Land lease verses owning the land. (Camden: incomes, property tax, clubhouse)

[Summering]

So here is a cute story........or not.....LOL
There is this community in PA and it has nice homes, a clubhouse, a golf course. Well, the people are doing "their" yards nicely, putting shrubs, walkways......plants.
All of a sudden it comes up that, and lo' and behold........they didn't own their land! It was mentioned that they might not even own the "footprint" of their home.
The front pages of our local paper showed this beautiful home, and the owner in front.
He was just so upset. All his yardwork, and he doesn't own the land. Not only that he had been paying taxes on the land for years!
Some neighbors were in the process of selling their homes and at that point didn't know what to do........They all thought they owned the land.
Some of the homes there........the land "was" owned by the homeowner. So, it was a strange set up.
So this well respected place to live......made headlines. There is no land lease here ( NEPA)unless it is in a mobile park. So this was a complete shock to the homeowners.
I didn't follow if it was resolved, or not..........
Maybe the builder had to gift the land to them, they paid the taxes.......he did not.

[Summering]

Originally Posted by CMTAD

Pots Nets has always been the clear example of what "not" to do (from the buyer point of view). Our first exposure to potential retirement in Delaware was Pots Nets and upon learning about the land lease issues there, we immediately turned away.

It wasn't until a colleague at the hospital retired and told me she was heading to Smyrna, and gave me all her back copies of Delaware Today that we were re-intrigued by the state. Once we started visiting each year, that was it for us.

Charley

P.S. Anyone who buys a home under any scenario and expects costs (HOA or land lease or just plain taxes) not to rise is probably not smart enough to own a home in the first place.

I am positively sure Charley that 'most' if not 'all' people are aware of the cost going to rise. But, most certainly not at 1000 per year, as in PNets.
That is highway robbery, and most of us don't expect to be robbed

[Charley]

Originally Posted by Summering

I am positively sure Charley that 'most' if not 'all' people are aware of the cost going to rise. But, most certainly not at 1000 per year, as in PNets. That is highway robbery, and most of us don't expect to be robbed

I wholeheartedly agreed!

[elizamary]

Originally Posted by CMTAD

P.S. Anyone who buys a home under any scenario and expects costs (HOA or land lease or just plain taxes) not to rise is probably not smart enough to own a home in the first place.

LOL.........I got a chuckle out of this one. But it is so true.

[Charley]

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There are people in my own town who are SHOCKED when school taxes go up. It amazes me to think that in 2008, there are adults who don't understand that over time, just about everything costs more. But they're out there!!

[Summering]

People I know who are in a tough situation with one of these lease lots .....are very smart people. ( who have owned many homes previously )
When we pick on transplants, we should remember if we were one ourselves, or will be one in a matter of time.
The statement was really not true in the least. A kind heart is needed in some situations. Especially in the instance of PNets.

[Charley]

Originally Posted by Summering

People I know who are in a tough situation with one of these lease lots .....are very smart people. ( who have owned many homes previously ) When we pick on transplants, we should remember if we were one ourselves, or will be one in a matter of time. The statement was really not true in the least. A kind heart is needed in some situations. Especially in the instance of PNets.

Oh I do absolutely feel for anyone who finds themselves in a position of disadvantage. No question about that. That's not limited to housing issues. It applies to all of life's issues, which is why I am in the middle of a fight for the life of my school district - and possibly my entire community.

[rockky]

For the general record, I never said that I think that DE transplants are stupid. I choose, perhaps foolishly, not to consider myself stupid.

Nor did I say that there won't be cost increases by associations or municipalities. Of course there will be increases. They simply need to be done with protective legislation.

My issue is that the legislators of the state seem to choose to look the other way in many situations. Now that so many people are arriving from other states, someone is going to need to step up and take responsibility. The new arrivals will demand it...and they should. If anything, I'm saying that the old ways of DE state politics will change. Some wisdom and consideration will be needed in order to protect the general population.

I feel my point has been distorted for the sake of argument.

[Charley]

Originally Posted by rockky

For the general record, I never said that I think that DE transplants are stupid. I choose, perhaps foolishly, not to consider myself stupid.

I never saw you say that. No worries here.

[Summering]

I know you understand Charley........and I hope your school district wins the issue.
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