Any feedback on Ballentine Farms in Fuquay-Varina (Raleigh, Cary: hoa, showing)

[Rola62]

Hello everyone! I'm a Jr. member.
We're moving to Fuquay-Varina to a subdivision called Ballentine Farms. The house is being built by David Weekley Homes. I've researched on both the area and the builder and have not found any negatives yet... Can someone please share any experiences?
Thanks!!

[Todd M.]

That's where we live! We're up in the front near the school.

I really don't have a lot of negatives to say about the neighborhood. The only thing I'm not thrilled about is the monthly fees and the management company that handles them. I don't think the money is being handled wisely. Prime example is they spend over $40,000 a year on lawn care for the common areas. There are not that many common areas! They're taking in over $17,000 a month in HOA dues. There's no way, even with lighting and pool costs, that this neighborhood costs $200k a year to run. If the money was better spent or the neighborhood had more amenities, then I wold mind as much. You know I'll be voting them to get them out when their contract expires and the homeowners take control of the HOA. I'll get off my soapbox now.

Feel free to PM me with any specific questions.

-Todd

[Rola62]

Thanks for the reply and the insight about the HOA. My husband and I plan on getting very involved with all the subdivision happenings.
We were in FV NC last week...drove from IL and out of all the homes, old and new, the Ballentine Farms, Geovanni model home won our hearts. I loved the family atmosphere and the surroundings. Can't wait to move.

[VickiR]

I was just out there yesterday, showing a beautiful home that is to be completed in June. If my clients don't hurry up and make an offer, I'm afraid they are going to lose that house! They were offering a nice incentive package but we wanted more!

Vicki

[urbywan]

Originally Posted by VickiR

I was just out there yesterday, showing a beautiful home that is to be completed in June. If my clients don't hurry up and make an offer, I'm afraid they are going to lose that house! They were offering a nice incentive package but we wanted more!

Vicki

I don't believe that comment. homes are NOT SELLING that fast right now.

I know the subdivision and quite frankly the homes are well much to be desired. Vinyl siding. Nuff said . If your house is not Brick or hardy board you are being hosed in North carolina!

[kmflan]

Vinyl siding= getting hosed? Since when?

[Todd M.]

Originally Posted by urbywan

I don't believe that comment. homes are NOT SELLING that fast right now.

I know the subdivision and quite frankly the homes are well much to be desired. Vinyl siding. Nuff said . If your house is not Brick or hardy board you are being hosed in North carolina!

Firstly, a home in Ballentine has an average days on market this year of 53. The average days on market for a house in Fuquay is 87 days. Homes in Cary are on the market for an average of 73 days. I'd say that Ballentine is is doing pretty well.

Secondly, I have to take serious issue with that comment. I LIVE in that subdivision, and you're saying I have a poorly built house. How do you know how well my house was built? Do you know what upgrades and options I have? I think not! Where does your information come from? Are you just making a broad generalization because the houses don't cost $500,000+, don't have tons of stone or brick work and fancy landscaping, or aren't in Cary or Raleigh? I think so.

And what's wrong with vinyl? It's not a pretty as stone or brick, but it does keep the costs down. There are a lot of people out there that can't, or choose not to, purchase a very expensive home. This neighborhood offers good houses at affordable prices. There area lot of young families in this neighborhood that are just starting out or people that choose not to be "house poor" and extend themselves beyond their paychecks just to have the appearance of a fancy home. There are four different builders represented in this neighborhood (only one currently building), your blanket statement that all of them build an "less desirable" home shows a lot of ignorance. I suggest you back up your statements with some facts next time before you go insulting the neighborhood and houses that people live in.

[transplanted yankee]

First - My friend is a sales person for David Weekly. She sold homes for another large builder before she joined DW. I asked her if she liked DW Homes and she said yes. She told me that she felt very good about selling these homes especially compared to the other company she worked for.
Second - Humans - make a change to how homes are built and we just have a hard time accepting it! When vinyl is installed on a home properly, it makes for a very low maintence home which is what a lot of people want. In other parts of the country, they are building $600,000 homes with brick fronts and vinyl sides.
Third - I think Ballentine Farms is a great location once your learn the roads. Not far from grocery stores in FV and not from from Raleigh, Cary, and Apex.
Enjoy your new neighborhood and home!

[cakeprincess]

Vinyl home is an energy saver in homes today. I lives in two-story house and when it's hot outside, no a/c is on, the house is still nice and cool. When it's cold outside, my house stay warm. We haven't use central heat yet. Unless it get real cold outside, we use the gas fireplace.

Our gas bill is $35/month and electric is $80/month. Family of 3. Vinyl home saved our money now. In Florida where we used to live in a brick house, we averaged $300/month gas+electric. YIKE!

[Beffrey2]

Originally Posted by Todd M.

Firstly, a home in Ballentine has an average days on market this year of 53. The average days on market for a house in Fuquay is 87 days. Homes in Cary are on the market for an average of 73 days. I'd say that Ballentine is is doing pretty well.

Secondly, I have to take serious issue with that comment. I LIVE in that subdivision, and you're saying I have a poorly built house. How do you know how well my house was built? Do you know what upgrades and options I have? I think not! Where does your information come from? Are you just making a broad generalization because the houses don't cost $500,000+, don't have tons of stone or brick work and fancy landscaping, or aren't in Cary or Raleigh? I think so.

And what's wrong with vinyl? It's not a pretty as stone or brick, but it does keep the costs down. There are a lot of people out there that can't, or choose not to, purchase a very expensive home. This neighborhood offers good houses at affordable prices. There area lot of young families in this neighborhood that are just starting out or people that choose not to be "house poor" and extend themselves beyond their paychecks just to have the appearance of a fancy home. There are four different builders represented in this neighborhood (only one currently building), your blanket statement that all of them build an "less desirable" home shows a lot of ignorance. I suggest you back up your statements with some facts next time before you go insulting the neighborhood and houses that people live in.

No need to get mad todd. I live over in crooked creek...the houses are pretty much the same. I kind of agree with the other guy about the vinyl. These builders are throwing up these houses left and right without any concern about the future. Sure, it saves us the buyer money, but I kind of do agree these houses are cheaply built. Just drive through some of these older subdivisions and take a real close look. What will our subdivisions look like in 30 years? See, nobody cares. We just want to make a quick buck...thats it. Also, tons of amenities don't mean you have a well built house.

Please don't get mad....I think my own house is cheaply built.....lol. But we do have a ton of amenities!