Rockford / Poplar Grove area? (Sycamore, Marengo: foreclosure, renting, HOA)

[runnings]

My husband and I are looking at the Poplar Grove area to relocate. Does anyone currently live near Candlewick Lake or know about this area? What are peoples opinions of the elementary schools in the area? I have heard Rockford has some good and bad areas, but that this being on the outskirts of the East side is the better place to be located.

Thanks in advance for any comments.

[Marita1848]

I don't know about Rockford but we were looking into Candlewick Lake the houses are very inexpensive and now we know why. Our realtor sent us the rules and by laws for the association. She said houses are typically on the market for 2 to 3 years. The rules are crazy. You can't do anything like change a tire in your own driveway or have a party in your own house if people will be driving to it. Everything is extra even though you pay an association fee. If you google Candlewick Lake you can find their website and if you click on the area for realtors you can view the bylaws for yourself. We also looked at Marengo which isn't that far away but the prices were much more and you got much less. We settled on Sycamore which is south next to Dakalb. It is a much more active town with a really cute downtown area. And the schools are great. Good Luck and beware of the bad areas of Rockford. Marita

[srae0214]

I lived about five minutes from Candlewick Lake growing up. I would never move there...ever. The kids who lived there that I went to school with were all the big druggie and party kids. Plus all the regulations for the area are ridiculous. As for Rockford, the schools there are horrible. I live here and when I have children, I plan on moving away. Of course, they say things are bound to get better because once you hit bottom, there is nowhere else to go but up, right??? I agree with the previous poster, I say go west or south.

[P3anut]

Still nothing has changed if you think HOA help with property values think again, this place is making people walk away from their homes, you can't sell in here, sure you can purchase a cheap foreclosure.

Candlewick is a great place and the neighbors are phenominal but there is always a but the association who manages it, does not play by their own rules. These rules continually change to suit them in any situation, I challenge you to ask around the surrounding towns, just mention CW and get their input. We have huge missmanagement issues and harassment and intimidation by some board members and employees and nothing is ever done, if you want job security apply for a job here they will never fire you even if you do something wrong, they will put leins on your house for past dues or take over your house with forcible entry and detainer- god forbid if you loose your job, the government at least works with you, they will never fire an employee for treating the members poorly. The treatment of residents is at best disappointing for something you pay $1100 a year for. If you are not a long time resident or a Lake home owner your are considered low class and will be treated as such and if you plan on renting here they won't even acknowledge that you exist but they will take your associate membership fees. As for the CW paper its great marketing considering it is highly sensored by a committee which is mostly made up of friends of the board. Out of your dues you pay $500,000 for public safety that can not help with any issues they only make calls to Boone County, if you fall behind on your dues look out, they will make sure your guest can not come in without you walking to the gate and driving them in, imagine that if you don't live near the gate or it happens to be a holiday, would you like to be punished where you live and still pay taxes?
Look out for the citations, derilic vehicle, landscape lighting, grass to long, tresspassing, misrepresentation, tresspassing and this was all obtained by residents living in here, there are so many more and are at best ridiculous its all about the revenue and control of someone's life you do sign your rights away when you move into any HOA do your research, If someone tells you differently they have not done their research on HOA's, if you think you have constitutional rights think again, these mini governments do not abide by constitutional law, they only abide by contractual law which means you will loose in most any situation.
I would not suggest anyone moving here unless drastic changes are made...beautiful place but tarnished my missmanagement and poor treatment of its residents, not all if your friends of the board you are a shoe in.