The new ‘up and coming’ town in NJ is one you’ve never thought of

When the pandemic started pushing people from New York into New Jersey in droves, we found so many people flocking to the bedroom communities of New York. And while North Jersey has its advantages, the town that has really come out of nowhere to be the next up-and-coming area is Brick.

Ocean County in general has been one of the top areas people have chosen to move, but specifically, Brick Township.

An analysis of 2020 home sales compared to those for 2019 by the real estate group PropertyShark found that Brick was the No. 4 suburb chosen among those moving out of New York City.

And while you probably never thought of Brick as being a “hot” town, think about this: Brick has everything. And everyone. It’s diverse and growing. Its homes have space and are affordable: Brick Township had a median sales price of $305,500, with 1,968 sales up 339 from 2019.

It’s an extremely family-friendly environment less than 15 miles from the beach with convenient access to NYC, Philadelphia, and Atlantic City.

And unlike the North Jersey towns many people are flocking to, Brick has peaceful streets and a slower-paced feel than you might find in towns closer to NYC or Philly.

Another reason so many are moving to Brick is that of its population of 75,342, 85% are homeowners, while only 15% rent. That means something: A stable, family-oriented town whose residents want to put roots down there. Also, residents of Brick love its Mantoloking Bridge County Park, with its 70-foot-long pier, boardwalk, picnic area, and gazebo.

An article on HauteLiving profiles leading real estate broker Aline Hennessy, who has chosen Brick as the hot town to focus on. She cites such things as Sephora and Trader Joe’s now calling Brick their homes to many developers rushing to buy land to develop to keep up with demand. She also notes that there’s “a little of everything” in Brick. The successful realtor also calls Brick her home.

So while 10 years ago you may have scoffed at the idea of investing in Brick, now may be the time.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco only.

You can now listen to Dennis & Judi — On Demand! Hear New Jersey’s favorite best friends anytime, anywhere and any day of the week. Download the Dennis & Judi show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now: