55+ Communities (Harrington, Camden: school, tax rates, place to live)

[JoycieM]

Hi Charley! Well, we just got back on Sunday from Delaware. It was a great weekend. We met up with some people from this site for lunch and then met a couple who live in Wild Meadows. I had emailed the wife previously. We ended up going out to dinner with them and they were lovely.

As for communities, we really liked Longacre Village. The houses are stick built and you own the land. I got the sense there is concern about land leasing within leased communities. I will be watching to see if there is legislation passed in regards to the amount of lot rent increases that can be assessed each year.

One thing I did not consider is the fact that if you have a mortgage you can claim tax advantages. We are both in our 50s so we will be taxed on our retirement income. There really is so much to consider.

I am going to check out the other communities you mentioned in your post. Sometimes I feel as if Ron and I were on a stationary bike...pedaling like crazy and getting NOWHERE.

Take care. We hope to get back down to DE next month to look around again and to celebrate my birthday!

Joyce

[anniebleu]

I have seen Nobles Pond, but not the other two you (Charley) mention, and the NP houses and main structure, which is large, appear well built. If we expected to stay in the area, we might take a look, though we only learned about 55+ communities quite recently. Do they plan to build well back? It appears that they may have a lot of land extending well beyond the houses that now exist.

[Charley]

Originally Posted by JoycieM

Hi Charley! Well, we just got back on Sunday from Delaware. It was a great weekend. We met up with some people from this site for lunch and then met a couple who live in Wild Meadows. I had emailed the wife previously. We ended up going out to dinner with them and they were lovely.

As for communities, we really liked Longacre Village. The houses are stick built and you own the land. I got the sense there is concern about land leasing within leased communities. I will be watching to see if there is legislation passed in regards to the amount of lot rent increases that can be assessed each year.

One thing I did not consider is the fact that if you have a mortgage you can claim tax advantages. We are both in our 50s so we will be taxed on our retirement income. There really is so much to consider.

I am going to check out the other communities you mentioned in your post. Sometimes I feel as if Ron and I were on a stationary bike...pedaling like crazy and getting NOWHERE.

Take care. We hope to get back down to DE next month to look around again and to celebrate my birthday!

Joyce

We looked at Longacre but didn't like the idea that a commercial shopping center was on the same property. That made it too open to the public for me. I also don't remember being very impressed with the homes. I thought they were a bit small for us and was also a little confused about it being a collaboration of four or five different builders. BUT, compared to some of the others we saw, I have a more favorable opinion of Longacre than of some others. It's on our "let's watch this community" list.

I think that if I were to eliminate land lease from consideration, Spring Meadows and Longacre would be the first two I'd want to see again.

I'm glad you had a good time!!

Charley

[Charley]

Originally Posted by anniebleu

I have seen Nobles Pond, but not the other two you (Charley) mention, and the NP houses and main structure, which is large, appear well built. If we expected to stay in the area, we might take a look, though we only learned about 55+ communities quite recently. Do they plan to build well back? It appears that they may have a lot of land extending well beyond the houses that now exist.

Nobles Pond is planned to be a community of approximately 800 homes on (quoting from memory) 243 acres and it will be built over a ten year period.

Charley

[RWH]

I have packets of information on Longacre Village which I have read through and will try to explain as best I can. Longacre is divided into 6 segments.

The Villages are 41 homesites closest to Rt 13. These homes are being built by Harrington Development.

The Commons - Duplexes are 18 homes being built by Layton Construction and are further back and to the left of the Villages.

The Commons - Townhomes are 46 units being built by Garrison Homes and sit between the Villages and the Commons - Duplexes.

The Woods are the furthest back and looks to be the largest segment with 76 sites. The builder is Layton.

The Townes - Townhomes are 35 units being built by Blue Ridge Builders.

Multi Family Units is one building with 84 units. The builder is Harrington Development Company. From the looks of the picture, these appear to be condominiums.

The homes being built by Layton and Harrington vary in size from 1436 sq. ft. to 3324 sq. ft. and the prices range $241k to $380k. From what I was told, Layton will custom build their homes based on the existing 10 floor plans available. I don't know the extent of how much custom work can be done since I did not speak directly to the builder.

There is a strip mall as part of the overall complex. The tenants are: Nino's Italian Resturant, Day spa, Liquor store, Real Estate Office. Tentative businesses are Verizon, Dry cleaners, Walk-in Medical, Chinese Resturant, Convenience store, Animal Hospital, Chiropractor.

Homeowner's Association Fees is estimated at $160 per unit. This covers all grass cutting, snow removal on roads, driveways and sidewalks up to the door. also included are membership to the clubhouse and pool, common area maintenance, staffing of the clubhouse and pool, pond management and common area insurance.

This sums up most of what I know at this point. Every community we have lvisited has had good points and not so good points. In the end it will come down to which one has more good than not so good. I have my doubts of finding a community that is perfect. However - we will keep looking.

[Charley]

Great report! Thanks.

I noticed you said "Multi-Family" homes. That suggests this might not be 100% 55+. Kids in the clubhouse and the pool? Hmmmm.....

[LaceyEx]

Thanks all for all the info. Wealth on information on these forums.

[anniebleu]

Charley,

Eight-hundred homes eventually at Nobles Pond! That's huge! I was trying to remember whether it's in Dover or Cheswold, and think Cheswold, which will make that little town a lot larger. Though, as it won't be finished for about 10 years, I suppose that area could be transformed in other ways meanwhile.

Annie

[Charley]

It's right near Cheswold, but they consider themselves in Dover.

[JoycieM]

Hi Charley. I am responding for Ron today. When I read the part about "Multi-family" units I, too, had a "hmmmmm" moment so I called a realtor with whom we are working. She works for Harrington who owns the property. She told me that no children are allowed to live in Longacre. They can visit as in most communities but only for a certain amount of days per year and I do think that number is 30. I love kids but having worked in the teaching profession for nearly 30 years I want to have adult conversatations on a regular basis. ( Hmmm, of course I have met a few adults in my lifetime who seem to be stuck at a school-age level as far as maturity goes!!! ) Thanks to your post previously we are going to look at Spring Meadows the next time we head down that way.

Have a good day.
Joyce