Thoughts on Canebrake, Athens

[TN2HSV]

Originally Posted by Nlambert

I have a coworker who left Canebrake due to the strict HOA rules. She got fined for having curtains that were not an approved color and received a second fine for forgetting to keep her garage door closed. She said that was enough and promptly sold her home. She said that neighborhood has the most strict HOA rules she has ever seen.

I don't understand why some people move into strict HOA-governed neighborhoods and then get mad because of the strict HOA rules. Read all the neighborhood covenants before you buy, and if you can't abide by them, then buy someplace else!

[solstice12]

Thanks all. This is very helpful. I will definitely want to take a look at those covenants and the schools.
Any ideas on what club membership ranges?

[Nlambert]

Originally Posted by TN2HSV

I don't understand why some people move into strict HOA-governed neighborhoods and then get mad because of the strict HOA rules. Read all the neighborhood covenants before you buy, and if you can't abide by them, then buy someplace else!

If they're anything like my neighborhood, we didn't even know there were any restrictions until a few months after we bought the home. Realtor said there were none, but we found out after the fact that this wasn't true.

[TN2HSV]

Originally Posted by Nlambert

If they're anything like my neighborhood, we didn't even know there were any restrictions until a few months after we bought the home. Realtor said there were none, but we found out after the fact that this wasn't true.

That's your realtor's fault. But you should always do your own due diligence, as I'm sure you have learned!

[LCTMadison]

You will need to confirm this because it could have changed since last time I got this info from them....and it can be confusing and its a lot of info. I still have the membership packet from on of my client's transactions and this is the info from it:

For the social membership, if the house is new construction you pay a $1000 initiation fee and its $108/month, if its an existing home its $2000 for the initiation fee. You also have to spend $30/month on food at the Clubhouse.

Golf membership initiation fees for new homes are $2500 for new homes and $3500 for existing homes and then $290 monthly plus the $30 food minimum...unless you are under age 36, then its a "junior" membership with a $1500 new/ $2000 existing home initiation and $175 monthly fee. They also have a student golf membership for 19 and under that is $100 month or $1000 year with no initiation fees.

The HOA fees that everyone must pay are $500/year.

[Southlander]

Athens schools are very good.

[solstice12]

I got an email today saying that a lot of people have been reading this post lately, so I thought I'd update. I moved to Athens and decided to give Canebrake a try despite the mixed reviews. My family and I have been renting a home here for about a year. So far I really do love the neighborhood. And after searching several months for a home to buy anywhere in Athens or Madison we recently started building a home right here in Canebrake. Here is my attempt at an objective view of the ins and outs of the community:

The Neighbors
Nice, pleasant people who wave hello when passing in their cars or on their golf carts. When we first started dining in the Founder's House, many walked up and introduced themselves. That is what I would typically expect in the South and that's what I've experienced. One thing to note is that it seems more neighbors have adult children than school aged. There are some kids scattered throughout, but you won't see lots of kids around outside playing. Depending on who you are this may be a positive, or it may be a negative if this makes it harder for your kids to make friends.

HOA and Covenants
We read the covenants in advance which I would highly recommend to anyone moving into a neighborhood with restrictions. We came from a community with covenants so I didn't have many concerns with it. They are very strict, and "on top of it" when it comes to sending out notices of violations. I once received a notice about my garbage can being visible from the street, it was behind a bush, but it actually was visible from the side. They do ask that you not leave your garage open when not using it as well. But at the same time I was pleasantly surprised to learn that they do allow children's playsets in backyards on the golf course side. Even though it can be a slight nuisance to get the notices, I respect what they are there for and I appreciate that it keeps the community at a certain standard. One thing you might want to be aware of though is that the HOA fee does not cover the use of the neighborhood amenities (pool, tennis courts, clubhouse, restaurant). You have to purchase a club membership to use those. At this point I am still not sure what the $500 HOA fee is being used for, they mentioned that they were considering some special projects next year. Also note there is no playground, it was torn down over a year ago due to safety concerns. As of now there are no plans to replace it.

Club Membership
I highly recommend club membership. As mentioned above it grants you access to the neighborhood amenities. There are multiple packages available, including a "social" membership that doesn't include unlimited golf but includes everything else. I found the packages to be reasonable. If you're seriously considering the neighborhood, you should make an appointment with Janice who manages the club memberships to find out more about the different packages and what's included (the phone # is on the Canebrake webpage). I enjoy the restaurant. The food is good, I've not yet had a dish there I didn't like. And it is so convenient to be able to go get a nutritious hot meal just steps from your house when you don't feel like cooking. The second floor has a bar area, you usually see small groups of friends meeting up there. There are always people on the golf course, so I don't get the impression that its going away soon. Could it use new members? Definitely. But I don't get the feel that it is on its last leg. I love the different activities that they organize as well. Last year the club held an Easter Brunch with a visit from the Easter Bunny and an Easter Egg Hunt for the kids. Throughout the summer there were several outdoor movie nights, where they showed kid friendly movies on the big screen in the grass. There was a great Halloween party, with activities for the kids and a hayride around the neighborhood, and they had dinner with Santa and a golf cart parade for Christmas. During the summer the poolhouse opens near the pool and you can order food or drinks without having to leave the pool area. The Founder's House staff is great. We rented the poolhouse for a birthday party for my daughter and catered the food from the restaurant, they went above and beyond to make sure she had a great day. Mickey, the golf pro, holds junior golf clinics for the children in the summer. The club membership option is what sets Canebrake apart from other communities for me. IMHO, I feel like you are missing out on the best part of the neighborhood if you move into the community without joining the club. The golf course is closed on Tuesdays, so you will find many residents walking or even bike riding on the golf trails on Tuesday. Very beautiful scenery.

Schools
Canebrake is within city limits so it is zoned for Athens City Schools. I know that Athens High School is highly rated. Not as sure about the others. A lot of people seem pleased with the schools overall. I found a private school nearby that I really like for my children.

That is all that I can think of about the neighborhood, and everything that I would have wanted to know a year ago when I was looking at the area. I have noticed that there are a lot of homes on the market in the neighborhood. It seems like they are having a hard time selling at a "golf community premium" probably due to the lack of interest or available buyers in that price range. But there is nothing about the community itself that I believe should be a deterrent if you see a home that you love.

Hope this is helpful. Let me know if you have more questions.

[LCTMadison]

The $500 HOA is used to maintain common grounds aside from the pool/clubhouse, which is every homeowner's responsibility in the neighborhood. Canebrake has quite a lot of common areas that have to be maintained.

When the tornado hit Canebrake in 2012, one of my client's homes was literally destroyed and one of her dogs was spooked, broke out of her kennel, and fled. She was always seen hanging around the golf course but would run anytime someone would see her. The residents were amazing how they came together to help the family catch her....the golfers would call her when they were out in the early morning and would spot her. It took us almost a month to get her, but with all the help from the community and a couple of traps borrowed from local animal services, they finally got her.

[lgb0360]

We have lived in Canebrake 10 years and the golf course and club house are doing well. You can join and use the clubhouse, food, tennis courts, pool for a reasonable fee or join both golf and the other amenities. Everyone we know here are friendly and Athens is a great small town. We are over retirement age and love having all ages as neighbors (next door teenagers on one side and elementary kids on one side, and across the street (schoolteacher & husband), retired couple and a couple who stays mostly in Florida (here about 6 weeks a year at different times). We love it!! We have a HOA association that keeps the neighborhood in the best shape! Just getting a state of the arts playground equipment over by the pool this year, plus new pool chairs and shade that is beautiful! I seriously doubt the owners would be poring more money in if not considering long-term golf course & club!! Come on out and join the Golf membership!