Crestwood Village 4

Pros

• Buying their place here was the best decision they have made.
• They have a great, quiet home with cordial neighbors and a great office staff and maintenance department.
• They are happy to have no more yard work.
• They are looking forward to joining this great community after they close on their unit.
• The office has been very accommodating and the board was very welcoming in their interview.
• The community is clean and rustic, with lots of beautiful pine trees near a national forest.
• They love the fresh air and serenity of the villages.
• It is a caring co-op community for retired adults.
• It is a different world where privacy is preserved and there are lots of activities.
• It is a beautiful community.
• It is a well-run cooperative.
• It is an excellent place to retire to.

Cons

• Trustees dont listen.
• Unfortunately the Board denied their application without reason.
• The HOA enforces the rules they want to and not the others.
• You need permission for everything and threaten you with fines.
• The President of the HOA Jo-ann ,wanted to fine me $150 per day if i did not get rid of it. She said " Just open up the windows !".
• If the lawn is destroyed by dog defecation, there is no recourse.
• Since its a Co-op, you don't own the land or structure. Nothing is yours and cannot protect it.
• The people in the office are a nightmare and are not nice to deal with.
• The houses for sale are horrible.

Review

Crestwood Village presents itself as a place where retirement living can feel like a gentle, quiet refuge, surrounded by familiar faces and a supportive staff. Across the reviews, many newcomers and longtime residents alike celebrate the sense of calm that comes with living in a place where neighbors are described as cordial and the day-to-day maintenance is handled for you. The common thread is a real appreciation for a home that requires less yard work and offers the beauty of a wooded setting, fresh air, and proximity to nature. For several reviewers, the appeal lies in the peace and privacy that comes with a well-kept, quiet environment, as well as the opportunities to enjoy local activities and wildlife year after year.

The positive experiences extend to the people who run the place. Several commentators highlight a welcoming, accommodating office and a responsive maintenance staff, which helps make the transition into Crestwood Village smooth and reassuring. In particular, one reviewer notes a very friendly reception from the board during their interview process, emphasizing that the management, board, and volunteers invest a lot of hard work to keep a unique co-op running effectively. For many, this combination of supportive administration and active resident participation is a defining strength of the community, contributing to a sense that moving in was the right choice and that life here can be both comfortable and pleasantly busy with organized activities.

Yet the sentiment is not uniformly favorable. A number of reviews point to governance and interpersonal dynamics that can be challenging. Some residents express frustration with trustees who do not seem to listen, and there are explicit concerns about prejudice and unfriendly interactions at the top levels. In at least one account, the experience of discrimination is claimed, with a suggestion that some residents or staff feel judged or sidelined. This tension underscores a broader theme: Crestwood Village runs as a cooperative with active boards and volunteers, and the quality of the experience can hinge significantly on how responsive and inclusive the leadership is.

There are also concrete procedural complaints that color the perception of life in the community. One review notes a cash-only purchase policy, and another describes the denial of a prospective buyer's application without a stated reason, raising concerns about transparency and fairness. These specifics - fundamental enrollment criteria, the need for written explanations in certain regulatory environments, and the perceived absence of information about decisions - highlight why some potential buyers feel wary. For some readers, these issues are not minor bureaucratic quirks but essential considerations that could influence whether Crestwood Village feels welcoming or exclusive.

Beyond governance, several residents describe practical friction points that affect daily life. The comments include mentions of fines and permission requirements for various activities, occasional power outages, and disputes over how property and common areas are managed. There are vivid anecdotes about fines for keeping a generator on the property, disputes related to dog waste management and lawn damage, and the perception that the homeowners association enforces rules selectively. These experiences can feel disempowering to residents who rely on predictable rules and reliable services, particularly if they are disabled, dealing with COPD, or otherwise managing health concerns.

Diversity of experience also appears across the different villages within Crestwood. Some reviews praise Village Four for its wooded scenery and convenient location, while others warn that certain villages - like Village Five or Village Six, which are described as fee simple - offer a noticeably different ownership and governance experience. There are even more extreme opinions, with some calls that Village Four is an excellent place to live, and others labeling conditions as the worst, citing restrictions on visitors or perceived overbearing enforcement. The mix suggests that Crestwood is a collection of distinct communities within a shared branding, each with its own flavor of rules, leadership, and day-to-day reality.

Throughout the collection of voices, one recurring thread is the sense that Crestwood Village can be an ideal home for people who prize quiet, safety, and a close-knit social scene, including options like bingo, flea markets, and regular community activities. Several reviewers speak fondly of wildlife shows in the mornings, the peace of the environment, and the comfort of being part of a 55+ community where neighbors look out for one another. For many, it is easy to imagine years of comfortable living, friendly neighbors, and a serene landscape that makes retirement feel like a privilege rather than a compromise.

Taken together, these reviews paint Crestwood Village as a place of contrasts: a dependable home base with attractive natural surroundings and a robust support structure, balanced by governance challenges, policy disputes, and a range of experiences with the administration. For someone considering moving here, the message is nuanced. The community can deliver quiet, convenient living with a strong sense of place and a cooperative spirit, but it may also demand patience with the board, clarity about policy enforcement, and a careful look at the specific village's ownership structure and purchasing rules. If you value a peaceful setting, active social life, and straightforward maintenance, Crestwood Village has a lot to offer; if you prioritize transparent governance and universal, predictable enforcement across all households, it's wise to investigate the current leadership dynamics and the particular village you're considering before making a commitment.

Pharmacies

• Rite Aid (1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.2 miles)
• Stop & Shop Pharmacy (1.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.6 miles)
• Walgreens (6.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (6.5 miles)
• Rite Aid (6.6 miles)

Physicians

• Whiting Medical Associates (1.3 miles)
• Whiting Foot & Ankle (1.8 miles)
• Atlantic Ent Assoc PA (6.4 miles)
• Sinha Prabhat, MD (6.4 miles)
• Renal Center (6.7 miles)
• Physician's Surgicenter (6.7 miles)
• Anil Kumar Sharma (6.8 miles)

Restaurants

• McDonald's (4.5 miles)
• Applebee's (5.1 miles)
• McDonald's (6.9 miles)
• Burger King (7.1 miles)
• Wendy's (8.2 miles)
• Office Restaurant & Lounge & Sushi Bar (9 miles)
• McDonald's (9.1 miles)

Hospitals

• Community Medical Center For Kids & Family (7.4 miles)
• Children's Specialized Hospital Outpatient Center – Toms River Lakehurst Road (8.3 miles)
• Children’s Specialized Hospital Outpatient and Long Term Care Center – Toms River Stevens Road (8.3 miles)
• Lacey Diagnostic Imaging Center (11.3 miles)
• Southern Ocean Center For Health (11.5 miles)

Parks

• Jakes Branch County Park (8.6 miles)

Transportation

• Toms River Bus Terminal (8.8 miles)

Places of Worship

• Presbyterian Church of Toms River (9.8 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (10.2 miles)