Flo Martino has been a Monmouth County resident for 15 years, so when the time came for her to downsize from her large, 5-bedroom home in Middletown, she had a pretty good idea where she wanted to be.

"I knew I wanted to stay in Monmouth," Flo said. "That part was easy. All my family is here, and my friends. I just needed to find something a little smaller, and I thought it would be great to be closer to the beach."

After selling her Middletown home, Flo rented in a K. Hovnanian Homes' community for a while, giving her a chance to really look around Monmouth to find the ideal neighborhood. One day this past January, she found her way to K. Hovnan

"I saw the model and that was it," she laughs. "I fell in love with it! It was exactly what I was looking for: beautiful homes, a fantastic location, and a tremendous value. Nothing else compared to it!"

Just a block from the beach near Pier Village, one of the Jersey shore's hottest entertainment, shopping and dining destinations, The Views at Beachfront North is a collection of 17 shore-inspired residences and 3 spacious townhomes, ranging in size from 1,962 to 4,131 square feet of luxurious living space. The homes are architecturally distinct, offering up to 3 levels of private porches and expansive decks. And with pricing starting from only $675,000 for such spacious homes, the value is simply unbeatable. Flo chose one of only three townhomes available at Beachfront North, all of which are now already sold out.

"I looked at a number of other communities," Flo notes, "but by far, Beachfront North provided the biggest bang for the buck."

Flo was truly impressed with the size of her new home. "When I saw the models, which are actually single-family homes and not townhomes, I immediately thought, 'These are big homes!' And truthfully, the townhomes are not that much smaller than the single-family homes. I was really impressed with how much space there is."

The first floor includes a porch, a garage and the entrance to the home. There's a bathroom with shower as well as the laundry room. From the garage or the foyer, one can go to the family room or go up the stairs to the main floor. On the main floor, there's a generous great room, a large dining room and a state-of-the-art kitchen with island and breakfast bar as well as an eating nook. There are decks in the front and back of the home.

The great room and kitchen were what really knocked the socks off of Flo, so to speak. "They're spectacular," she emphasized. "The gourmet kitchen is just amazing. I mean, it has everything you could ask for: a top-of-the-line appliance package, beautiful cabinets, granite countertops. And the living room-dining room combination? Just spectacular."

The bedrooms are on the third floor. The generous master suite has a coffered ceiling and a large master bath that includes a two-bowl vanity, shower and soaking tub. The master suite also includes a private deck as well as a generous walk-in closet. The two other bedrooms at the far end of the hall also are large. There's also a full bathroom including a tub with shower.

The homes offer an impressive list of standard features, as Flo points out, and each home can be personalized at K. Hovnanian's Home Design Gallery, where Flo spent the better part of a day choosing options. "I could go on and on about this home," she reiterated. "It's just spectacular. Hardwood floors throughout. It's everything I could have asked for, and more."

The location is pretty impressive in itself, as Flo is quick to point out. "It's so close to the beach!" she laughs. "It can't get better than that! I can walk wherever I need to go – it's all right there. The beach, Pier Village, which is such a hot spot. There's always something going on there – great restaurants, shops, a really nice Tiki bar. This is the perfect spot. It's close to where I work, very accessible to the mall, the racetrack, the Parkway... you name it."

In addition, New York City is an easy drive up the Garden State Parkway or a relaxing ride on New Jersey Transit. The train station is within walking distance, and the ferry to New York City is in nearby Atlantic Highlands.

Flo Martino was also pleased to note her positive experience working with the team at K. Hovnanian Homes. "I just can't say enough good things about them," she emphasizes. "The process was seamless, from start to finish. Everyone I worked with, from the sales office to the design center, the mortgage and financing people – they've all been so amazing. They go out of their way to help you, down to every last detail. The whole experience has been wonderful. I can't wait to move in!"

One other person who just might be as excited to move in as Flo is her college-age son. "He's away at school during the year," Flo says, "but he is loving the idea of living at the Jersey shore when he's home from school!"