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Hi,
I am new to this forum. My family is relocating to Summerville this summer. We're looking for a home in a nice community with a pool, playground area etc. My question is are there any neighborhoods with especially strict homeowners associations? We want and appreciate the value of a good community association we just don't want a neighborhood where we don't feel the house is our own. I want to be able to plant flowers out front or a garden out back without getting a letter in my mailbox.
Any experiences (good or bad) are welcome.
The HOA's are pretty relaxed here. Mostly they are concerned about fencing and how many pets you have. You can review the docs before buying a home. Ask your Realtor to look it up or forward them to you.
Correct. There are some fine neighborhoods in Summerville, and most would allow what you've mentioned. It's just a matter of double-checking the Covenants and Restriction/HOA docs prior to committing to a sale, or speaking directly with the HOA board/officers.
Sounds like there will be plenty of neighborhoods that suit your family perfectly!
I'm not sure what price range you would like to stay in, but a few communities you may want to look at are:
Taylor Plantation
Myers Mills
Legend Oaks
Ashborough
Bridges of SUmmerville...
and many more! If you don't mind sharing a little bit more, we can direct you in the right direction.
Most neighborhoods aren't that restrictive that they will tell you what you can and can't plant. Unless you are growing rows of cornstalks in your backyard I don't think they would say anything to you unless it would become unsightly and then they might ask you to screen it from view but most won't even push it that far.
There can be a vast difference in HOA's. In two ways:
1. The actual Covenants & Restrictions; what do they allow, etc. Any Realtor can help you with that.
2. How are they enforced? Remember, the board today, may not be the board tomorrow. But, one can get a general feeling on how strict an HOA is, just by driving through a neighborhood.
In the end, in my opinion, you need to talk to actual residents in the community where you are thinking of purchasing. Subjective? Yes, but closer to the source.
I like that you are thinking how it could affect your quality of life. In my experience, the further out from a town center you are, the less oversight in a development. That's a generality for sure.
jim
As far as covenants they vary some, but none that I have seen are as strict as what you are describing. As far as I am concerned, covenants should be the least of your worries. Don't let the tail wag the dog here. Below are some concrete things you should look for as well.
Summerville is a little complicated in that 3 different counties (Dorchester, Berkley, and Charleston) and education systems are in place and there is a large disparity between them.
1. Do not move into any Charleston county neighborhoods in Summerville. The schools are sub Par, and the High School is Stall in North Charleston. I don't have to say any more. Dorchester has the best schools and Berkley isn't that bad either.
2. Location means alot. Summerville is a good sized area, both incorporated and not. Depending on where you live, will make a big difference on commute times and the amount of traffic you will encounter. A great community I am moving into is Weatherstone built by Centex. The location doesn't get much better in Summerville, and it is Berkley county schools.
3. If you are moving into a new construction neighborhood or a fairly new resale, check the reputation of the builder. Even if the house you buy now is in good shape, the rest of the neighborhood could be a slum in a few years. For example, I saw a house a few weeks ago that had windows that were taped and not flashed, as well as no moisture barrier between the siding and the OSB board. If the rest of the houses are built like that, I will put money on that neighborhood having rot in the walls in the future.
4. If you decide you want to move into a certain neighbourhood also make sure the builder is transparent- even on spec home or resale. There is a local Summerville builder in a park mentioned above that I have dealt with that does not allow walk-thoughs, phase inspections or for you to ever (and I mean ever) talk to the guy who is building your house. The first thing you should do is ask the sales agent what their polices are on the previous issues. If they have such evasive policy's, politely and promptly leave their office.
The question is what are they hiding? I can tell you this- they are the same company that doesn't flash windows, were caught by county inspectors not putting up moisture barrier behind siding to cut corners and do not stand behind their work. Remember, if the customer service is lacking before they sell a home to you, what is it going to be like once you own it and the problems that come with it? Something to think about.
4. Three builders in the area who have great customer service and transparent polices that I have personally spoken to are Centex, Saussy Burbank and Jessco. I haven't heard too much negative about any of them.
5. Get your home inspected by and ASHI certified inspector. ASHI has the highest standards, more so than NASHI. If you are building, have them phase inspect the progress. If the company won't allow it, LEAVE! Evasive builders never build houses built to last.
6. Get a good Realtor and make sure you are dealing with someone that will represent you when it hits the fan. Someone who will go the extra mile. If the Realtor has their stuff together, they will help you avoid some of the landlines out there. Never deal with an online Realtor that gives a rebate. The service is just lacking.
What is it that a Realtor could give a rebate on? Sounds more like a kick-back to me.
jim
A "rebate" is what Inest and other such companies like to call it. You are right that it is a kickback, but you won't hear them calling it that. They give 1% of the base price back to the buyer if they are used as the brokerage agent with new builders. Of the 3% commission that gets paid, they keep 2%, give they buyer 1%. A local licensed Realtor is brought in and paid about $500 cash to show up at closing to make this all happen.
The Realtor who signs on the dotted line is your "representative". However, most are not going to do very much for the pittance they receive out of the deal.
For obvious reasons, I don't think this program is a good idea. These companies don't know the local market, do comparative market analysis, steer you clear of land mines or represent you when there are big problems! The "rebate" or "kickback" isn't worth the risk...
It certainly is not worth the risk. In my opinion, you need that agent to monitor the process, confirm that the inspections are being done correctly & make sure the buyer is not being put on the back burner after signing.
The last part is especially important. Sort of like a car dealership, what the salesperson says & what the mechanic can do are two different things!
jim
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