Opinions Sought RE: Gated Communities (Vero Beach: HOA, condos, how much)

[gardenpearl]

I have looked around in Florida at some large resort style gated communities with clubhouses, pools, tennis, social activities, etc. I would be interested in hearing some opinions on whether or not these communities lived up to your expectations when you moved in, particularly on a social level for meeting people and making new friends, etc.

[lorinalls]

I am getting ready to move out of a gated community. I am very unhappy with it, way to many restrictions and neighbors getting other neighbors in trouble for very minor things. What happened to the day when you had a problem with your neighbor and you went to them to clear things up. Now they want neighbors to watch others and tell HOA so they can charge a fee.

[gardenpearl]

That's what I'm afraid of. I've lived in condo communities up north and was unhappy with the way things were run; too long of a wait to get anything done, poor outside building maintenance, etc. I don't want to repeat the experience.

[seeriously]

I echo lorinalls. We just moved from a gated community. It fell short in every way. Too many rules, too much bitter back-biting, and just not what we thought.

I've no idea why this post is underlining itself.

[gardenpearl]

I had visited two new communities in Vero Beach about a year ago; The Isles of Waterway Village (by Divosta) and Falcon Trace (G.L. Homes.) They both looked very nice; has anyone heard anything good or bad?

I guess the other option is to skip the "gated" part and just get a single family home in a neighborhood. But then a transplant will meet fewer people.

[FlaLadyB]

Communities and condo living are not usually the same. Many times condos are made up of people who have nothing to do but become condo commandos.. and they do. Communities with all age groups are usually going to be a lot more working people who don't have time to spend on finding out what the guy down the street had for dinner or who's car is parked in his driveway.

I like living in my community and the people here have parties with each other and have friends within the community. I don't find any rule that would make me want to leave and no rules that I need to break. Its not run by condo commandos and I happen to really like my HOA members.

IF you want to see changes, go put yourself up for election to the Board instead of saying how much you don't like. Also.. if you're breaking the rules so the HOA is saying something, what rules are you breaking? Parking your cars on the grass so the sprinkler system is broken and needs repairs (so YOU yell to the HOA about getting it fixed). Parking a commercial vehicle when you know they aren't allowed in the first place? What? You knew the rules when you came in, and they usually aren't anything more than normal rules that an association would have. Condos are different and have MORE rules.

But, now you want to complain about the very rules you moved in to an HOA FOR.

[gardenpearl]

I personally don't mind rules that help maintain property values by keeping the grounds nice. Since I'm going to be alone, I don't want to move into a community which is not at all friendly or social. It sounds like some communities have better morale than others.

[FlaLadyB]

I'm single as well, and I think living in an HOA is better for that. I can attend functions at the clubhouse, or join other people at the pool and make friends.. if I chose to. At least I have a place to go. Otherwise you are just the new person that moved in down the street. It's what you make of it.

[justNancy]

I totally agree. A community with an HOA has a lot of benefits. I've read the horror stories about nosy people and HOAs that get into your personal business, but I haven't had that experience. When I lived in Vero Beach, I stayed in an over 55 condo community and nobody ever complained about the rules. I don't like condos because I'm sensitive to noise, and I haven't found one yet that's soundproof, but there's certainly nothing wrong with living in a clean, quiet, well managed development.

One of the biggest problems I had in the past was with outdoor pets. I love all animals, but hearing barking dogs at night is very common, and I've had more than one bad experience. I feel badly for abandoned cats and have fed many of them, but that also became a problem for me in the past (my fault, but I couldn't let them go hungry) I think some rules are helpful, as long as they're not petty. To me there's a difference between enforcing regulations to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle and harassment.

I visited a few gated communities in PSL and I thought the Cascades was really nice. It had a gorgeous resort style pool and clubhouse and it was immaculate too. Over 55 communities aren't for everyone, however, even people over 55.

[jennvg]

Barrier Island Gated Community Living
We moved into the neighborhood about a year ago. With more manicured palms then there were people I felt like I had arrived into a secret paradise. Every morning waking up and looking beyond the crystal clear pool into our breath taking lake I felt this gratitude well up inside me. I knew how lucky I was have gotten a steal on this home and afford this island lifestyle. With our home in need of repair though, we tackled projects head on getting as much done on our own as we could. Soon our home was restored to its former glory and our weekends were left to enjoy it. I couldn’t get enough of the breathtaking beauty that surrounded me, and pinched myself every morning just to make sure it was real.
From day one I do remember getting some strange looks from my neighbors while out getting knee deep in yard work, looks that I simply chalked up to friendly curiosity. At the end of my days, I took off my flip flops, jumped into my new pool, and into my new life. It was definitely quiet. Have you ever noticed the look on someone’s face when they have just smelt something mildly unpleasant? I cannot describe the conversations I had with some of my fellow community members any other way. I tried hard to relate but felt it was more of a fact finding mission than a genuine interest in us. As we worked away to tame our overgrown yard, and freshen the exterior of our home which had seen better days, there were always a few looky loos just around the bushes. At least our gate guards were friendly every day, because limited community interaction had started to breed a feeling of loneliness, and I welcomed their laughter whenever I had the chance.
We found out soon enough that our uncomfortable feelings with our community had been validated. We were breaking some rules which we had overlooked. Being my first Florida gated community, I learned quickly that the rules were much more extensive that I had initially researched. No motorbikes, so my husband to comply pushed his BMW Touring bike from the gate to our garage every day. Also no pickup trucks allowed, no garbage bins out the night before and the list goes on. We worked to conform to the extensive list of rules to keep the peace around us, and enjoy the reward of all our hard work. As we tried to stay under the radar, on occasion we would receive letters left in the mailbox, littered with grievances that one neighbor had with another neighbor. I guess the rest of us needed to be made aware of this. Sometimes these letters were downright mudslinging, and rumor perpetrating, so we requested to be out of the letter loop.
The strangest thing about this whole situation? I, like I am sure most of the general population, was under the impression that once you cross the gate into an upscale community, that there would be a sense of “ahhh” with freedom and rainbows dotting the landscape. I had no idea how restricted my life was about to become. As the year progressed I found myself watching the time more so as I am not doing yard work after 5 pm, and always looking over my shoulder to see an elderly neighbor or two peering at the house from inside their Mercedes. I secretly began to miss the freedoms I had in my old neighborhood in Canada. Of course there were rules in my old neighborhood too, which would prevent a neighbor from painting their house in swastikas, but now I was feeling micro managed, and it was becoming too much. More money, more rules? It sure feels that way. We decided to list our home, take our motorcycles and look in an area without gates. The bars at the entrance that were meant to protect are taking on a new meaning for me now. If I have learned anything it is that community is so vital in our overall well-being, and that connection to our neighbors and our communities are essential. We are all in it together. I am excited to find our new community that agrees with me.