Long Branch, N.J. - Natalie Trunzo decided earlier this year she no longer wanted to shoulder the responsibility of taking care of her 4,300 square foot home. The real question was what to do next. Ms. Trunzo opted for renting at Pier Village, a new mixed-use community on the oceanfront in Long Branch, N.J. It was a temporary solution as she never imagined she would enjoy apartment living.

"I had planned to rent for a year before deciding what to do," Natalie recalls. "I fell in love with this community immediately, and just three months after I moved in I had already signed up for a second year."

This past April, Ms. Trunzo and her pet Maltese, Miss Lilly, joined a host of new residents at Pier Village, which features 320 luxury rental residences and more than 100,000 square feet of boutique shops and restaurants overlooking the oceanfront.

"I was tired of the responsibility that comes with being a homeowner," she recalls. Ms. Trunzo had little trouble adapting to her 2,000 square foot, three-bedroom Pier Village residence. "I just love it," she said. "I couldn't be happier. Each morning I wake up to the ocean just outside my window."

Pier Village's bustling retail and restaurant community provide the perfect atmosphere for Ms. Trunzo.

"The community has a quaint European Village type feel," she remarks. "I love all of the shops and restaurants. There's always someone to talk to and socialize with. It's just the ideal place to live, shop and mingle."

Developed by Applied Development Company, Pier Village features spacious studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts with designer fixtures, a full-size washer and dryer, and a full General Electric appliance package. Many of the residences offer vaulted ceilings and balconies, and most feature spectacular ocean views enhanced by oversized windows.

The ample space and breath-taking views provide the perfect setting for entertaining family and friends. Ms. Trunzo recalls the Fourth of July party she threw this summer.

"There were about twenty of us watching the fireworks from my balcony," she says. "It felt as if it were our own private show."

Moving into the holiday season, Ms. Trunzo was delighted to participate in the activities taking place at Pier Village. "I had a great time at the tree lighting ceremony and think that the ice skating rink is just great," she said, noting that Pier Village is not just a summer community.

Others seem to agree, as upwards of 245 residential leases have already been signed for the luxury residences at Pier Village. Monthly rents for the community's spacious homes start at $1,495 for one-bedroom residences, $2,075 for two-bedroom designs, and $4,125 for three-bedroom residences.

For more information on Pier Village, please call (732) 923-0100 or visit the website at www.piervillage.com.

To visit the community, take the Garden State Parkway to Exit 105. Proceed on Route 36 East to Rt. 71 South. Continue on Rt. 71 through 3rd traffic light onto Cedar Ave. On Cedar Ave. make a left onto Ocean Blvd. Proceed for 1.5 miles then make a right onto Laird St. Follow signs to Leasing Center.