Gated communites...pros & cons (house, gated community, living in)

[poconosmama]

I cant imagine there would be better security on some of these so called gated communities. The Hideout for one, a) you can walk in from just about any surrounding road, dont need to drive in to cause mischief, and b) they've had more issues than any non gated in the area, drug busts, serious fights, etc in the last year or two. Granted they have many more residents but not really an excuse to me. I think the bigger thing is community vs non community, not gated vs non gated. Communites all have their rules and regulations, some harsher than others, just depends if you really want to live under someone's thumb like some of us do. Subdivisions are a nice way to go, get just road maintenence and sometimes garbage service and other than that you do as you please.
Good luck in your decision, it's a big one

[kinpa]

I live in a community, but it is not gated, I also own 2 houses in a local town. I would have to say, living outside of a community is much better. You dont feel like everything you do has to be approved. You can paint your house orange if you want (then again so can your neighbor!) You have more freedom when you live outside of a community. You dont have dues which can go up quite frequently. Usually people dont judge you (by your comunity) if you live outside of a community, and locals accept you quicker, since most locals refuse to live in a community, so most of the people in the community will be people from (in our case here) NY & NJ. Which can be good or bad, if you are leaving the city because you dont like the attitude of the city folk, you will want to stay outside of a comunity. Recently we have had issues of gangs, which come from communities- they are groups of kids from different developments, they form a gang in each development and go to other developments to fight. Also if the reputation of the development goes down hill you might have a hard time selling. You have to figure out what suits you, if you dont mind playing by someone elses rules then you might like comunities.

[Summering]

Originally Posted by poconosmama

I cant imagine there would be better security on some of these so called gated communities. The Hideout for one, a) you can walk in from just about any surrounding road, dont need to drive in to cause mischief, and b) they've had more issues than any non gated in the area, drug busts, serious fights, etc in the last year or two. Granted they have many more residents but not really an excuse to me. I think the bigger thing is community vs non community, not gated vs non gated. Communites all have their rules and regulations, some harsher than others, just depends if you really want to live under someone's thumb like some of us do. Subdivisions are a nice way to go, get just road maintenence and sometimes garbage service and other than that you do as you please.
Good luck in your decision, it's a big one

Here are a couple of things that happened in the"gated, card access also, community I was in.
One time someone bumpered their car behind us at the back gate, the gate then stayed open and they followed us in. So, So close behind.......with LIGHTS OFF.......a bit scarey. When I got home I had to call up the front gate security and tell them, but I heard nothing more of it.
One time my neices just came to my home unexpectedly........they said......no one was posting the front gate, so they just came in.
The worst was this.......there was a lady security at the back gate. She went to check something and was mugged!!! This was at 2 or 3 AM......lucky for her that an ambulance came by on the main road and saw here laying on the ground, completley knocked out. They took her right to the hospital.
The people who do construction have ways in.........there was a construction crew working up our street when the motor bike got stolen.
I think personally that someone from that crew, came back in the night for that sparkling new bike.
I never felt all that safe because of the security........as you said, someone can just walk in........especially if there is a back gate.
Just a note........Yes, crime came into the community, it was not there origonally..........it worked its way in........and I felt so bad about it.

[I LOVE PA!]

Originally Posted by poconosmama

I cant imagine there would be better security on some of these so called gated communities. The Hideout for one, a) you can walk in from just about any surrounding road, dont need to drive in to cause mischief, and b) they've had more issues than any non gated in the area, drug busts, serious fights, etc in the last year or two. Granted they have many more residents but not really an excuse to me. I think the bigger thing is community vs non community, not gated vs non gated. Communites all have their rules and regulations, some harsher than others, just depends if you really want to live under someone's thumb like some of us do. Subdivisions are a nice way to go, get just road maintenence and sometimes garbage service and other than that you do as you please.
Good luck in your decision, it's a big one

Without a doubt, there is better secuirty in The Hideout than outside. A call to 911 is responded to very quickly by our security force, in a life threatening emergency, all of our patrol personnel are certified EMT's. They are always first on the scene.

As far as issues within the Hideout, we have had one major drug bust and that was well over 2 years ago, probably more like 5 or 6 yrs ago. This was a sting operation that was solved due to the help of the secuirity force within The Hideout. Had these drug dealers lived on the outside, they would probably still be selling drugs, and you and I would never know about it.

As far as the serious fights...once again, more than 2 yrs. ago, and it was one fight. There are plenty of fights outside the gates of The Hideout, they just don't make the papers. Recently a local ran a Hideout resident off the road after a high speed chase and killed him. He was a young man with his whole life ahead of him. If it was a Hideout resident running a local off the road, it would have been presented in a different light in the newspapers.

I like the fact that I cannot have a neighbor with 5 dogs chained in their yard barking all night long - I just call security. Our Security force will respond to concerns way beyond the scope of what you can call the state police for. By the way, as far as crime goes, there hasn't been a house robbed in The Hideout for years. I truly feel safe here.

[in2dadark]

Originally Posted by I LOVE PA!

Without a doubt, there is better secuirty in The Hideout than outside. A call to 911 is responded to very quickly by our security force, in a life threatening emergency, all of our patrol personnel are certified EMT's. They are always first on the scene.

As far as issues within the Hideout, we have had one major drug bust and that was well over 2 years ago, probably more like 5 or 6 yrs ago. This was a sting operation that was solved due to the help of the secuirity force within The Hideout. Had these drug dealers lived on the outside, they would probably still be selling drugs, and you and I would never know about it.

As far as the serious fights...once again, more than 2 yrs. ago, and it was one fight. There are plenty of fights outside the gates of The Hideout, they just don't make the papers. Recently a local ran a Hideout resident off the road after a high speed chase and killed him. He was a young man with his whole life ahead of him. If it was a Hideout resident running a local off the road, it would have been presented in a different light in the newspapers.

I like the fact that I cannot have a neighbor with 5 dogs chained in their yard barking all night long - I just call security. Our Security force will respond to concerns way beyond the scope of what you can call the state police for. By the way, as far as crime goes, there hasn't been a house robbed in The Hideout for years. I truly feel safe here.

I live in a gated community as well. And I agree, the whole dog barking thing or a neighbor burning leaves or garbage in their yard is something I like not having to deal with. We also don't have one registered sex offender in our entire community. But I doubt that they could be kept from moving in if they could afford it and wanted to..

[Summering]

Well in Penn E. the noise rule just was not enforced.
I had a neighbor whos bedroom was in the location just across from where parties would go on, all night long. They never got sleep. The guards would come and say a word or two, then walk away........and the party went on.
I never got in trouble with my two small dogs there.
But in a gated community in Myrtle Beach. I had one small dog tied just from the deck. I was standing just inside the diningroom double slider ,out of the bad weather. But, fully aware of him, and his being out for just a few minutes.
After he was back inside the home. Security came.........someone complained he was "unattended" and "barking."...........
Now it was completely so silly. As he was out for a few minutes and we were right there. I could see it if he was tied for a long time, or if we left him there for more then the 5 min. ( he barked for a minute of her passing by)
In that case.........someone uses a rule that could be a good one. One for loud, and unattended dogs. But, this was using the system to a fraction of what it was meant to do.
I got in trouble at this rental and had to explain my way out of it.
So, sometimes rules........are used wrongly by others.........because they have nothing better to do with their time ( my personal belief )
I'm not in a gated community now, and no ones dog is out of control or loud. Its a matter of location and if you have good and well mannered neighbors.

[MollyMe]

Wow...I must've missed this thread.

[Summering]

MollyMe......YOU missed something
It was quite a good discussion really.........
I don't like Penn Estates at all. But..........I think I might have liked the Hideout.
It certainly has a much better reputation.
Its just like Lake Naomi. That community is quite nice also..........
So it can happen, and it can be done right. Those two, come to mind as two that "got it right"
However, Summering is liking no rules after 8 years of rules.........
Ah........Mom always said I was very independent. LOL
I found myself over looking my shoulder many a day in PE.
I didn't ask to plant 6 foot trees I just did....... Upps, a big No , No........
It did have very good plowing and those wonderful little lakes, but things changed
and it was a must to leave.
How many times can a realtor tell you, prices are better out of here ( PE)
And that........Even though people wanted their kids in the school system, no one wanted to move into Penn Estates to have it !!
You don't know what Freedom is until you loose it.........
Now I'd just never go back.
Not saying anything bad about the Hideout, nor a few good ones that are out there.
My experience was with PE and I feel footloose and fancy- free now........

[pocono pal]

I live in a gated community It is a pain in the rear. As far as community vs. non community - if you have kids then the community is probably the better option unless you yourself like beaches, pools, tennis courts etc... As for myself, my daughter is 14. My sons are 18 and 20 so I am looking to get out and get some acreage in the next couple of years once my daughter goes off to college. The amenities are nice but I personally will have no need for them soon! My community is in Monroe County which if you want some sort of convenience with regards to shopping etc.. offers a whole lot more than Wayne County. I also relocated from a suburb of Philadelphia and I can tell you that although the nature all around you is great I still miss that Wawa on every corner!

[GirlsMom]

Yes, I am going to miss my Wawa coffee trip I make every morning after I drop the kiddies off to school.....