Gateway at Royce Brook

Pros

• They were very pleased with the quality of the build and the community itself.
• The house was delivered on time, and the warranty team addressed minor items quickly.
• They have built/owned several new homes, and this process was as smooth as possible with a beautiful house.
• They have lived there for almost 3 years and love the quiet community, friendly people, and the area.
• They made wonderful friends and enjoy the range of community activities.
• All reasonable issues within their home were resolved within the first year.
• They described the staff as very nice and courteous.
• They had a great experience with professionalism from the builder.
• They cannot wait to move in and describe the home as perfect.
• They appreciated working with the design coordinator, who was professional, patient, and transparent.
• They consider the development beautiful and well designed.
• They love living there and have great neighbors.

Cons

• The builder is described as the worst the reviewers have seen, using the cheapest materials and suppliers.
• New homes reportedly develop numerous issues (10+) within a year, with the builder allegedly refusing to fix them.
• Customers claim the company is unresponsive, blocks communication, and even replaced a manager to avoid addressing problems.
• Homeowners are told to expect to spend tens of thousands of dollars on repairs after closing because the builder leaves them on their own.
• Promised water features for the pond were delayed for years and installed inadequately; some blame a shift of burden to the HOA and cost-cutting overrides by principals.
• The community marketing allegedly misrepresents as a 55+ gated community and overcharges for amenities or uses bait-and-switch tactics.
• The company is accused of pushing improvements onto the HOA and not fulfilling long-term infrastructure commitments, leading to parking challenges from multi-generational living.
• Warranty issues are not addressed promptly; repairs drag on with many homeowners hiring outside help; 2024 updates show progress only to avoid litigation.

Review

Gateway and the Premier Development communities around Potter Road present a spectrum of experiences that range from glowing appreciation to sharp frustration. On the positive side, many residents praise the overall quality of the homes and the quiet, friendly atmosphere of the neighborhood. They highlight that the houses were delivered on time and that, when issues did arise, the warranty team and certain staff members worked diligently to address them. A recurring compliment among those with favorable memories is the professionalism of individuals like the warranty manager Bob Gersten, who helped resolve many of the initial concerns, and the design coordinator, Jeri Gaita, who guided buyers through more than 150 customization decisions with patience and clarity. In these accounts, the process felt smooth, the homes themselves beautiful, and the community alive with opportunities to participate in various activities if you chose to engage.

Yet, for many others, the experience diverges dramatically and leans heavily toward discontent. A substantial portion of the feedback characterizes Premier Development as among the worst builders they've encountered. The criticisms touch almost every stage of the process: from the initial purchase, where some buyers feel misled by high expectations and promises, to post-close realities, where the quality of materials and the workmanship are called into question. Several reviewers allege that the homes used cheaper materials and that the suppliers were chosen to minimize costs, contributing to frequent issues that emerged within the first year - water pipes that leak, air conditioning systems that fail, and a general pattern of defects that seemed to require repeated remediation. Complaints about responsiveness are common, with buyers reporting emails unanswered for long stretches and warranties that drag out without meaningful resolution. In some posts, residents describe a change in management as a turning point: the old manager who once resolved problems is said to have been replaced, and the new leadership is depicted as more prone to delays and excuses, shifting the burden of repair onto the HOA rather than promptly addressing individual homes.

A thread running through the negative experiences concerns the management and the approach to ongoing issues. Several reviewers claim that once the buyer closes, they become largely on their own, facing a slow, sometimes obstructive warranty process. They recount a pattern of dismissive responses, delays, and, in some cases, outright denial of fixes. There are even insinuations that some promises made during sales - and emails from company representatives committing to certain improvements - were not fulfilled, with disputes sometimes escalating to formal letters or litigation. The sentiment is that the company's priorities shift toward external risk management rather than the satisfaction and long-term welfare of homeowners. In several accounts, critics accuse Premier Development of prioritizing new projects or shifting costs onto residents and the HOA to minimize their own exposure, a tactic they argue leaves homeowners financially exposed to major repairs well after purchase.

The fountain and pond amenities emerge as a particularly contentious topic. Promises from the sales office about installing water fountains behind Potter Road were not realized for years, despite persistent homeowner advocacy. By the time any movement occurred, what was delivered looked inadequate - a couple of minute aerators instead of a thorough water circulation system that would meet EPA and insect-control expectations. The delay became a symbol of broader frustration with how amenities were managed and funded. Homeowners claim that Premier's leadership appeared to push the financial burden onto the HOA, a strategy viewed by residents as short-sighted and unfair given the premium paid for those amenities. The situation has been described as a slow walk toward a promise that never fully materialized, with some residents suggesting that the company's pattern in other communities (like Canal Walk and Summerfields) followed a similar playbook of postponing large improvements and leaving ongoing costs to homeowners.

There is also tension around the community design and the realities of living in a 55+ gated neighborhood. While some residents relish the quiet environment and the sense of security, others note discrepancies between the marketing and the lived experience. For instance, there are observations that the community has attracted families beyond the intended 55+ model, leading to overcrowded street parking and additional strains on infrastructure that were not anticipated in early plans. The contrast between the advertised lifestyle and the everyday demands of residents - where school-age children and multigenerational households may reside in some homes - contributes to a sense that the community's design and rules do not perfectly align with how people actually live there. This misalignment fuels further dissatisfaction, particularly when it comes to parking, traffic flow, and the availability of amenities in a gated, maintenance-heavy environment.

Despite the mixed opinions, a subset of residents continues to defend the development, pointing to ongoing improvements and the presence of helpful staff when issues are properly prioritized. Some buyers report that reasonable maintenance items were resolved within the first year, and that once the professional staff focus on a problem, the results can be favorable. There is also gratitude for the community's tenants of social activity and the potential for meaningful neighbor connections; several residents emphasize the value of the friendly, courteous staff and the many activities available to those who wish to participate. The contrast is stark: for every story of frustration, there is at least one account of a smooth repair, a well-executed design choice, or a neighbor who makes the best of the situation.

In the end, Gateway and its Premier Development roots present a complex picture. The community continues to attract buyers who are drawn to the location, the architectural appeal, and the quiet lifestyle, while attracting others discouraged by what they perceive as inconsistent quality, uneven warranty service, and decision-making that appears to shift costs and responsibility away from the builder. Prospective buyers are understandably urged to do thorough due diligence: talk to residents across multiple Premier locations, verify what is promised in writing, and consider the long-term financial commitments that may come with amenities and HOA responsibilities. For those who decide to move forward, the advice echoes a familiar refrain: approach the process with a detailed, written record, secure independent counsel at closing, and prepare for a range of outcomes - from swift, professional service to extended warranty battles - so you know what you're signing up for before you call the keys yours.

Restaurants

• Wendy's (0.5 miles)
• Verve Restaurant Bar (3.3 miles)
• Village Brewing Company (3.3 miles)
• McDonald's (4.2 miles)
• Chipotle Mexican Grill (4.3 miles)
• Olive Garden (4.4 miles)
• Houlihan's (4.4 miles)

Physicians

• Medicor Cardiology (0.8 miles)
• Medicor Plaza (0.8 miles)
• Your Doctors Care PA (1.8 miles)
• Beim Daniel S MD (2.1 miles)
• Somerset Pediatric Group (4 miles)
• Atlantic Medical Group Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (4.4 miles)
• Hunterdon Family Medicine at Bridgewater (4.5 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (2.2 miles)
• Walgreens (2.3 miles)
• Walgreens (3.4 miles)
• Rite Aid (3.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.4 miles)

Places of Worship

• The Parish Community of St Joseph (2.3 miles)
• Catholic Church Of St Anne (3.5 miles)
• Somerset Presbyterian Church (6.7 miles)
• Sri Venkateswara Temple (7.5 miles)
• Chinese Christian Church (7.9 miles)
• Muslim Center of Middlesex County (8 miles)
• St Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish (8.2 miles)

Theaters

• Reading Cinemas Manville with TITAN LUXE (2.5 miles)
• AMC DINE-IN Bridgewater 7 (4.6 miles)
• Regal Commerce Center & RPX (8.1 miles)

Parks

• Duke Island Park (3.3 miles)
• Waltersbrook Drive Park (5.5 miles)
• D & R Canal State Park (5.7 miles)
• White Oak Park (6.1 miles)
• North Branch Park (6.4 miles)
• Old Towne Park (6.9 miles)
• Hillcrest Park (7.3 miles)

Cafes

• Panera Bread (4.3 miles)
• Starbucks (4.3 miles)
• Starbucks (5.2 miles)
• Starbucks (6.9 miles)
• Starbucks (8 miles)
• Panera Bread (8.9 miles)
• Starbucks (9 miles)

Transportation

• Solberg Airport (N51) (7.3 miles)
• Somerset Airport (7.7 miles)
• New Brunswick Train Station (9.3 miles)

Hospitals

• Emergency Department, St Peter's University Hospital (8.6 miles)
• Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (9.1 miles)