Ask where Greater Philadelphia’s downsizers actually end up and South Jersey comes up constantly, for a simple reason: it built what downsizers want. Gloucester, Camden, and Burlington counties hold one of the region’s deepest inventories of age-restricted, single-level housing, at price points Pennsylvania’s collar counties rarely match. Licensed on both sides of the river, Samantha works these moves in both directions. Here is the map, with the tradeoffs left in.
Why South Jersey pulls downsizers
- Inventory depth. Dozens of 55+ communities concentrated within a few townships, so buyers can actually compare rather than wait.
- Price. The affordable end, established communities in Williamstown and Mount Laurel, trades at levels that let a Pennsylvania seller bank a large share of their equity.
- Proximity. Woolwich, Mount Laurel, and West Deptford all sit within roughly half an hour of Center City and the Pennsylvania suburbs, close enough for grandchildren and old routines.
Gloucester County: depth and new construction
Gloucester County has one of the deepest 55+ inventories anywhere in the region, split between two poles:
- Four Seasons at Weatherby (Woolwich). The county’s resort-style anchor: a gated K. Hovnanian community of 428 single-family ranch homes with a clubhouse, outdoor pool, tennis, and a full-time activities director, near Swedesboro and Mullica Hill. The related Preserve at Weatherby extends the same corridor at the premium end.
- The Williamstown cluster. Holiday City, Summerfields West, Whitehall Gardens, and several neighbors give Williamstown the county’s deepest selection of accessible price points, mostly single-level two-bedroom homes.
- Riverwinds (West Deptford). Communities like Pelican Place and the Reserve at Riverwinds draw buyers who want the riverfront trail network and community center alongside 55+ living.
Burlington and Camden counties
Burlington County’s inventory is anchored by the Mount Laurel corridor. Holiday Village and Holiday Village East, both built by J.S. Hovnanian, are separate established communities with their own associations and clubhouses, and they are perennial favorites for value: carriage homes, patio homes, and condos with active social calendars. The county’s options extend through Medford (Wyngate), Bordentown, and the newer Venue at Smithville Greene. Camden County runs at higher price points with strong demand, including Four Seasons at Forest Meadows in Sicklerville.
The New Jersey tax rules to know
Three New Jersey rules matter to downsizers, and all three are covered with figures and sources in our PA/NJ tax guide:
- The realty transfer fee and its senior discount. New Jersey’s seller-paid transfer fee includes a partial exemption for qualifying seniors 62 and older selling a primary residence, per the NJ Division of Taxation.
- The so-called exit tax. An estimated-tax withholding at closing when a resident sells and leaves the state, reconciled at filing, not an extra tax for most sellers.
- The Senior Freeze (Property Tax Reimbursement). Reimburses eligible long-term NJ residents for property tax increases on their home, per nj.gov. Relevant for parents already in New Jersey, and for anyone planning to stay long term after the move.
Sequencing a cross-river move
A Pennsylvania-to-New-Jersey downsizing move is two transactions in two states, and the order matters. South Jersey’s deeper inventory means buyers often can find the next home before listing, which shifts the calculus toward buying first if the equity supports it. The tradeoffs, bridge options, rent-backs, and contingent offers, are laid out in the sell-first-or-buy-first guide. Since Samantha is licensed in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey, one agent can run both sides of the sequence, and the plan starts, as always, with a real number for the current house. Selling in Cherry Hill itself? The township requires two inspections before closing; the Cherry Hill seller guide has the fees, the checklists, and the senior discount most people miss. There are township guides for Mount Laurel, home of the Holiday Village 55+ cluster, Voorhees, where Centennial Mill anchors the local downsizing market, Moorestown, Evesham / Marlton, Medford, home of the Medford Leas continuing-care campus, Gloucester Township with its six fire districts, and Washington Township and Deptford in Gloucester County as well.