The Mews at Annandale

Pros

• The review notes a low-crime neighborhood with exterior areas kept clean and tidy.
• The grounds are described as lovely, featuring a relaxing trail by a stream and a short wooded path by the train tracks.
• The dog park is a social space where residents meet neighbors.
• Brandi is doing a great job as the new property manager and is described as friendly and helpful.
• Maintenance and office staff are described as quick, professional, and pleasant to work with, with the groundskeepers also being friendly.
• Long-time residents report no major issues and express satisfaction with living there.
• Nearby Clinton offers quaint shops and restaurants, and Annandale is described as a great place to call home.
• Original management is described as excellent (Kelly and McKenna), and Diana is described as very professional.

Cons

• The rules around "community safety and beautification" strip tenants of basic personal liberties.
• Infestations (rodents, ants) and broken streetlights persist while residents worry about others not cleaning up after pets.
• The maintenance team has deteriorated; most fixes are band-aid solutions rather than real repairs.
• The service is questionable and staff reportedly do not respect residents' homes (dusty mess left behind after visits).
• Maintenance is slow and often mismanages tickets, sometimes closing issues without actually fixing them.
• Parking lot lighting is slow to be addressed, making the area very dark at night.
• Rent increases continue while amenities and overall value shrink; grilling and outdoor smoking restrictions are tightening.
• The area feels unsafe at night due to poor lighting, train noise, and nearby facilities.
• Some management interactions are described as rude or misleading, including false smoking accusations.
• The application process is a waste of time and money (high fees, slow follow-up, and poor communication).
• Residents warn that security deposits may be difficult to recover and advise staying away.

Review

The Mews comes across in these accounts as a place that looks polished on the surface but feels fraught with friction once you live there. In 2025?2026, a new emphasis on "community safety and beautification" has introduced a broad slate of restrictions that touch personal liberties in ways many residents find unacceptable. Things people have long valued - dog tethers, decorative touches on decks, yard signs - are being restricted or prohibited, and there are even warnings about towing cars. At the same time, residents contend that real problems in the living environment - rodent and ant infestations, broken streetlights, and pet cleanup lapses - go largely unaddressed or treated with quick fixes rather than lasting solutions. Several long-time residents feel the place has traded a reasonable quality of life for higher rent and tighter rules.

Maintenance and service emerge as a persistent sore point. A recurring theme is questionable service quality and slow responsiveness. One resident recalls a recent stove-shutoff installation that left a dusty, dirty mess in their kitchen, and reports that maintenance staff repeatedly enter homes only to leave footprints behind and to fail to respect the sanctity of a clean home. Tickets are often closed as "fixed" even when the underlying problems persist, and responses to issues like parking lot lighting are described as slow. The sense of being heard is inconsistent, with complaints sometimes falling on deaf ears, which contributes to a feeling that the maintenance team is more about quick fixes than durable improvements.

Interwoven with maintenance is a tension around management and staff dynamics. Some tenants describe a genuine sense of community - friendly office staff, welcoming groundskeepers, and a trail-rich environment that makes the grounds feel inviting. Yet others report a shift in management style and priorities, including rent increases that outpace value, and a perception that freedoms residents once enjoyed are being curtailed in favor of cosmetic upgrades and stricter rules. The micro-tension between individual experiences is amplified by mixed reviews about specific staff members: one person praises Brandi as a capable manager and supportive team member, while others label interactions with certain personnel as unfriendly or unhelpful. The inconsistency in the human element adds to the overall sense of unpredictability.

Amenities and value are another point of contention. While some residents point to a lovely campus-like setting with a dog park, streams, and pleasant trails, the payoff is questioned when you consider what is offered in return for rising rents. Several reviews complain that the visible amenities are sparse and that what matters to residents - functional features, reliable repairs, and reasonable living conditions - does not always align with the rent they pay. Several long-standing tenants remember a time when grills were allowed and the environment felt more relaxed; now, restrictions feel like a move away from the kind of leisure and outdoor use that previously attracted them. The contrast between the attractive exterior and the more limited practical benefits inside the small, dated fitness space and limited common-area amenities fuels a sense of diminishing value.

Location and safety factors color many impressions, both positive and negative. On the plus side, some residents emphasize a low-crime, tidy exterior and the green spaces that make the surroundings feel peaceful at times. But reviews also highlight practical concerns: dark parking lots that become even more daunting after nightfall, ongoing streetlight issues, heavy truck traffic, and the constant rumble of trains and nearby commercial activity. There are mentions of bear warnings and the general sense that the area isn't as safe at night as one might expect. Proximity to other towns and minor conveniences is cited as a mixed blessing - pleasant in some moments, but not enough to offset the ongoing maintenance and policy frustrations for others.

A final thread in these accounts is a cautionary note about the leasing process itself. A segment of reviewers describe a frustrating, time-consuming application experience, with high upfront fees (about $90 per person) and repeated requests for documents, sometimes followed by delays or unclear decisions about approval. There are strong accusations that the process is designed to generate application fees rather than to promptly determine suitability for a lease, which compounds mistrust already sparked by other management concerns. In contrast, other tenants acknowledge that the staff handling applications can be responsive, but the overall impression remains that the administrative side can feel like a gatekeeper rather than a partner in finding a good home.

Taken together, the narrative you'll find in these accounts leans toward caution about moving to The Mews in 2025?2026. Many residents describe a living environment where initial charm and community feel can give way to higher costs, tighter restrictions, maintenance delays, and inconsistent service. There are, of course, positive notes - some residents enjoy the community, the grounds, and the friendliness of particular staff members; others feel the management team responds quickly to issues and keeps the neighborhood pleasant. However, the weight of multiple complaints - restrictive policies, maintenance frustrations, noise and safety concerns, and questionable leasing practices - tips the balance toward looking elsewhere if you're seeking strong value, predictable service, and fewer administrative headaches. If you're considering The Mews, it's worth visiting current tenants, inspecting maintenance response times, and asking pointed questions about fill-in-the-gap improvements, so you can gauge whether the current environment matches what you want in a home.

This part of Annandale, New Jersey offers a convenient and diverse range of amenities for seniors looking to settle in the area. With numerous restaurants nearby such as Cryan's Tavern and The Clinton House Restaurant & Bakery, seniors can enjoy a variety of dining options without having to travel far. In terms of healthcare, there are several pharmacies and medical facilities within a reasonable distance, including Hunterdon Medical Center. For leisure activities, there are parks like Lebanon Township Memorial Park and Hacklebarney State Park for outdoor recreation. Additionally, transportation options are easily accessible with High Bridge Station and airports like Solberg Airport nearby. Places of worship such as St Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish cater to spiritual needs within the community. Overall, this area provides seniors with a comfortable and well-rounded living environment.

Restaurants

• Cryan's Tavern (0.1 miles)
• Juniper Hill (0.6 miles)
• McDonald's (1 miles)
• The Clinton House Restaurant & Bakery (2 miles)
• Metropolitan Seafood (2.1 miles)
• Cracker Barrel (2.5 miles)
• Sweet Melissa Patisserie (3.2 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (1.6 miles)
• Arno Therapeutics (7.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (7.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (9.2 miles)
• Walgreens (9.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (9.7 miles)
• Reading Ridge Pharmacy (9.7 miles)

Physicians

• Brems Imaging Center (1.8 miles)
• Hunterdon Pediatric Associates (1.9 miles)
• Hunterdon Medical Center (2 miles)
• Annandale Family Practice (3.2 miles)
• Highlands Family Health Center (6.1 miles)
• Hunterdon Center for Dermatology (7.4 miles)
• Hunterdon Center For Surgery (7.5 miles)

Transportation

• NJT - High Bridge Station (2 miles)
• Solberg Airport (N51) (8.6 miles)
• Somerset Airport (10.9 miles)
• Hackettstown Airport (N05) (12.1 miles)

Parks

• Lebanon Township Memorial Park (5 miles)
• Hillcrest Park (8.6 miles)
• Old Towne Park (9.2 miles)
• Hunterdon County Dog Park (9.7 miles)
• White Oak Park (9.8 miles)
• Hacklebarney State Park (10.4 miles)
• Meadow Breeze Park (10.5 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (6.1 miles)
• Panera Bread (9.6 miles)
• Starbucks (10.1 miles)
• Starbucks (10.6 miles)
• The Coffee Potter (11.1 miles)
• Starbucks (12.3 miles)
• Panera Bread (12.9 miles)

Hospitals

• Hunterdon Medical Pavilion (8 miles)
• Hunterdon Medical Center (8.4 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish (9.4 miles)
• Rockport Presbyterian Church (11.7 miles)
• Sri Venkateswara Temple (12.7 miles)