Pinewood Estates Mobile Home

Pros

• The community is peaceful and clean, and residents report friendly waves among neighbors.
• The park staff are courteous and professional, especially the new manager Jennifer and maintenance technician Mike.
• Mike promptly arrives to shut off the water, preventing significant damage.
• The park is nice, quiet, and well maintained.
• The grounds and homes are described as nicely kept by residents.
• Under the new management, the park is doing better each day and feels like home again.
• New management has cleaned up the park considerably.
• The pool is nice and surrounded by forest, which makes it cool.
• Pinewood Estates is a fantastic, well-kept, quiet community with friendly people and reasonable lot rent.
• Park residents praise Greg Kratz as a personable and helpful manager.

Cons

• The reviewer says the place needs cleaning up and roads repaved, and that it feels very depressing, with management needing to brighten the grounds.
• They state they are not impressed.
• They criticize the common area as not cared for and a major fire hazard due to dead trees and leaves.
• They note it's not a nice place to live, describing it as a 55+ senior mobile home park that isn't pleasant.
• They would not want to live there.
• They say there is nothing positive to say about the park, citing very poor management.
• They call it a big no from me.
• They describe the park as a horrible, soul-sucking place with nosy, intrusive neighbors.
• They describe the mobile home park as very dirty.
• They mention there are too many rundown trailer homes for their taste.

Review

The collection of voices paints a picture of Pinewood Estates as a quiet, mostly tidy, and tightly-knit mobile home community that many residents are deeply fond of. Across the messages, there's a recurring sense of peace and neighborliness: a place where people wave to one another, whether they know each other or not, and where the setting - surrounded by trees, with a tranquil atmosphere - feels like an inviting place to call home. Several reviewers emphasize the location's advantages, the calm environment, and the overall appeal of living in a senior or 55+ community where quiet and personal space are respected. For some, the park feels like a welcome refuge from the bustle of city life, a place residents describe as nice, well-kept, and quietly pleasant.

A standout theme across many comments is appreciation for the park staff, especially the leadership of the new manager Jennifer and the quick, reliable responses of maintenance personnel like Mike. There are several vivid accounts of emergencies handled with impressive speed: when a water line froze and burst, Mike arrived within minutes of a call to shut off the water and prevent substantial damage. These stories underscore a sense of dependable, professional service and a willingness to go the extra mile to protect homes and ease residents' concerns. In tandem with the praise for Jennifer's leadership, these anecdotes help create an overall impression of a park that values responsive care and attentive management.

Yet the reviews aren't one-note cheerleading. There's a clear undercurrent of frustration about upkeep and aesthetics. Some residents feel the place could use a thorough cleanup, better road resurfacing, and general grounds brightening to counter a sometimes "depressing" atmosphere. A number of comments describe dead trees and leaves that pose potential hazards, lapses in common-area maintenance, and worries that neglect could turn the area into a safety or fire hazard. These concerns contrast with the positive stories about individual staff members and show that while the core community vibe is strong, there are concrete areas where residents want more attention and investment from park leadership.

The dialogue also reveals a shifting mood tied to management changes. Several reviewers speak positively about new leadership, noting improvements under new management and expressing hope to stay long-term because the park "feels like home again." Others recall longtime managers, sometimes by name, and some express nostalgia or disappointment depending on who is at the helm. For some, the departure of a beloved manager - such as Greg Kratz - elicits concern about continuity and the park's direction, tempered by others who still highlight the current team's dedication. Taken together, the comments suggest that leadership matters a great deal in shaping everyday experiences, even when day-to-day life in the park remains quiet and neighborly.

People's experiences within the community vary as widely as the days' events inside a neighborhood of homes. Some members describe the park as a wonderful place to be, with quiet streets, friendly neighbors, and thoughtful residents who keep their homes and lots in good order. Others present more critical perspectives: comments range from "not very impressed" to "a big no from me," and several mention that while rent is affordable, care of the common areas and overall park condition could improve. There are also personal anecdotes about theft, pests, or safety concerns - like the loss of an angel garden statue or worries about dead branches threatening homes - that color the sense of what it's like to live in a place that is otherwise described as calm and family-oriented.

Financial and policy details surface intermittently, shaping expectations about what life in Pinewood Estates entails. Several reviewers point to the lot rent - roughly around $320 per month in some comments - along with statements that there is no tax because residents register as motor vehicles. Some reviews acknowledge strict rules - such as "55 and older" and limited or no rental options - while others celebrate the sense of community that comes with a smaller, more stable demographic. There are shades of optimism about renovations and improvements, with some residents noting that tradespeople and contractors are refurbishing units as they cycle through, signaling ongoing development within the park. Even with these realities, many still emphasize that the core value lies in the people: the friends, the neighbors, and the sense of belonging that comes from living in a place where neighbors look out for one another.

In sum, Pinewood Estates emerges as a place of contrasts: a peaceful, well-located community where quiet living, friendly faces, and capable staff provide a strong, homey foundation; balanced against concerns about grounds maintenance, safety, and the impact of management decisions on day-to-day experiences. Some residents feel empowered and hopeful under current leadership, while others hold reservations about future conditions or the intensity of upkeep needed. Across the spectrum, the park is described as a place many want to call home - a community where kindness, reliability, and a shared sense of neighborhood matter, even as residents alike recognize room for improvement and the ongoing work required to preserve the park's charm and safety for years to come.

Restaurants

• Stafford Diner (3.2 miles)
• Burger King (4.2 miles)
• McDonald's (4.6 miles)
• Barnegat Diner (4.7 miles)
• Element Restaurant & Bar (4.7 miles)
• Chipotle Mexican Grill (4.9 miles)
• Wendy's (5.2 miles)

Physicians

• Stafford Medical PA (3.2 miles)
• Ng, Tommy Hackensack Meridian Medical Group Interventional Cardiology (3.2 miles)
• Surgical Specialists Of New Jersey (3.2 miles)
• Coastal Ear, Nose and Throat (3.3 miles)
• Southern Ocean Foot (3.3 miles)
• Orthopaedic Institute Brielle Orthopaedics (3.3 miles)
• Family Medicine Center (3.3 miles)

Hospitals

• Hackensack Meridian Health Southern Ocean Medical Center (3.6 miles)
• Southern Ocean County Hospital (3.6 miles)
• Southern Regional Hospital (3.7 miles)
• Lacey Diagnostic Imaging Center (9.1 miles)
• Southern Ocean Center For Health (9.2 miles)

Pharmacies

• Stafford Pharmacy (3.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.8 miles)
• Walgreens (4.4 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (5.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (7.2 miles)
• Forked River Pharmacy (7.9 miles)
• Medicine To Go Pharmacies (9.1 miles)

Cafes

• Johnny’s Offshore Cafe (5.8 miles)
• Sandbox Cafe Surf City (11 miles)
• How You Brewin Internet Cafe (11.1 miles)
• The Local Market & Kitchen (11.1 miles)

Parks

• Gille Park (10.6 miles)
• Sunset Park (10.8 miles)
• John J. Guld Jr Recreation Area & Ball Field (10.9 miles)