HOA's and many property management companies being replaced due to bad management (Dunedin: 2015, homes)

[EngGirl]

No, seriously, let's stop making seven oaks the best community to live. Yes, it's has great amenities, low HOA fees ($100 per year) and CDD - around 2000 per year. The location is good. Nobody argues Seven Oaks is one of nicest communities in WC.

But... this community has other issues too. Like any other communities with HOA. So, let's make it clear, Seven Oaks is not issue-free community. If someone on this thread never personally had issues with HOA/CDD boards, it doesn't mean there are non. Besides issues related to HOA/CDD, it has sinkhole houses, houses with poor construction (stucco is one of it), houses under 10 year old with leaking roofs.

Ok, now everyone got it, Seven Oaks should be the first choice for someone looking to buy in WC. But what about prices??? All houses currently listed for sale in Seven Oaks are way overprices!!! Is anyone feels like paying $320K-$350K for 2600 sq.ft. 4/3/2 house on 0.15 ac lot with practically no backyard, and paying tax+cdd = around $6500 per year - great! They have something to choose from. But these prices are at last housing boom level for previously owned houses (not new construction as it was 10 years ago). I understand, prices could be higher than it was during the time when most Floridians who purchased ended up being upside down, but exactly the same house could be purchased for $100K less not too far from there and even still be zoned to the same middle and high school... If anyone feels like location+CDD amenities worth paying extra $100K - great! But looking how long these houses been on the market makes me think not so many people are willing to do so.

Don't take me wrong, I agree Seven Oaks is a great community, but it still has issues + houses there are way overpriced, so comparing it to any other community doesn't make sense.

[The Villages Guy]

Originally Posted by EngGirl

No, seriously, let's stop making seven oaks the best community to live. Yes, it's has great amenities, low HOA fees ($100 per year) and CDD - around 2000 per year. The location is good. Nobody argues Seven Oaks is one of nicest communities in WC.

But... this community has other issues too. Like any other communities with HOA. So, let's make it clear, Seven Oaks is not issue-free community. If someone on this thread never personally had issues with HOA/CDD boards, it doesn't mean there are non. Besides issues related to HOA/CDD, it has sinkhole houses, houses with poor construction (stucco is one of it), houses under 10 year old with leaking roofs.

Ok, now everyone got it, Seven Oaks should be the first choice for someone looking to buy in WC. But what about prices??? All houses currently listed for sale in Seven Oaks are way overprices!!! Is anyone feels like paying $320K-$350K for 2600 sq.ft. 4/3/2 house on 0.15 ac lot with practically no backyard, and paying tax+cdd = around $6500 per year - great! They have something to choose from. But these prices are at last housing boom level for previously owned houses (not new construction as it was 10 years ago). I understand, prices could be higher than it was during the time when most Floridians who purchased ended up being upside down, but exactly the same house could be purchased for $100K less not too far from there and even still be zoned to the same middle and high school... If anyone feels like location+CDD amenities worth paying extra $100K - great! But looking how long these houses been on the market makes me think not so many people are willing to do so.

Don't take me wrong, I agree Seven Oaks is a great community, but it still has issues + houses there are way overpriced, so comparing it to any other community doesn't make sense.

Homes are worth whatever the current market dictates they are. It is not a personal opinion. It is what it is. Now is it worth it to an "individual"? That is up to the individual. We all put value into different things and deduct value for others. For "us", the CDD thing was a big issue, as you noted. We simply did not want to be paying that kind of money, on top of a mortgage....even with the mortgage as low as it was. When we buy, even if we think it is a home we would sell at some point, we look at all the long term costs in case we do not sell. Do we want to be paying the huge tax, CDD, HOA bill every year in retirement? No way. So we eliminated all communities with that type of setup and cost. But that is "our" choice and may not work for others.

[bentlebee]

Originally Posted by PriusH8r

Homes are worth whatever the current market dictates they are. It is not a personal opinion. It is what it is. Now is it worth it to an "individual"? That is up to the individual. We all put value into different things and deduct value for others. For "us", the CDD thing was a big issue, as you noted. We simply did not want to be paying that kind of money, on top of a mortgage....even with the mortgage as low as it was. When we buy, even if we think it is a home we would sell at some point, we look at all the long term costs in case we do not sell. Do we want to be paying the huge tax, CDD, HOA bill every year in retirement? No way. So we eliminated all communities with that type of setup and cost. But that is "our" choice and may not work for others.

That is called making a smart decision based on your personal needs and preferences!

We bought in Seven Oaks and when we calculated the $ 1550 CDD we paid when we bought (now it is just slightly higher and depends on lot size and sub community, gated or not gated) we knew that it was not that high if you divide it by 12 and add the one time annual HOA fee of $ 65.00 than it was not so high compared to other communities with just a HOA.

West Chase has areas with 2 CDD's and a HOA and there is a community in New Tampa called Live Oak which has a CDD and 2 HOA fees....just as an example.

For al the amenities Seven Oaks offers a $ 134.60 monthly fee is not that high (our opinion) and for us it is tax deductible and we rent it out after we actually bought it as a primary home and planned to move in but to our surprise the waiting list we were put on and were told we wouldn't have much chance to get up high enough to buy a house in the community we later moved to, was calling us that we were ready to pick our lot.

Since we liked the bigger house we chose to rent the one in Seven Oaks out.

[MortonR]

There is another side to the HOA saga, and that's apathy.

I am one of two officers on my HOA board, and the other officer is going to step down at the end of the year. As a result of this, if we don't get some residents to participate the Board will go into receivership, which means a significant increase in annual dues.

We've made every effort to get the owners involved, but no one seems to care.

A letter will go out a week prior to our next meeting to let everyone know their fees will most likely double (or more) and they will essentially lose control of the HOA if there isn't some involvement on the part of the property owners.

As we Board members have often joked, we should put out a special assessment for an outrageous amount of money and see how many people show up for a meeting then...

RM

[bentlebee]

Wow that is sad and I know not many people feel they need to get involved, but it is important.

[MortonR]

Quote:
Originally Posted by PriusH8r View Post
What a fantastic morning out there. The pup and I went out for her business and it was so pleasant and nice to hear all the nature sounds around. I love living here.

Right on brother.What a great day.

And these are germane to the topic how?

[BTVT]

In reply to bentlebee #56......Cross Creek at Summertree... another community managed by Pam Washburn where home owners have complaints...I guess her way of running the company is slowly coming to an end!

Unfortunately not so...our HOA Board has a long reputation of not responding to residents issues and only relying on Premier Management Co. to make all major decisions.
One example is the hoa board and management co. openly allowing a minor child living on a permanent basis in our community, even to the point that ex-board members/volunteers live next door or across the street from the child's resident and for years have ignored this situation.
Residents in the past have reported this violation/problem (It will cost our community its 55 status and require "every homeowner" to pay back school impact fees that are calculated at $15,000 as of today.) to hoa board members along with Premier Management Co. with no resolution.

Another example of lack of leadership and management is a special assessment recently levied against homeowners due to monies spent unwisely that depleted our reserves, all done without a vote of all the residents.

Also NO response from the management co after phone calls or emails, reading other comments here this is not uncommon for Premier Management Co.

It is a very stressful situation to be on the hook for $15,000 due to a single resident violating a state statute and our covenants and no one with fiduciary responsibility for years unable or unwilling to resolve this deplorable situation.

[EngGirl]

To be fair, 55 communities normally allowed some % for under 55 residents, am I right?

[Vannort54]

I never herd of HOA till I moved here I have had many houses in Michigan and never even herd of a HOA. Up there if you tried to tell someone what and what he could not do to his house that he paid for you would get your butt kicked to the curb.

[BucFan]

Originally Posted by Vannort54

I never herd of HOA till I moved here I have had many houses in Michigan and never even herd of a HOA. Up there if you tried to tell someone what and what he could not do to his house that he paid for you would get your butt kicked to the curb.

Herd=


And it's very likely that ghetto neighborhoods aren't restricted like a gated community might be and I'm sure there are gated communities in Michigan.