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: January 15th, 2013 | Author: www.acrossthefence.com | Filed under: Active Adult Community, Gated Community, Master Planned Community, Planned Community, Private Community, Resort Community | Tags: gated community, master planned community, planned community, private community, real estate, resort community | No Comments »
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.
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: November 7th, 2012 | Author: www.acrossthefence.com | Filed under: Active Adult Community, Gated Community, Master Planned Community, Planned Community, Private Community, Real Estate, Uncategorized | Tags: active adult community, age-restricted community, gated community, master planned community, planned community, private community, real estate | No Comments »
Which way to the co-housing community?
The New York Times ran an article several weeks ago describing a situation at a community in Bremerton, WA that is described at a co-housing community. Co-housing shares a number of characteristics similiar to any planned community, with the biggest differences being that it is a pedestrian-oriented community where residents take an active part in the community’s initial design. Additionally, residents prepare and share any number of meals together in a common kitchen area and perform most of the community’s upkeep themselves. There is a Co-Housing Association of the United States which provides information about co-housing communities and counts about 110 co-housing communities in the country. Interestingly enough, co-housing is growing in popularity for seniors who wish to live independently, but need the safety and security that comes with being part of a tight knit community.
This specific case centered around a community formally called Meadow Wood that originally started as an orthodox Christian c-housing community, but then evolved on paper into a less stringently religious community in order to attract condo buyers and preserve property values. However, there were charges of bias against residents who did not participate in the full extent of the religious activities and a Fair Housing Discrimination suit ensued leading to the events described in the article.
The bottom line is that anyone considering co-housing needs to think very carefully before entering into a living arrangement that depends on the high level of cooperation and sharing promoted by c0-housing. It won’t be for everyone.
Read more about the Meadow Wood story by clicking on the link below:
When Visions of a Christian Community Collide – NYTimes.com.
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: 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 14th, 2012 | Author: www.acrossthefence.com | Filed under: Active Adult Community, Gated Community, Master Planned Community, Planned Community, Private Community, Real Estate, Resort Community, Second Home, Uncategorized | Tags: active adult community, gated community, master planned community, planned community, private community, real estate, resort community, second home | No Comments »
How many people did you say lived there???
Thinking that you want to move to a gated community to escape the riff-raff and hang with other like-minded champagne and caviar-type people? Not so fast! Apparently the housing downturn has unexpectedly created landlords out of people struggling to hang on to their large homes in well-known gated communities. The Florida Sun Sentinel reports that property owners who have difficulty paying mortgages or want a steady source of income are turning to the government to bring in rent and keep their homes occupied. In some cases, the arrangements have worked out fine. In other cases, not so much (22 people living in one house!). In one case, the community has not responded to the new residents with open arms:
“After a single mother and her nine children rented a house in the exclusive Isles neighborhood of Coral Springs, the homeowners association adopted an amendment to its governing documents stating: “No Section 8 or government leasing assistance is permitted.”
Which communities with homes eligible for Section 8 renters were mentioned in the article? Monarch Lakes, Greenacres near Palm Beach, Miramar’s Windsor Palms and Bellagio at Vizccaya, and the Isles in Coral Springs.
To see a full list of Section 8 approved housing to see if your community has any Section 8 homes, visit www.gosection8.com.
Click on the link below to read the full article in the Sun Sentinel:
Large gated South Florida homes rented by Section 8 tenants
Posted: September 12th, 2012 | Author: www.acrossthefence.com | Filed under: Active Adult Community, Master Planned Community, Planned Community, Private Community, Real Estate, Resort Community, Uncategorized | Tags: active adult community, age-restricted community, gated community, master planned community, planned community, private community, real estate | No Comments »
Are you on the list??
The International Foundation for Protection Officers published a piece on their website about gated communities and the security involved. They break out the types of gated communities into three categories:
1. lifestyle communities – centered around a specific lifestyle such as golf, equestrian, etc.
2. elite communities – for the rich or people who like to act like they are rich
3. security zone communities – mainly located in lower income or inner city areas and designed to be self-designated fortresses
While people who reside in these communities enjoy the sense of security and reduced traffic coming through the community, there are pros and cons to living in these communities. With regards to crime, there appears to be a slight benefit as noted in the piece and cited throughout referencing various research articles:
“The major question that is asked of gated communities is “Do they really keep crime rates down?” The answer seems to be yes, but only by very little. The city of Miami reports that “some forms of crime such as car theft are reduced, at least immediately after the streets are closed. However, data indicates that the long-term crime rate is at best only marginally altered” (Blakely, 1995, p. 1).
In gated communities, the trend is that crimes against the person go down and stay down in controlled access developments. This occurs because perpetrators do not want to go to an area that they are unfamiliar with and where it might be hard for them to make an escape. “According to preliminary research, crimes such as burglary drop in the first year or so of gating, but then rise back to the level of the areas outside”(Diamond 4).
Many people believe that the residents of gated communities are living with a false sense of security. According to Ed Cross, a real estate broker, “It’s a marketing gimmick; it’s a fad” (Diamond, 1997, p. 5). The codes to unmanned gates are also given out to numerous people who do not live in the community but have frequent access, such as pizza delivery boys. Many also argue that the communities cannot be as safe as they advertise. Many individuals wonder how far a security guard, who receives $9 an hour, will go to enforce internal laws on the private property. The security is only as good as the people who provide it.
There is also an issue on access to the communities by emergency vehicles. With more communities being built, and more security codes being used, it is becoming more difficult for emergency personnel to access the gates. “In East Lake Florida, rescue workers must rummage through a briefcase containing as many as 50 separate gate-opening devices for unmanned entries”(Diamond, 1997, p. 5). Many rescue workers also complain of time lost in maneuvering over-sized emergency vehicles into narrow gates.”
In short, there are many pros and cons, but ultimately, neighbors looking out for one another is the best way to be safe and secure within any community, gates or no gates.
security training | security officer training | security guard training | International Foundation for Protection Officers.
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: August 29th, 2012 | Author: www.acrossthefence.com | Filed under: Gated Community, Master Planned Community, Planned Community, Private Community, Real Estate, Uncategorized | Tags: gated community, master planned community, planned community, private community, real estate | No Comments »
The following article in the New York Times described a novel experiment capitalizing on the relatively controlled group in Mueller, a Texas master-planned community. The purpose? Monitor how people use and charge electric cars – in this case, primarily the Chevy Volt.
The Chevy Volt
“On Tuesday, General Motors and its OnStar division announced they would partner with Pecan Street Incorporated to conduct a smart-grid demonstration project in Mueller, a master-planned community roughly three miles from downtown Austin, Tex. The Chevrolet Volt will play a key role.
The project, supported b a $10.4 million grant from the Energy Department and more than $14 million in matching funds from project partners, is intended to test an integrated clean-energy smart grid in a 700-acre urban neighborhood developed on the site of a shuttered airport. Although Pecan Street is at the helm of the test operation, it also includes researchers from the University of Texas, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Environmental Defense Fund.”
G.M. Participates in a Test of Smart-Grid Features in Master-Planned Community – NYTimes.com.
