It's not just another home. It's another world.

Mt. Laurel, NJ – Recently, Burlington County Freeholders held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of a new trail along the Rancocas Creek. This celebration marked the forward movement in the county’s plan to create an interconnecting network of trails along the Rancocas Greenway.

Plans for this project include the development of a completely new hiking and biking trail, a half-mile stone path behind the J.S. Hovnanian & Sons’ Rancocas Pointe development at Centerton and Creek Roads in Mount Laurel. The trail spans a total of 25 miles, eventually connecting with the County’s other popular creekfront park sites, such as Boundary Creek Park 1.4 miles away.

Stephen and Peter Hovnanian, principals of local Mt. Laurel homebuilder J.S. Hovnanian & Sons, joined the Freeholders and Mount Laurel Mayor James Keenan in marking this special occasion. J.S. Hovnanian & Sons is not only the developer of the neighboring Rancocas Pointe community along the Creek, but also donated a 22-acre parcel used to create the trail spearheaded by founder Jirar S. Hovnanian.

“Standing here we realize, although part of a neighborhood, you’re being embraced by nature.  There is a quality of life here that is very unique and we are proud to be part of it,” said Peter Hovnanian.

The completed project work included trail clearing, development of stone dust pathways, construction of a boardwalk, and the strategic location planning of benches. The trail construction is unique in that it is the first County park development project funded entirely with State Green Acres dollars.  Some 25% of those funds come in the form of a grant, and the remaining 75% a low-interest loan. Altogether, it took three months of work to complete, with the total costs amounting to $267,000.

Since we opened our doors in 1964, we have successfully weathered four housing recessions because of our decades of experience and strategic planning based on a long-view approach.  To us, that means an unwavering commitment to the quality and service of our homes as well as a responsibility to protect the investments of our homeowners.

The good news is that home values in BurlingtonCounty have stabilized and national mortgage companies no longer consider South Jersey a “declining market.”  This means the downward trend is over.

We have thoroughly evaluated the market changes that have affected home values in our communities, and based on our research, we have realigned our base prices and adjusted some of our incentives to be in line with today’s appraisals and neighborhood comparables.

Effective March 9^th, 2010 the base prices at Rancocas Pointe will be as follows:

• Marston - $497,900
• Westerly - $512,900
• Yarmouth - $519,900
• Fleetwood - $537,900

We hope that in understanding our strategy behind these changes and the importance of protecting our customers you will feel even more confident moving forward with the purchase of your J.S. Hovnanian & Sons home.  For more information about this new pricing please contact the sales office at 856-222-9051, or click "View Models" above.

For four generations, J.S. Hovnanian & Sons has remained ahead of the curve in offering new and exciting programs for buyers that prefer the distinct features and exquisite architectural designs of their homes. In doing so, the company has unveiled two new opportunities for buyers to customize their home in never-before-seen ways at their exclusive waterfront Rancocas Pointe community in Mt. Laurel.

First, the builder has expanded their list of upgraded luxury features to include new extraordinary options like chandelier lifts, double crown molding and direct vent kitchens. These options are now available on any new home purchased at Rancocas Pointe.

For new home shoppers with more sophisticated tastes, J.S. Hovnanian & Sons' new "Custom Choice Program" gives buyers the opportunity to sit down with the builder’s team of experts to modify their home with custom distinctive features that fit their unique lifestyle.

Rancocas Pointe already offers luxurious single-family homes with high-end features and artistic touches such as private libraries, designer kitchens, butler pantries, and master retreats star ting in the mid $500's. The Custom Choice Program gives buyers access to all of these luxury features and more for much less than the cost to design and construct a custom home.

For a $2,500 investment, which is applied toward the cost of the changes, the program includes two face-to-face meetings with the company principal, interior designer, director of purchasing and any other specialists to discuss the structural changes you want to make such as reconfiguring walls to combine rooms, rearranging a kitchen layout as well as adding a wet bar, home theater or fireplace in the master bedroom.

Throughout the building process, you'll be able to tour the home six times to ensure the custom changes you made are exactly what you envisioned. If not, you'll have the ability to make any additional changes.

"The Custom Choice Program is an exclusive program perfect for buyers who love the single-family designer homes at our exclusive waterfront Rancocas Pointe community, but are looking for the ability to customize," said Stephen Hovnanian, principal of J.S. Hovnanian & Sons. "The flexibility of this program allows them to incorporate their elaborate style and exceptional tastes and ensure throughout the construction process that the changes they made are what they envisioned."

The simplicity of enrolling in J.S. Hovnanian & Sons' Custom Choice Program upfront has many benefits. First, you won't have to deal with the hassle of coordinating contractors and putting your life on hold. Second, planning for changes allows time for consideration to all systems in your home, eliminating the unforeseen chain reactions that often come from ad hoc work. Third, J.S. Hovnanian & Sons is extending its legendary warranty service to cover all custom changes they install, whereas making changes after closing typically voids those warranties. And the best par t is allowing J.S. Hovnanian & Sons to make custom changes while your home is being built costs about 35-40% less than if you brought in a contractor after closing.