Oak Run Reviews

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by heatlamp

I have been getting real estate feeds for several of the communities in Ocala since this past Feb when I toured Oak Run and really liked it. Of all the places I get feeds for, Oak Run has about 5 times as many houses going up for sale. I read about the legal feud that some residents had with the developer, which was resolved in the developer's favor. I read that it is in appeal now and that the residents who brought the action had to pay the developer's legal fees. I also read a few resident mtg. minutes which cited common area problems that had been going on for a year.

When I was there the heated pool, which I would want to use in winter, was closed for repairs.

Are there any current residents who can comment on conditions there now? (March 2019) What accounts for all the houses going up for sale? OTOTW has far fewer house listings and it is bigger.

First of all, search the old threads on Oak Run. Some of them are fairly recent.

I can't stress enough that people need to READ AND UNDERSTAND the legal structure of the community they are buying into. If they are unable to wade through all the legal gobbledeygook, then having an attorney look over the documents and giving a basic summary on what is the resident's exposure, legal and otherwise, is a good idea. Heck, it should be mandatory. You don't have to do that for every community you're considering, just the ones that have homes you would seriously consider buying. A number of the communities have their documents available on line. You have to decide how much exposure you're willing to live with. And one thing to consider is, when all is said and done, how much do you really own the house you just purchased, if it's the developer that controls the roadways, and other infrastructure.

I don't know all the ins and outs of the Oak Run situation as regards the group of residents suing the developer, but honestly, shame on them for purchasing there in the first place if they weren't prepared for the various types of situations that can crop up. Any developer worth his salt is going to structure documents in such a way that they have the upper hand in legal matters. That's just the way it is. Right or wrong, they are protecting their investment.

Purchasing in such a community would not be my choice. I personally prefer a resident-run HOA that supervises a good management company. This is because HOA board members are residents and have an incentive to keep fees and costs down, to build up reserves and to keep good relations with fellow residents. In other words, it raises the responsibility level of the people who are running things. It can be a thankless task, though.

When you purchase in a developer run community, you have just entered into a potentially adversarial relationship with the developer, whether you like it or not. It may be that the developer is a great person or organization that strives to keep costs low and common areas maintained, but as I understand it, it's still an adversarial relationship from a legal standpoint. You are at the mercy of the developer to maintain and improve the community and you pay for that in the form of a "developer fee" or "amenity fee". Sometimes these fees are reasonable, sometimes they may not be. If the developer feels a need to raise the fees, for whatever reason, there's really not much you can do about it. Sure, you might be able to sue, but who wants to do that? I could say more, but I'll just leave it at that. Proceed with caution when considering a purchase in ANY community that is run this way, and be sure you have the finances to cover any surprises. If it turns out to be more than you can handle, your only way out is to sell, and if the market turns down, that may not be so easy.

I'm sorry to hear about the indoor pool at Oak Run. We considered the community for that reason. I understand it is a very popular feature there. Oak Run has four outdoor pools. Maybe they could consider converting one of those to an indoor pool. For older people who have problems with joints and muscles, a heated indoor pool can be a real benefit.

[rjm1cc]

Originally Posted by heatlamp

I have been getting real estate feeds for several of the communities in Ocala since this past Feb when I toured Oak Run and really liked it. Of all the places I get feeds for, Oak Run has about 5 times as many houses going up for sale. I read about the legal feud that some residents had with the developer, which was resolved in the developer's favor. I read that it is in appeal now and that the residents who brought the action had to pay the developer's legal fees. I also read a few resident mtg. minutes which cited common area problems that had been going on for a year.

When I was there the heated pool, which I would want to use in winter, was closed for repairs.

Are there any current residents who can comment on conditions there now? (March 2019) What accounts for all the houses going up for sale? OTOTW has far fewer house listings and it is bigger.

Can you tell if the sales are by long term (try property tax records for sales) residences which might mean the sale is to move to a continuing care facility or an estate sale.


The closing of facilities for upgrades and maintenance is not new for any development. This could be viewed as a plus.