Gated Communities: Are They For You?
There is something uniquely American about gated communities
.
Usually tucked away in the suburbs, they are given majestic
titles, such as Yosemite Rivers or Acadia Meadows. They
feature narrow, winding streets that also have cutsey names
like Bubbling Brook Circle. If you can stand the naming, you
have the actual houses. While many of them tend to be large
3-bedrooms or bigger, they do tend to all look the same. Most
of them feature manicured lawns that look better than the
local municipal golf course. But for some people, this is a
snapshot of the American Dream. Should you buy a home in a
gated community? Lets take a look at some of the plusses
and minuses.
A big plus for most potential homeowners is that houses in
gated communities keep their value. Since maintenance rules
for most gated communities are so strict and there is very
little through-traffic, the values of homes in most gated
communities tends to stay high. Reselling your home if you
have to move away is also easier.
A minus for many is the evil homeowners association. The scope
of what a homeowners association asks of its homeowners has
become the stuff of legend. The ridiculous standards to which
a home and lawn must be kept can drive a person crazy.
Everything from the color youre allowed to paint your home,
to how you decorate it, to what youre allowed to keep on your
lawn are all up to the local homeowners association, not you.
This is more than most people can stomach after paying a few
hundred grand for a house. But some find the conformity
comforting.
A plus if you have kids is the safety of a gated community.
Of course, the community is much safer if your gate is
guarded and the gate mechanism deters people from following
the car in front into the community. But there is little doubt
that little Johnny and Sarah will be safer riding their bikes
on streets with very little traffic and excruciatingly slow
speed limits found in most gated communities.
Just like the guard at the gate can work in your favour to
keep riff raff out as well as drunk drivers targeting your
kids, the gate guard can work against you, too. Every time
you order a pizza, or if you need an emergency visit from the
plumber, you have to let the gate guard know and have them
buzzed in. This can be a hassle, and more times than not,
youll probably forget and this will leave your visitor
stranded.
Buying a house is a stressful enough decision in life but
when you factor in the pros and cons of living in a gated
community, the process can seem overwhelming. The best piece
of advice of all is to talk to those that already live in a
gated community and see what its really like before you
take the plunge.
by: Dencho Denchev
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