Calling All Tanya Tucker Fans (You Know Who You Are)

Nice Digs for a “Redneck Woman”

Like many other golf course communities that suffered during the real estate meltdown, Mystic Ridge in Tennessee had its own share of problems.  The developers, Eagle Ridge, LLC, broke ground in 2008, but nothing much happened to the area until their bank foreclosed on the 742 acre parcel of land near Arrington Vineyards about 25 minutes south of Nashville.  Activity recently resumed with the developers filing for re-approval from the county’s Planning Commission.  ”Better Late Than Never”!

Originally the development was to be called Stillwater at Mystic Ridge with homes starting at $599,000.  With the change in the market, it’s to be determined if homes will start at that price.  Included in the Mystic Ridge property is the 500 acre ranch and former home of country singer Tanya Tucker.  Her 22,000 square foot Georgian colonial was to house the community’s club house, pro shop, restaurant, pool, pool house, and multi-sport court.  A great place to dance until the “Delta Dawn”.  If you’re a “Redneck Woman” fan, you can pretend like you’re hobnobbing with “The Pride of Franklin County” while dining, swimming, and shopping in her former home.  What are you waiting for – “Come On Home”!

Don’t Build Your Childhood Dream House In Your Gated Community

When visiting the gated resort community that my parents live in, I can always spot which newly minted retiree is building a home that is either the childhood home of their dreams or incorporates some elements of what they always wanted.  What’s wrong with building your dream home you ask?  Well, nothing – in theory.  However, if you want to build something that is in keeping with current trends and market demands, you may want to re-think the detached garage, knotty pine, and closed off kitchen.  Why?  Simply put – tastes change and you might either want to or have to move some day.

When little girls put away pictures of their dream wedding, the headpiece that went across the forehead that they pictured themselves wearing suddenly looks a little dated when the actual big day comes.  The same goes for the leg o’mutton sleeves.

Sprays, big hair, leg o’mutton sleeves – she’s an 80s bride alright!

This logic also applies to homes.  It’s better to go with something that is in keeping with your neighborhood, which might be dictated by your community HOA, or something that adheres to the current homeowner trends.  This might include open floor plans and one floor living in some cases.  Before you think about writing in about how you like your dirty dishes out of sight, etc. I say that you are firmly in the minority.  If you think you will never move and this will be the last house you live in, remember those words when your grandchildren start arriving and you decide you want to be closer to family or when all of the steps in your two story home suddenly get to feel like a burden.  Think ahead and plan for the day when you might have to sell because that time may come sooner rather than later.

Write a Review About a Gated or Master Planned Community and We’ll Email You a $5 Walmart Gift Card

Write a review about a private community you know about on on www.AcrosstheFence.com and we’ll treat you to a $5 eGift card from Walmart. Here are some types of private communities:

• gated community,
• active adult community
• master planned community
• clothing optional community
• equestrian community
• boating community
• golf course community
• LGBT community

The Walmart eGift card will be emailed to the email address used to register on Acrossthefence.com.

How to Post a Review on Across the Fence:

1. Visit www.acrossthefence.com
2. Register on the site
3. Find communities you want to review by using the search criteria on the homepage. If the community you want to review is not listed, please request it be added by going to Individuals/Add a Community to the Database
4. Post your review.
5. Check your email in 24 hours for the Walmart eGift card.

We’re requesting genuine, quality input, which is why we’re starting with you! And the review must adhere to Across the Fence’s forum guidelines (no profanity, porn, etc.)  We’ll email you a gift card for every review you write.

Share this with your friends!

Why Realtors Should Write Community Reviews on Across the Fence

I was at a conference about a year ago and spoke with a realtor about the concept behind Across the Fence asked if she would write a review about a community that she was well versed about.  Her reaction was, “Why should I do this?’  I explained that if she sold homes in a particular community, people looking for information online about that community would find it helpful to know a few things about the place that might not be readily available through a standard listing.  The more information about a community there is, the more interest there will be, all leading to more possible sales for you.

Most people know that the power of online reviews cannot be disputed.  Depending on which research report you read, anywhere between 60-90% of people consult online reviews before making purchasing decisions.

If you have a listing in a gated, active adult, equestrian, or other type of private community and want prospective customers to seriously consider it for their next property purchase, write a review on Across the Fence and tell them why.   When filling out the review form, you have an opportunity to identify yourself as a realtor so readers know the viewpoint you bring.  Use your real name or website address as your screen name if you like.  For each new review submitted, Across the Fence sends the reviewer a $5 Starbucks eGift card to the email address used during registration.   Your input is valuable and welcome on Across the Fence!

Judge Refuses to Dismiss Gated Community from Lawsuit Over Woman Killed

Former Kentucky Legislator and Convicted Murderer, Steve Nunn

Most people who look for a gated community do so with the idea that they will get additional security and peace of mind when it comes to unwanted visitors.  The question of how much security a gated community is required to provide its residents is at the center of a court case in Kentucky concerning a woman who was murdered by her ex-fiance.  What makes this case all the more newsworthy concerns the people involved.  Steve Nunn, a former Kentucky State Representative and son of former Kentucky governor Louie Nunn, and his ex-fiance, Amanda Ross, who was also a state employee and 27 years his junior.  Steve Nunn was convicted to a life sentence without the possibility of parole thanks in part to a law he helped pass during his time in the Kentucky legislature. The community, the Opera House Square Townhouse Association in Lexington, KY has asked the judge in the case to dismiss them from a lawsuit filed by Amanda Ross’s mother accusing the community of negligence in responding to Ross’s requests for changes to the gate code and better lighting.  The judge has denied the request by the community.

If you’re living in a gated community and are concerned about your safety, how much help or support would you expect from your community in keeping unwanted guests outside the gates?

Judge Refuses to Dismiss Gated Community from Lawsuit Over Woman Killed by Nunn | WKU Public Radio.

PA Legislature Proposes Bill To Help Homeowners in Gated Communities

I KNEW SHE PAID FOR HER NOSE JOB WITH OUR ASSOCIATION FEES!!!

Representative Mike Carroll (D-118) of Pennsylvania introduced a bill in the House that would give property owners in private communities access to association documents.  Rep. Carroll co-sponsored the bill saying “With alarming frequency, people come to me with frustrations about getting access to association records.”  The bill has been introduced in the past but could not garner enough momentum to make it to the floor for discussion.

With more and more people living in gated communities and other types of private communities, the bill may make it through this time giving more rights to home owners wanting greater transparency in how their communities are being run.

Proposed bill would help homeowners in gated communities | PoconoRecord.com.

Survivalist Group Accepting Applications to Live in Idaho Gated Community

Map of The Citadel in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho

A survivalist group organized by doomsday prepper Sam Kerodin is accepting applications for people interested in living in a gated community in Benewah County, Idaho.  The new development is to be called The Citadel and is expected to house up to 7000 families.  The group claims to currently have about 200 committed families interested in the community.  Before you get too excited, as with many exclusive communities, they won’t just let anyone in.  There is a fairly extensive list of requirements that applicants must meet before you can build a home within or outside of their gates.  Here are a few just to give you a taste of what you can expect as a Citadel resident:

1.  Each family must have at least one year’s worth of food stockpiled.

2.  You must pass a test demonstrating proficiency using a rifle.

3.  Children aged 13 or older must own an assault rile or similar type of weapon with 1000 rounds of ammunition.

4.  People are encouraged to raise livestock.

Still interested but concerned about how you’ll make a living in Benewah County, Idaho?  The founders of The Citadel have thought of everything.  In keeping with their focus on second amendment rights, they have already purchased land to start their own gun factory where they will be offering employment opportunities.  The group also plans to have their own currency system produced and run by their own bank.  Ambitious!

If this sounds like your idea of paradise, you can apply online.  There is a $208 application fee, but if your application is denied they’ll refund all but $33 of it.  (Administrative fees, you know.)

To find out more about The Citadel gated community, visit the links below:

http://iiicitadel.com/

http://kerodin.com/

Another Religious Community Currently Under Construction

Rendering of the Our Lady of Grace Church in the Planned Development in Maricopa, AZ

The Our Lady of Grace Parish in Macricopa, AZ received unanimous approval from from the town council earlier last year to break ground on a planned community in Maricopa.    The planned community will be built around a new Catholic church that could seat up to 1500 people.  Retail spaces, apartments, condos, and single family homes will be part of the housing makeup in the planned community.

For more information Our Lady of Grace Parish and their planned community, please visit the following links:

http://maricopacatholic.org/ourladygracechurch.org/newchurch/default.html

Catholic parish’s proposal for planned community on city council agenda | InMaricopa.com.

Kings Point: A Documentary About the Less Than Happy Side of Living In an Active Adult Community

An image from Kings Point

There is a new movie that’s come out generating a lot of buzz about what it’s really like to live in an active adult community.  It’s a documentary that was filmed by the granddaughter of a resident of Kings Point, an active adult community in Delray Beach, Florida.  The documentary has been getting rave reviews and winning awards at various film festivals around the country.

The movie interviews several residents of Kings Point and asks them what it’s like to live there, revealing a difficult side of living in an active adult community.  For example, the health of residents seems to have an impact on their social life, along with the lopsided numbers of women in the communities competing for the company of the smaller numbers of eligible men.  While the seniors who gravitate to active adult communities expected to have a vibrant social life with their contemporaries, some of the residents have said that they did not consider their neighbors to be more than acquaintances because their real friends were the ones they left behind before moving to Kings Point.

Regardless of how people feel about active adult communities, it’s probably worth watching just to get a view of what it might be like to live in an active adult community for a very long time.  Here’s a link to the movie’s website:   http://www.kingspointmovie.com/

Religious Communities on Across the Fence

It took a lot of pizza to build Ave Maria!!

The newest category of private community to be added to Across the Fence are religious communities.  We’ve been able to identify a handful of communities that were created with the idea of giving people the opportunity to live in an area that highlight the values and beliefs of specific religious.

Ave Maria is one such community that was created by the founder of Domino’s Pizza, Tom Monaghan.  The town is centered around Ave Maria University, which was the first Catholic university to be built in 40 years.  While the town is open to people of all faiths, one of the centerpieces of Ave Maria is an architecturally significant Catholic church.  Originally, Monaghan intended Ave Maria to be place devoid of contraceptives and pornography.  The laws of the land have since dictated what can actually be banned from Ave Maria.  Like many private and gated communities, Ave Maria has not been without its hard times and public stumbles.  However, it has managed to create a desirable community in what was once swampland in Southwest Florida.

For more religious communities, check out Across the Fence and select Religious in the Target Demographic box.