Daybreak UT (Draper, Tooele, Saratoga Springs: HOA fees, new house, buyers)

[kwm03160]

Also, Holmes Homes is VERY bad. Craftsmanship is shoddy and they don't want to deal with homeowners after the sale. I don't live in Daybreak right now; I'm looking for a townhome there (good luck, Holmes Homes has the market cornered). I live in Holmes Homes' Ivy Springs development in West Jordan. They are turning over the community with over $18,000 in debt, and I still haven't gotten all of my warranty issues resolved (I've lived here for over a year). Very difficult to get people to call you back. If you do go with them, SERIOUSLY - record everything they tell you.

[jhwest]

As far as the LDS issue in Daybreak goes, we went ward shopping several times when we were thinking of moving there and the worst thing about it is the fact that there are always a ton of new move-ins, especially in the newer sections. In one ward there were five new families read in , and another ward had seven new families read in. Holy cow!
Overall, my impression of the church in Utah has not been positive. There are a lot of people who think it's great, but it felt a lot less like a family than it did when we lived in Oregon and Michigan. There's not that feeling of "we Mormons need to stick together and help each other" like there is in the "mission field" (I hate that term). But the good news is that there are a lot of kids with similar values, and that is definitely nice.

[DP525]

Originally Posted by Enigma032

DP works with me! I can assure you he's not involved in message board/HOA espionage Glad to see that you've settled in and love your home, DP!!

Just saw your post. I haven't been checking the board much since moving to Utah is not a hot topic with me anymore.

This is good timing though, as there has been some recent changes with the contracted management company that runs the HOA. It seems Kennecott Land is listening to the homeowners and has removed a couple of individuals who really caused some homeowners a lot of grief (myself included) and has replaced them with some more agreeable folks. Yesterday, the president of KL reversed a decision he had made late last year that really irritated a majority of the residents concerning movie ratings that could be shown at HOA sponsored movie nights. So changes for the better are happening at Daybreak as I write this. KL is asking for more resident input when developing policies for the community rather than making rash, unilateral decisions. This will make Daybreak an even better place than it already is.

[daybreakut411]

Many of the posts in this forum have talked about bad and good home builders. I am satisfied with my home in Daybreak, but I wonder which home builder is truly the best in Daybreak. I put up a poll on my blog at daybreaktoday.blogspot.com to find this out. So far it looks like Destination Homes is leading the pack. Check out the blog and vote I think you will find it informative.

[Bridget]

This opinion is coming from someone that does not live in Daybreak but it is all based on what you are looking for.

Pros-I liked some of the model homes I went through a couple of years ago. I liked the idea that they wanted to make it so that the neighbors knew one another through neighborhood involvement. My friend lives there and her husband can take a direct bus from there to Salt Lake. They have neighborhood parks. There is a lake for fishing, canoeing, etc. If you want minimal yard work you would probably love, what I perceive as, the most common type of home there. There will be a pool built at the end of their street.

Cons-We have not considered moving there because I felt the prices were high for lot size. We have dogs and kids and did not feel like we could afford a home with a decent lot to have our own swingset so we wouldn't have to spend the whole day at the park if our kids wanted to play outside. My friend that lives there is in a home that has a couple of feet of grass between her and the next home and that is it. Their garage is attached so they don't have any other play space for kids.

I think with Daybreak it seems you either really like it and it will work for you or you don't really care for the setup. My sister loved the idea of it. She is a working mom and really liked how all of her needs seemed to be in one area. The friend of mine also has a space reserved in the community garden to plant some veggies since she has not lot. Some people would like that, I would not. I cannot remember what she said her HOA fees were.

[steve777]

im also looking to relocate to daybreak from the uk what sort of prices are the houses of 2600 sq feet and what rental premium would a 2600 sq feet attract

[Hattrick]

Not for me! To me this community is based on developer greed to squeeze as many homes in the area at the highest price. Very similar to suburbs in LA and Vegas. There are some very neat looking houses on zero lots which I could understand in an old city like Chicago where the lots are small. Why build a new community in an area where there is plenty of land and squeeze everyone in? Oh I know the answer it is Developer Greed.

[jaceepc]

Originally Posted by janp

Thanks DP525 for your informative response to my question. We too will be moving to the SLC area and are still trying to figure out where to live. I visited for the first time last weekend, and really liked it, a very beautiful city. From reading the board here, I thought that Sugarhouse or the Avenues would be our best bet, but I was not impressed with what $350K would buy in that area. We really liked the Sandy/Cottonwood Hts. area too, maybe even Draper, but won't rule out Daybreak.

Thanks again,
Jan

You won't be impressed with what $350K will buy in Sandy/Cottonwood Hts or Draper either. I have lived in Cottonwood Hts for many years - as a renter. When we decided to buy a home, we started there. $350K will buy an old split level that maybe has been updated inside.

Sandy is a little better but still the homes are older - newer than C. Hts but still not very new, and a lot of split level styles (I hate that 70s style).

Draper has lots of new homes, lots in foreclosure, and all overpriced. We couldn't even touch one we liked for $350K.

So we looked in Herriman - and we bought in Herriman. We LOVE it. Daybreak is just a few miles north of us and lots of people love it there also. I think you can get more for your money in either Herriman or Daybreak.

[ShouldIMoveOrStayPut...?]

Originally Posted by jaceepc

You won't be impressed with what $350K will buy in Sandy/Cottonwood Hts or Draper either. I have lived in Cottonwood Hts for many years - as a renter. When we decided to buy a home, we started there. $350K will buy an old split level that maybe has been updated inside.

Now granted I have not gone to see any of these homes, but if you go to craigslist, click Utah....Salt Lake City.....Real Estate For Sale.

Under "Search For" type Cottonwood Heights or Sandy, in the price boxes limit search from 300K to 350K, maybe I'm easy to please, but they sure look impressive for the price compared to other areas of SLC.

With regards to Daybreak....I read Kennecott has scrubbed a plan to develop an entire West Bench complete with an Oquirrh Mountain Ski Resort because the price of copper skyrocketed, the real estate market softened, and it's far easier money over developing real estate seeing they are already in the mining biz, and R.E. development is frought with red tape and risk.....a "no brainer" so to speak....

Will this affect Daybreak positively or negatively down the road....?

[jaceepc]

I have gone to see plenty of these homes. The pictures are nice - the homes . . . well, you have to see them in person to really tell. And we did. We looked at homes for 4 months all over the valley. The pictures just don't tell the whole story.

How about these from CraignList.com:

- $219900 $0 Down payment - Cottonwood Hghts 3 bedrm - (6845 S. Greenfield Way- 1910 E)

Let's see, this is a little 1 level with no basement. I'm familiar with Greenfield Way. It's VERY close to I-215. Want to breathe the fumes?

Or how about this one: $298900 4 bedroom/3 bath - best value in this desirable neighborhood!

This one is a 1970s split foyer type with a mansared roof. Granted, they have remodeled a lot and it looks nice inside.

Anyway, it just depends on your preferences. We preferred to buy a newer home in Herriman for the same price as a 30 yr old home in Cottonwood Hgts. Daybreak has the same advantage - newer homes for the price of old ones somewhere else.