Long Branch

West End is a coastal community along the Jersey Shore, about 50 miles from Newark and New York City. While some Jersey Shore beachfront communities look more like ghost towns in the winter months, West End thrives all year long. “Monmouth University has played a big role in shaping this community,” says Michael Dente, a Realtor with EXP Realty, who grew up in the county and has sold real estate locally and out of state for the past seven years. “The university enrolls thousands of students each year from around the U.S., which keeps the local nightlife going and brings a youthful energy to the town. We also have the older, more conservative crowd, and together, they balance each other well.” Cul-de-sac suburbs occupy the western part of the neighborhood, while gridded streets with shops, condos and more homes sit close to the coast. “When people talk about the Jersey Shore, Long Branch Beach is what they mean,” says Dente. West End’s wide, sandy beaches and oceanfront boardwalk hold something for everyone. Public beach access here comes with a fee. Adults ages 18-61 pay $6 each on weekdays and $9 on weekends, while teens 14-17 pay $3 every day. Season passes cost $70 for adults and $30 for teens. Kids 13 and under and adults 62 and older get free entry. “Unlike beach towns like Point Pleasant, which is more family-oriented, or Wildwood, which tends to be overcrowded, Long Branch has the nightlife and a relaxed ambiance that never feels too packed,” says Dente. “Even in peak season, higher prices keep crowds to a minimum.” Additionally, 2 miles north is Monmouth Park with horse races from May to September, and Wolf Hill Recreation Area, which offers an 18-hole disc golf course and two fenced dog areas. Pier Village, Long Branch’s high-end mall, is steps from the boardwalk with upscale restaurants like Salt Steakhouse and Sirena Ristorante. Other shopping centers, like the West End Avenue shopping district, are within blocks of the beach with stores like Stop & Shop for essentials. The shopping district also has several Latin American eateries, such as Matiz Shore House and Sergio’s Restaurant and Burger. In the same area, kosher delis and fine-dining restaurants, such as 656 Ocean, accommodate a growing Jewish population. West End residents also visit Butcher Block, a local butcher shop and restaurant with fresh meats. "It gets so busy, even in the off-season, that you need to know someone to get a reservation on a Saturday night,” says Dente. With college students from Monmouth University in town as the tourist season wanes, bars like Nip-N-Tuck, Celtic Cottage Pub and The Wine Loft stay open late throughout the week. Every August, Brighton Avenue fills up with antique sedans and roadsters for the annual West End Cruise Night and Classic Car Show. Long Branch Beach also hosts Oceanfest, the largest Independence Day celebration in New Jersey, and concerts throughout the summer, including the Long Branch Jazz & Blues Festival in August. Homes in West End include a mix of smaller, well-maintained houses from the 1900s and spacious homes on half-acre lots. Older ranch-style and bungalow-style houses typically sell for $500,000 to $700,000, while colonial-style homes with four to six bedrooms go for $900,000 to $1.5 million. Newer contemporary-style properties have up to nine bedrooms and usually sell for $2 million up to $10 million. Oceanfront high-rise condos with private terraces and luxury amenities sell for $1 million to $5 million. Lower-priced condos are also available, many of which are only blocks from the beach, and usually sell for $350,000 to $750,000. The CAP Index gives West End a crime score of 5. The national average is 4. Students may start at Gregory Elementary, which gets a C from Niche, before attending Long Branch Middle, which also has a C. At Long Branch High, which earns a B-minus, students can enroll in specialized academies, such as STEM and social justice. Monmouth University is less than a mile west. Monmouth Medical Center, affiliated with Rutgers University, is also within blocks of the neighborhood. The Long Branch train station offers service to Newark in as little as an hour, and service to New York City is just an additional 30 minutes. In-town bus service runs north-south along Norwood Avenue through West End and connects to communities south, such as Elberon, Deal, Allenhurst and Asbury Park. Those driving can take Garden State Parkway, located 5 miles west, which runs from Paterson all the way down the Jersey Shore to Cape May.