Encore Monroe

Encore at Monroe is a luxurious, gated 55+ active adult community spread across 120 beautifully landscaped acres in Monroe Township, in the heart of Middlesex County, New Jersey. Developed by Spectrum Skanska between 2002 and 2006, the community is comprised of 394 single-family resort-style homes arranged along tree-lined streets and quiet cul-de-sacs. Encore operates under a 55/48 age policy — at least one resident must be 55 or older, with a spouse or partner permitted at age 48+. Homes were offered in eight different floor plans (including the popular Sonata, Chopin, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Concerto, and the largest Overture model) ranging from roughly 1,597 to 2,888 square feet. Each home features two to three bedrooms, two to three full baths, an attached two-car garage, and open floor plans with cathedral ceilings, gourmet kitchens with center islands or breakfast bars, and spacious primary suites. Several plans include second-floor lofts with optional storage. Because the community is fully built out, all sales are resale, and many homes have been extensively upgraded with hardwood floors, quartz or granite counters, stainless appliances, expanded sunrooms, paver patios, and renovated baths. Life at Encore centers on the 18,000-square-foot clubhouse — the community's social and recreational hub. Inside, residents enjoy a state-of-the-art fitness center, an indoor pool with spa and sauna, an aerobics and dance studio, a grand ballroom, a library, a computer room, a billiards room, card rooms, and an arts and crafts studio. Outside, there are two tennis courts, bocce and shuffleboard courts, horseshoe pits, a putting green, an outdoor pool, and walking trails winding through the property. A full-time activities/lifestyle director keeps the calendar packed. Active clubs and groups include bowling, bridge, canasta, Mah Jongg, the Italian American Club, jewelry making, pottery and painting classes, cooking classes, a theater group, movie nights, the "Kick Up Your Heels" dance group, a singles club, men's and women's clubs, a tennis club, and even a "Geek Squad" of resident volunteers who help neighbors with computer and tech issues. The social culture is notably warm and welcoming — new residents are routinely folded into the mix quickly. Location is one of Encore's strongest selling points. The community sits just one mile from Exit 8A of the New Jersey Turnpike, putting Manhattan and Philadelphia each roughly an hour away by car. Everyday errands are handled at the nearby Concordia Shopping Center (Super Stop & Shop, Walgreens, drugstores, and restaurants along Applegarth Road), and the community is within walking distance of stores and a bus stop. Upscale shopping at Freehold Raceway Mall is under 15 minutes away, Thompson Park offers outdoor recreation less than 5 miles away, and nearby golf options include Concordia Golf Club and Rossmoor Golf Course. Four hospitals serve the immediate area, and Newark Liberty International Airport is about 35 miles north.