Posted: March 11th, 2013 | Author: www.acrossthefence.com | Filed under: Gated Community, Golf Course Community, Master Planned Community, Planned Community, Private Community, Uncategorized | Tags: gated community, golf course community, master planned community, private community, real estate | No Comments »
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”!
Posted: February 27th, 2013 | Author: www.acrossthefence.com | Filed under: Active Adult Community, clothing optional communitiy, Equestrian Community, gated communities in New York, Gated Community, Golf Course Community, Master Planned Community, Planned Community, Private Community, Resort Community, Second Home, Uncategorized | Tags: active, active adult community, age-restricted community, equestrian community, gated community, golf course community, master planned community, planned community, private community | 1 Comment »
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!
Posted: January 7th, 2013 | Author: www.acrossthefence.com | Filed under: Active Adult Community, Equestrian Community, Gated Community, Golf Course Community, Master Planned Community, Planned Community, Private Community | Tags: active adult community, equestrian community, equine community, gated community, golf course community, master planned community, planned community, private community, resort community | No Comments »
This post was contributed by guest blogger College Football Fan:
One word says it all....
After spending multiple years in a planned community our experiences and observations have made us better able to judge the wisdom or folly in having purchased a home in the community. To be fair, the planned community we live in is very pretty, safe and there are many friendly property owners. A later blog will describe some of the more positive attributes of our property ownership in the planned community. The current blog will attempt to provide some first –hand, original information we wish we would have known or paid attention to before purchasing property in our current planned community. The items are not listed in order of importance. In hindsight, would the additional knowledge made a difference in purchasing or not purchasing in our current location? The answer is probably yes.
- I wish we would have had the foresight to see the astronomical increase in home insurance costs for homes on or near the east coast of the United States. A home does not have to be on the coast to be considered a coastal county – just near the coast. A family will have to pay three-to-five times the insurance premium as compared to what they would pay for a similar home in a non-coastal county. Furthermore, depending on the insurance company, there may be a “hurricane deductible” in the event there is a hurricane. The “hurricane deductible” more than likely will mean that the homeowner will be paying more out of his/her pocket than the regular deductible found in home policies. Also, if the planned community is not within six miles of a fire station one will be in the worst protection category and consequently the premium will be extremely high. Do not buy property in the community if the property is more than six miles from a fire station unless you are willing to pay a very high home insurance premium.
- I wish we would have paid more attention to the lack of stores and businesses near our planned community. The lack of shopping, health care facilities, cultural locations, etc. is an inconvenience. One has to have a round trip of anywhere from sixty miles to 160 miles to complete various visitations. Many of the community residents do not mind such travel.
- I wish we would have paid more attention to the poor quality of the “fitness center” and the “library” on the planned community. The pitiful fitness center has equipment rusting, few machines, no scheduled maintenance, cobwebs are present, and a general noticeable lack of care provided to the center. If four people use the fitness center at the same time it is crowded. The “library” is merely a collection of fiction paperback and hardcover books stored on some bookshelves. There are no chairs, computers, magazine subscriptions or anything one might recognize in a “library.” It is a “library” in name only.
- I wish we would have had the foresight to know that the planned community was going to set aside time for some property owners to rent the swimming pool for private use at the exclusion of other property owners who use the pool. The excluded property owners continue to pay the full fee for the use of the pool.
- I wish we would have known that the planned community management would close the hot tub four months every year to save money. The warmth of the hot tub in the winter months feels wonderful. Now it is closed. Even though the hot tub is closed the planned community still assesses the property owner as though the hot tub were not closed.
- I wish we would have had the foresight to know that the planned community management would be unresponsive to questions and concerns. Homeowners have commented that legitimate inquiries have been ignored by responsible planned community personnel.
- I wish we would have had the foresight and skepticism regarding “promises” or “future plans” for future buildings and services in property literature or voiced by development salesperson. Unless facilities or services are already established, they probably will not be provided without more money out of the property owner’s pocket in the form of an additional assessment. After the planned community has been established for a period of time and new buildings or services are needed, there will be such a diversity of opinion on the need and costs that it may be next to impossible form a consensus to expand and improve the community. At least, that has been the experience in our current planned community.
All above explanations are this writer’s experiences, observations and impressions. Others who live in the planned community would take exception to the descriptions while others would say that I was correct and would probably suggest other items to add to the list. Again, there are many worthwhile attributes to our planned community and they will be described later.
Posted: November 19th, 2012 | Author: www.acrossthefence.com | Filed under: Active Adult Community, Gated Community, Master Planned Community, Planned Community, Private Community, Resort Community, Second Home, The Villages, Uncategorized | Tags: active adult community, age-restricted community, gated community, golf course community, master planned community, planned community, private community, resort community, second home | No Comments »
Boise? Really???
Every week someone is publishing another “Best Places to Retire” list giving advice on where boomers might consider for retirement. However, these lists usually use different sets of criteria when compiling their lists, and these criteria may not be the ones that are most important to you. A recent article in the Dallas Morning News talks about some of the things to keep in mind when perusing these lists:
1. Keep in mind the factors that are most relevant to you and the criteria used to create the list. Remember the earlier blog psot about retirees choosing cold weather locations over typical warm weather destinations? What’s most important to you when considering a retirement destination – walkability? access to cultural sights? proximity to family?
2. Affordability. Look at all of the costs associated with the retirement destination, not just income tax. Consider property tax and sales tax rates and also look at whether or not you can afford the location should a spouse die.
3. Access to services. This was covered in a previous blog post on Across the Fence. Are you OK with driving 20 minutes for a gallon of milk?
4. Proximity to family. Is being close to loved ones high on your list? Then maybe the golf course communities several states away might lose their appeal when you wind up traveling every holiday season.
Read the full article here:
How to choose the best location for retirement | Dallas-Fort Worth Personal Finance News – Business News for Dallas, Texas – The Dallas Morning News.
Posted: November 16th, 2012 | Author: www.acrossthefence.com | Filed under: Active Adult Community, Equestrian Community, Gated Community, Golf Course Community, manufactured homes, Master Planned Community, mobile homes, Planned Community, Private Community, Real Estate, Resort Community, Second Home, The Villages, Vacation Home | Tags: active adult community, age-restricted community, equestrian community, gated community, golf course community, master planned community, planned community, private community, real estate, resort community, second home, The Villages | No Comments »
The New Way to Spend Thanksgiving
Getting ready for Black Friday? For each review we publish on Across the Fence, we’ll email you a $5 Walmart e-gift card. Tell people what you think about the private communities you’ve visited or the one where you live! Offer good through Nov. 30, 2012.
Posted: October 23rd, 2012 | Author: www.acrossthefence.com | Filed under: Equestrian Community, Gated Community, Golf Course Community, Master Planned Community, Planned Community, Private Community, Real Estate, Resort Community, Uncategorized | Tags: active adult community, age-restricted community, gated community, golf course community, master planned community, planned community, private community, real estate, resort community | No Comments »
"I am really getting so sick of people letting hunters through the gates..I mean, wasn't the point of having the gates to keep certain people out??
Much to the dismay of deer and families, there are certain communities that are allowing limited hunting within gates to manage out of control animal populations that are damaging vegetation. As can be imagined, the expected concerns about safety are raised in these situations, particularly in communities where there are families with younger children present. Additionally, people concerned about the threat to the animals are voicing opposition to the hunts.
To read more about two communities that are allowing hunting within the gates, click here:
UPDATE: Judge Allows Bow Hunting In Emerald Isle Gated Community.
http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/03/03/366926/in-gated-community-dont-pester.html
Posted: October 12th, 2012 | Author: www.acrossthefence.com | Filed under: Active Adult Community, Equestrian Community, Gated Community, Golf Course Community, Master Planned Community, Planned Community, Private Community, Real Estate, Resort Community, Second Home, Uncategorized | Tags: active adult community, age-restricted community, equestrian community, gated community, golf course community, master planned community, planned community, private community, resort community, second home | No Comments »
WHAT THE...!!!!
The Orlando Sentinel published an article recently about the Bella Collina development in Lake County, FL and the astounding bills property owners are getting as a result of the recent purchase of the development. Here’s an excerpt:
“A company led by Washington Redskins co-owner Dwight C. Schar bought Bella Collina from beleaguered real-estate developer Bobby Ginn in June. Now Schar’s group has begun selectively issuing collection notices to individual property owners for back payments that total as much as $109,000 per lot, which in some cases exceeds the lot’s current market value.”
Only about 40 houses have been built in the 1800 acre development that was designed to accommodate 900 homes. A previous owner who let his house go into foreclosure is actor Chris Tucker of the movie Rush Hour fame. He purchased his Bella Collina house for $6 million in better times, and then the bank sold it for $1.7 million this year. Another celebrity owner is pro golfer Nick Faldo who purchased a lot for $1.25 million, but it’s now valued at $70,000 for tax purposes.
Just something to think about the next time you get your HOA bill! Read the full article here:
Mansions for sale: Indebted Bella Collina mansions for sale in Lake County – Orlando Sentinel.
Posted: September 17th, 2012 | Author: www.acrossthefence.com | Filed under: Gated Community, Golf Course Community, Master Planned Community, Planned Community, Private Community, Real Estate, Resort Community, Second Home, Uncategorized | Tags: gated community, golf course community, master planned community, planned community, private community, real estate, resort community, second home | No Comments »
You may want to avoid playing golf near Jeff Fleming’s house. The Washington Post reports:
“Jeff Fleming, 53, is accused of firing at a pair of golfers at the 16th hole on Thursday, striking the one who hit the home in Reno. The golfer was treated for minor injuries to an arm and both legs.”
Nevada man accused of shooting golfer whose errant ball broke window at home near golf course – The Washington Post.
Posted: September 7th, 2012 | Author: www.acrossthefence.com | Filed under: Active Adult Community, Equestrian Community, Gated Community, Golf Course Community, Master Planned Community, Planned Community, Private Community, Real Estate, Resort Community, Second Home, Uncategorized, Vacation Home | Tags: 2nd home mortgage, active adult community, age-restricted community, equestrian community, gated community, golf course community, master planned community, planned community, private community, real estate, resort community, second home, second home mortgage, vacation home | No Comments »
Whoa! This is heavy!!
The New York Times had an interesting, albeit a little dated, article about some things that people sometimes underestimate or overlook when considering purchasing a second home. To recap, here are the top things to keep in mind if you’re thinking of getting a second set of digs:
1. Most buyers tend to underestimate the maintenance costs of second home.
2. It’s less relaxing than they think it will be. Maintenance still needs to be done, and the property still needs upkeep.
3. It’s more time consuming to own a second property than they think.
4. Sometimes you run into strange or weird situations with neighbors, etc.
Wealth Matters – If It Causes Stress, Is It Really a Vacation Home? – NYTimes.com.
Posted: July 20th, 2012 | Author: www.acrossthefence.com | Filed under: Active Adult Community, Gated Community, Golf Course Community, Master Planned Community, Planned Community, Private Community, Real Estate, Resort Community, Uncategorized | Tags: Belfair Plantation, Berkeley Hall, California, Cliffs Communities, Colleton River Plantation, FL, gated community, golf course community, Horseshoe Bay Resort, master planned community, Mizner Country Club Delray Beach, planned community, private community, Pronghorn, Rams Hill Borrego Springs, real estate, resort community, WCI Communities | No Comments »
$1? How much wiggle room is there in that price?
The Wall Street Journal ran an article today discussing the difficult times faced by the developers of luxury golf communities and the people who bought property in them during the peak of the real estate market. Apparently some golf communities are coming up with various ways to address not only the decline in the real estate market, but also the general decline in interest in the sport of golf.
One lucky purchaser not only “bought” a lot at Colleton River Plantation in South Carolina for free, but the seller paid the $15,000 club initiation fee and the first year of the $17,000 annual membership dues at Colleton River.
Other communities mentioned in the article that are “selling” lots for $1 are:
1. Belfair Palntation
2. Colleton River Plantation
3. Berkeley Hall
Lots in these communities were originally selling for at least $150,ooo are now on sale for $1, or at least they will be until word gets out.
Want to know which other communities that are having fire sales on lots? Mizner Country Club in Delray Beach, FL, Horseshoe Bay Resort in Austin, TX, Pronghorn in Bend, OR, Rams Hill in Borrego Springs, CA, and The Cliffs Communities in various locations throughout the Carolinas.
In order to address the changes in the economy and the flagging popularity of golf, developers are building different features into their communties instead of golf courses such as bowling alleys, spas, and stocked fishing ponds to attract a wider variety of people. Another problem is that some of the courses designed by famous golf course architects were simply too difficult for the average player, which made play time too long and maintenance costs too high. (Read the Ask the Expert article on Across the Fence about matching your skill to the golf course community you may be considering.)
As an indication of the change in popularity of golf communities, the premium home buyers are willing to pay for a house on the course compared to one that’s not directly on a course has fallen from 50% in 2007 to 25% currently. This is per Doug Schwartz of WCI Communities in Bonita Springs, FL.
So what does this mean for you? Maybe it’s the right time to consider a golf course community. Start your search on Across the Fence!
