Rarity Bay Master Thread (Knoxville, Lenoir City: house, buy, income)

[Lovethelakes]

Originally Posted by TheShadow

I'm interested in the new boat and jet ski rentals at RB. Do you have to be a resident to rent? If not, I wonder if the rental operators would consider opening it to TV residents, the way we have offered TV fitness memberships to RB residents?

Not a Resident but a Property owner but also you must be a club member. For example you can own a LOT in Rarity and live in Tellico ...or Ohio for that matter, and you can rent a boat or paddle board, but you MUST be a club member since the club is providing the Amenity.

[Lovethelakes]

Originally Posted by mtnpath

Exrvi: Sorry, you can't chase me away that easily. You know and I know that there is no perfect place. Communities are made up of people, not a single one of whom is perfect.

I believe you may have missed my point.

My point was not that RB had plenty of contributors to the thread in question (I counted the same 5 persons as you did and already had a rough idea of the number of overall residents).

My point was that such thread took on a life of its own just based on 2 of the 5 varying from the script of "positive statements only". That was enough to ignite a dialogue which ultimately resulted in all of the "outsiders" who expressed an interest in RB (5 of us, including me), to step back from the level of initial interest in some way (i.e., will rent first, will look at TV, RB appears to have the classic challenges, there is something in the wind known only to RB residents, there appears to be something wrong at RB but those in the know are not talking, seems that RB has a few issues, etc.).

These comments were made by the potential buyers, a rather important group, don't you think? Who knows how many other potential buyers, who did not feel inclined to post, also had these same thoughts. So my original point still stands that the exposure for RB in the 23rd most popular thread in the Knoxville subforum is not good for the community, even if propelled by a statistically insignificant number of RB home and lot owners.

It is easy to see from your posts that you are a bright, reasonable, level-headed person, who has approached some difficult issues in a calm, reflective manner. Please try to put yourself in the shoes of those in our position as truly interested buyers. You can tell by our posts that each of us truly wants to "love" the place. I believe that several of us are merely waiting for other RB residents to step into the dialogue and counter (or provide further info which explains) some of the negatives expressed.

If you view this situation from our perspective, you should see how discouraging it is to learn (even if true) that others at RB, who are in a position to counter any negatives through first hand knowledge, "see no personal value in a forum like this" and "have other ways to spend their time."

Also, when some of the comments of a potential buyer are along the lines of "there is something in the wind known only to residents" or "there appears to be something wrong at RB but those in the know are not talking", try to imagine such person then learning (thanks to lotpoor's last post), that apparently the current join "game plan" of the board and the residents is to keep the messages positive to promote RB. To such person, this is: Worst. Fears. Justified.

An approach which smacks of "caveat emptor" (Let the buyer beware) seems rather antiquated in this modern age of the internet and takes no account of the fact that the seller ALWAYS knows far more than the buyer, and often such gap in knowledge cannot be closed (without a willing seller) no matter how much effort in due diligence the buyer makes, especially if nearly the entire community is aligned with the goal of keeping the disclosures "positive".

The bottom line is that we are simply looking for a fighting chance to make an informed purchase decision, taking into account all relevant factors, both positive and negative. We are not willing to be moths drawn to a flame (no matter how beautiful the flame), but you can bet that we will be better neighbors and even "positive" members of the community if our arrival was accompanied with a sense that the purchase process involved a level-playing field.

I hope you pulled the trigger and found a beautiful place in Rarity Bay. It truly is a special place to call home!

[TennTitan]

Lovethelakes, thank you for providing your perspective on Rarity Bay. I wish more residents would contribute their opinions so that others may get a more realistic idea of what everyday life is like in RB. It is a beautiful place and plenty of people are happy with how things are managed; I am not. The problem is not the community. If those in power would just get out of our way, RB could be almost perfect.

The original partners have filed more legal claims against each other. I am starting to think the Declarant may have some mental challenges. In the most recent claim, he is upset that his former partners did not ask for permission to use the words, "Rarity Bay." Their name is "Rarity Bay Partners," and were assigned the rights, by the Declarant, to purchase the original Developer lots, and now own about 310 lots, more than any other investor. To sell those lots they would probably need to market them as "Rarity Bay," properties, which seems like a good idea . . . maybe.

For Rsaw7854, regarding the idea, that the Declarant will one day turn over the community to the residents, is just a dream. If only the community had purchased the property, the outlook would be so much better. The Master Declaration, unfortunately, allows the Declarant to remain if he owns ANY property, even just a condo. He paid so little to control the lives of so many.

The opt-out on the commitment to eat at the clubhouse is half of the annual fee: $450.

The resident lawsuit is still in process. After the Declarant took the position that class certification was necessary for the lawsuit, the Declarant AND the RB Board of Directors argued against the request, claiming there were too many classes who were affected differently.

The Board has now fully partnered, in spirit, with the Declarant. The Board had signed an agreement in May, 2015, graciously giving up revenue in the form of assessments from the Declarant and his former Partners. The first 250 properties are exempt, every year. For January, 2018, the Board, effectively, agreed to a loss in revenue of $208,000. It is that kind of decision that illustrates one of the problems we have at Rarity Bay. The best part is that the Board won't provide any support for this really bad decision or any other. When asked, the Board would just respond that it was, "for the good of the community."

Lack of transparency is a major issue, along with a lack of integrity and little trust. Controlling communications is a major concern for the Board. The recent filings by the Declarant and his former partners have not been communicated. It took the Board over 6 months to announce the resident lawsuit. What is perceived as "good," news is released quickly.

So, you will love RB if you never have to deal with the Declarant, the club, or the Board. If being treated honestly, fairly, and respectfully, just isn't your thing, then by all means, come and visit beautiful Rarity Bay.

[Rsaw7854]

Hi LOVETHELAKES,
"The bathrooms are finished now, no showers as Rarity is not near as large as Tellico Village, you are literally 2 minutes from home and WHO wouldn't rather shower in their own shower?"

Well, I would like to take a shower before I get in my car all sweaty. I don't need my car smelling like a locker room.

"Many homes have a mandatory requirement to belong to the Country club, and many do not."

This doesn't sound fair, why are some exempt? TV everyone pays the same, no one is special. I read somewhere that the 2nd owner has to pay $45,000 for the social club. Is that true?

"You must spend 225 per Qtr ($75.00 per mo) in Food or Alcohol purchase IF you have a mandatory membership requirement. (Pretty easy to do especially if you drink alcohol!)"

Since a good friend of ours lost his wife and two young children due to a drunk driver, we haven't had a drink and then drive. Therefore drinks won't count. We just hate being told where you have to socialize or eat. So that is a problem for us.

Are you or were you a board member at Rarity Bay?

What do you know about the resident lawsuit that is in process?

Thank you
Bob

[Jlaws]

Well we certainly do have some dated posts so I thought I’d give you a fresh outlook from a Rarity Bay resident. My wife and I moved here slightly over 3 years ago. We moved from San Diego. The first year was spent building our waterfront dream home. Kathy and I have embrassed this beautiful peninsula gated community. Although it’s not an age restricted community it might as well be. The far majority of us are retired. We’ve seen significant growth here on “The Bay”. I’d say many of the newer people are young retirees. Amenities include an 18 hole golf course. We are not avid golfers but those few times a year I play it seems like the course is being nicely maintained. We also have the pool, the gym, with new equipment, tennis courts, the clubhouse and most importantly the newly built 4 pickleball courts ( that’s become our passion ).

Rarity Bays biggest asset is the warm and generous people. We’ve got dozens of clubs; if your bored it’s your fault. With the exception of leaving our children and grandchildren on the west coast we are 100% happy with our move. In San Diego we were 3 tax Brackets away from being able to afford this lakefront lifestyle.

[Goodbye L.A.]

Phew. Lots of reading. In the next year I will be buying EITHER in TC or RB. Here is my dilemma, apart from lawsuits, fees, bathrooms, trees and open spaces: As fabulous as the amenities are at TC, one has to drive as much as 4 miles to use them, depending on your home's location. That's not awful, but I can have that now by joining the country club a few miles from my current home. In RB, you can enjoy everything the community has to offer with just a short golf cart ride. That may not be important to some, but like I said, it's MY dilemma. Sadly, no one can help me figure it out!

[Rsaw7854]

Hi Goodbye LA
Did you know that there are 3 wellness center/workout centers in TV. 2 in the main village and one in Kahite neighborhood. One of the centers in the Main village is smaller and the other is very large.
Bob

[Goodbye L.A.]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I visited all TC amenities. Obviously I was VERY impressed by the large workout room in the Wellness Center. (equipped as well as L.A. Fitness or Golds!) That's the one I'd be drawn to. (also for club meetings, giant pool, etc.) I'm not saying the 4 mile drive is a deal breaker, just that it's much more convenient if it's inside the neighborhood as it is in Rarity. (albeit not nearly as impressive, as others have noted)

[Goodbye L.A.]

I'm new around here so apologies if this has been previously answered. In Rarity Bay, let's assume one owns a home that requires the homeowner to maintain the landscaping. (as opposed to townhome neighborhoods, condos, and villas) Does the general assessment of 70 bucks a month cover common area maintenance or does that homeowner pay an additional landscaping fee?

[Goodbye L.A.]

I think the real question is "why have I been abbreviating Tellico Village as "TC". I have no idea.
Note to self: proof read.