage of the perks 55 Melrose buyers receive, such as two-year complimentary memberships to Pier Village’s Gold’s Gym and Le Club, a members-only, European-style beach club. “We liked Pier Village so much we had to buy. There really is a lot to do,” Victoria said. “Pier Village completely changed the complexion of the area and made Long Branch a destination community.
Now there is entertainment all summer long and music every Thursday. The kids have a great time too. In fact, we just took our grandkids for surf lessons.” Victoria said she is happy to buy in Long Branch because it is a “community with a plan.” Development is done methodically, with careful attention paid to infrastructure. The community is growing and demand for real estate, in her opinion, will continue to grow with it.
Nearly 50 percent of the new collection of 44 modern residences at 55 Melrose have already been sold. The new residences range from 766 to 1,648 square feet of living space and include one-bedroom homes priced from $310,000, twobedroom homes priced from $445,000, and three-bedroom residences with a den priced from $709,000, with immediate occupancy available. The spacious homes include such new designer features and appointments as oak hardwood flooring in the living areas, plush Berber carpeting in the bedrooms, and gourmet kitchens with custom wood white shaker cabinets, Caesarstone countertops, modern stain glass backsplashes and state-of-the-art stainless steel Frigidaire Gallery appliances. Spalike baths are adorned with Silestone countertops, custom wood white shaker cabinets and wood framed mirrors, ceramic tile floors and contemporary Kohler undermounted sinks and faucets. All residences also include individual washer and dryer and desirable outdoor living space.
The complimentary memberships to Gold’s Gym and Le Club provided to all 55 Melrose buyers ensure that they can enjoy everything that Pier Village has to offer. Le Club features a full-service beach experience including a private beach area adorned with Palm trees and lined with spacious cabanas, provision of lounge chairs, day beds and plush towels; food and beverage service on the beach provided by gourmet brasserie, Avenue; and a rooftop pool and sun deck boasting panoramic vistas of the ocean.
55 Melrose buyers also have access to the community’s outdoor pool and resident’s lounge with billiards and plasma TV. In addition, Pier Village features more than 100,000 square feet of boutique shops and restaurants, a boardwalk and expansive beach, oceanfront dining and an outdoor festival plaza that hosts year-round events. Travel & Leisure Magazine named Pier Village one of the “20 Greatest American Beaches” in 2007 and the community was again honored in 2009 with the New Jersey Governor’s Tourism Award.
For more information on 55 Melrose, visit www.ownpiervillage.com, or call 732-222-2155. The Sales Office, located at 55 Melrose Terrace, is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information on Pier Village, visit www.piervillage.com.