Barnegat or Little Egg Harbor? (Ocean Acres, Manahawkin: houses, neighborhoods, buy)

[sak9210]

We started house hunting yesterday. Found a couple houses we loved in Little Egg Harbor, but didn't seem to be much around except for an Acme and Naples Pizza (where we stopped for lunch, and it was pretty good btw). I was told that I would have to drive up to Manahawkin for any other shopping, such as a Target, restaurants, etc.

Also looked at a house in Barnegat that we liked, but unsure of that area.

I have a 1, 3, and 19 yr old. Schools are important being my 3 yr old has special needs.

Any thoughts on either one of these areas? Good or bad?

(Ocean Acres section of Manahawkin is also on our list)

Thanks

[JERSEY MAN]

Ocean Acres in Man has a new grammer school that's nice on Nautilus Avenue. Ocean Acres also opened up the Barnegat side with city water and sewer. U can buy a new 3,000 sq. ft. house with a basement for about 300K. Taxes between 6 and 7K. I would pick Man first, Barn, second and LEH would be last. JMO. as I had a summer house in the area for about 20 years.

[tahiti]

Originally Posted by JERSEY MAN

Ocean Acres in Man has a new grammer school that's nice on Nautilus Avenue. Ocean Acres also opened up the Barnegat side with city water and sewer. U can buy a new 3,000 sq. ft. house with a basement for about 300K. Taxes between 6 and 7K. I would pick Man first, Barn, second and LEH would be last. JMO. as I had a summer house in the area for about 20 years.

totally agree. IIRC Barnegat taxes are significantly higher than Mana apples to apples. LEH is kinda "out there".

[Kyrbyboy]

Where are you moving from? And Where in LEH are the houses you looked at? It's still a growing town, with a super Wal-Mart being planned. There's also other new strip malls in the works along Route 9 and Mathistown Rds there, although not much has panned out yet until the economy improves. Barnegat is also growing and already has tons of shopping but traffic isn't the best. Manahawkin is the center of everything, there are lots of nice areas in Ocean Acres, but traffic is horrendous, especially in the summer.

I'm not sure about the special ed programs in the schools, some people send kids to special schools in other towns which have excellent programs. The elementary school in ocean acres is well over 10 years old so it isn't new but still nice none the less. The mckinley & intermediate schools (the grade levels above the elementary schools) are also state-of-the-art. Depending on where in barnegat, some elementary schools are nicer than others, the one in settlers isn't the nicest. Both elementary schools in LEH were renovated within the past 2 years and are good systems.

If you're planning on living long-term into the middle and high school years, Barnegat's middle school was recently remodeled and the hs is only a couple years old. Southern in manahawkin is pretty state of the art but huge and apparently not the best. Pinelands in leh is dirty and doesn't have the best reputation but still a good school, very community-oriented.

If you're planning on LEH, look in newer developements like kara homes, cross creek, harourtown, holly lakes, etc. lots of kids in those neighborhoods and close to shopping. Mystic island doesn't have the best reputation but has some nice streets (particularly at the west end of center street). Houses in parkertown or nugentown are nice but far out and not many kids. Settler's landing in Barnegat is crummy but the Deer Chase/Brookville area north of Bay Ave is nice, as well as Ocean acres. OA is also probably the best part of manahawkin.