Daybreak UT (Draper: townhomes, homebuyer, bankrupt)

[ShouldIMoveOrStayPut...?]

Originally Posted by jaceepc

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

LOL.....I hear you on that one jaceepc, the early 60's to mid 70's was obviously a banner development period for the bench.....complete with obligatory cathedral ceilings with exposed beams, wrought iron railings and (a must have) swag lamp.....Is SLC where they filmed "That 70's show"...?

Sounds like you did your homework and bought well.....still I caution people that new is not always better. Take Sugarhouse for example, those brick bungalows look like they could withstand a direct shell from an M1 Abrams tank.

New construction can include Oriented Strand Board sheathing (shredded Aspen tree shavings glued together and rolled into sheet goods) pre-engineered joists of basically the same material, press plate roof truss systems, etc, etc....

Heaven help anything that gets wet, and, IMO, life of these matreials is limited even under optimal conditions.

Real Estate certainly can be a chess game with sellers looking for maximum gain while buyers play for the best deal....so many variables and components come into play to determine what move you make.

[DP525]

Originally Posted by 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.

You don't get it. Daybreak is about New Urbanism. It is combating the urban sprawl that has ruined the large cities you mention. It is about offering a walkable community where businesses can be reached by foot or bike and people can work where they live. It is about creating population density that will make public transportation alternatives like TRAX viable. It is about getting people involved in their community and getting to know their neighbors. It is about responsible land use and conserving our natural resources. Daybreak uses far less water than surrounding communities. All houses in Daybreak meet Energy Star requirements.

If you want to continue to live with your head in the sand and assume that our overconsumption of land and resources has no end in sight, go buy your 5000 square foot house surrounded by an acre of Kentucky Bluegrass. Enjoy your huge utility bills. Enjoy spending every Saturday watering and mowing. Meanwhile, I'll be at one of our many parks or at the lake with my kids enjoying the weekend.

[ShouldIMoveOrStayPut...?]

I sincerely hope Daybreak becomes a continued overwhelming success fostering a host of similar communities, I truly do....

But I fear communities such as these are designed to attract post baby-boomer generations. I viewed a report on 60 minutes (or 20/20...can't remember) where businesses and society at large are having to retool their thinking and operations to accommodate this population.
Businesses are having to create flexible work schedules, provide more entertaining work environments, give in to a laundry list of demands or risk losing the employee (or having a less productive one)....

The jury is still out on the sustainablilty of these work environments....and "Trouble In Paradise" can manifest itself in a variety of ways in a communal planned living environment.....

Just a few...
Failed collective bargaining.....low costs from discounts on goods to construction and association fees can go astray....HOA fees doubling just one example.

Negative Branding....If a problem from ground contamination to a string of robberies, or something far worse, befalls a downtown street, the impact can be limited to that street, surounding streets and communities may or may not get caught in the negative publicity.....
But if the same happens in Daybreak, the entire community is impacted. People will just say "Do you know what happened in Daybreak?"

Taxes....community tends to rise at the same rate as a whole, rather than more individual assessments for spot built residential streets that are not part of a planned community (the tax man does not like collective bargaining)

[DP525]

Does Suncrest in Draper ring a bell? How about all the flooding in Saratoga Springs or Tooele? There can always be negative stories about any development. Daybreak has had its share. But people are ready for what it offers. Ten percent of all new homes being built in Salt Lake County right now are being built in Daybreak. They are still selling here because it is unconventional and offers options you can find nowhere else around. It is unlike anywhere I have ever lived and I will be hard pressed to find a suitable replacement if I ever have to move again.

I am glad there are post baby boomers out there challenging conventional wisdom. This country isn't exactly in a wonderful position these days after years of conventional thinking. Maybe change is what we need. Maybe a little more concern about the environment and less about our creature comforts and what will impress our friends and families is needed. If we are going to continue to thrive and prosper as a nation we need to start thinking (and acting!) out of the box and doing what is right, even if it is a little uncomfortable. No dynasty will last forever unless it changes and adapts. The Romans once ruled the world and where are they now?

Moving to Daybreak was a real challenge to our conventional thinking but now, two years later, we are VERY glad we did. I love my low utility bills and my lawn I can mow in 15 minutes. I love all the open space and parks where we can enjoy the summer. I love all my friendly, unconventional neighbors. When the Town Center is finished I will enjoy walking to it to do business or have a bite to eat. I will love walking to the TRAX station and catching a ride downtown to watch a baseball game or concert. And I will love how seldom I will need to go to the gas station to donate to the Sheik's palace fund.

[kaytidid]

Originally Posted by DP525

And I will love how seldom I will need to go to the gas station to donate to the Sheik's palace fund.

ROFLMAO!! Bwhahaha.....

[ShouldIMoveOrStayPut...?]

Like I stated, I sincerely hope Daybreak remains sustainable and vibrant DP525......

When they opened a Big Box home improvement retailer back it 1990 where I am, the store easily controlled more than 10% of local market share, they put many local hardware, lumberyards, etc. out of business.

They had their start up staff imported from Texas with pleasant drawls, helped everyone, the store was new, well stocked, clean, a pleasure to shop in.....

That store is now closed, the stores that opened even closer to my home are dirty, picked over, out of stock, rude dive for cover when they see a customer staff, the company is struggling in the wake of new competition.
Local lumberyards and hardware stores are opening again.

IMHO....Daybreak is still in the "New store with the Texas staff" phase..

Will everyone still be bicycling down to the community center for a giant collective group hug, vegetarian burgers on the grill and Kumbaya sung to someone playing a Guild twelve string eighteen years from now?

All depends on the pluck, stictoitiveness and ablilty to adapt and continually evolve the community of the residents and management...I'm rootin for ya.....

[DP525]

I hear you. And I understand the New Store analogy. I have seen plenty of marketing from Kennecott Land. I guess the good thing is, if they have applied extra sugar coating (sorry, no Texas drawls though) purely as a marketing strategy it should continue for a long time, as there is at least another 15 years of build out left in Daybreak. But I suspect it might take longer. The housing market slowdown has not left Daybreak entirely untouched and the development of things such as the Village Center have been delayed because of it. But I am glad to see all the new houses still selling, as it is population density that is needed to make all the plans like TRAX and the Village Center viable.

No place is perfect, but Daybreak fits our needs better than any place we have ever lived. And we are proud to be homeowners in such an innovative community.

[ceceaz]

Originally Posted by Shannon_ UT

Hi all, I'm thinking of moving to Daybreak. So, is there anyone that lives there and can give me some pros and cons. Does anyone know what the HOA fees are also? Thanks for all the input!

The hoa is a joke, if i knew what i know now i would have never moved in.

[DP525]

Originally Posted by ceceaz

The hoa is a joke, if i knew what i know now i would have never moved in.

Why do you say that? What covenant are you breaking that has gotten their attention? I live within the rules and have no problems with them.

[ceceaz]

I have a holmes home home. very poor workman ship. never again