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Thanks for your thoughts. We have been checking out Brunswick Forest for almost a full day. The biggest (obvious) difference is that SJP is a golf community while BF is a community with a golf course. Both communities are lovely and everyone we have met so far has been friendly.
We spent yesterday with a BF salesman, driving around, looking at model homes. Today we are on our own so we spent the day wandering around Wilmington. We went on a river tour (courtesy of BF) and had lunch. We also searches out whole foods and trader joes.
We are able to afford homes in either community and both had one neighborhood in particular that spoke to us (in SJP, we loved Seaside; in BF, it was Shellmore). .
The hardest part of our decision will involve more intangible things.
We are now debating canceling our Carolina Colours visit and trying to squeeze in something else near Wilmington.
Lisa, i read your post and was wondering whay you and your husband meant by "The biggest (obvious) difference is that SJP is a golf community while BF is a community with a golf course."?????
both of these communities have golf courses, SJP has 4 beacuse of the difference in size but it doesn't mean you have to be a golfer to enjoy SJP. I actually knoe a number of people who live there and never gold there. There are tons of "Clubs" catering to everyones interest, the pools, the beach club etc....
Just want to make sure you didn't feel the had to be a golfer to enjoy SJP....
If you can afford SJP and BF you should give a look at Sea Trail, Winding River and Ocean Ridge. As the late Sy Sims said "an educated consumer is our best customer". In my mind this is a major step and investment and all options should be explored. I am a few years out and plan to rent for 9 - 12 months to make sure I have made the right decision.
Ha!!!! Sy and Marcie Symms. I stsarterd shopping at Syms back in the 60's. A shame they went out of business. Always used to pick up 3-4 suits at the "Bash" they would have every fall.
Lisa, i read your post and was wondering whay you and your husband meant by "The biggest (obvious) difference is that SJP is a golf community while BF is a community with a golf course."?????
both of these communities have golf courses, SJP has 4 beacuse of the difference in size but it doesn't mean you have to be a golfer to enjoy SJP. I actually knoe a number of people who live there and never gold there. There are tons of "Clubs" catering to everyones interest, the pools, the beach club etc....
Just want to make sure you didn't feel the had to be a golfer to enjoy SJP....
Biscman is right. We have friends from southern NJ where we live who own in ST James and don't golf at all. They just love the marina feel and the gorgeous lots... a big community feel to it.
I have visited the area several times since August. We have put a bid on a house today. I won't try to influence you to pick the same plantation as I did. There are some excellent deals on existing homes! Check out Wilmington also. There are some really nice areas.
I would suggest you decide on what you are looking for in a development and go to as many of them as possible. They all have different looks; "feels"; cultures and amenities. Porter's Neck and Winding River are developments that have a wide demographic of ages in their developments and are not just for retirees; so they are different from BF and SJP.
Watch out for the initiation and social fees, they can really add to the cost and if you don't use them you are out of luck. Those monthly fees will only increase over time. As someone stated in another thread, an educated consumer will make the best decision.
Good Luck!
Buying a house can always be challenging. What you desire may be different than what you can afford.
We are looking in Winding River and we are driving back down this morning to sign a contract.
I would have liked to have looked in SJP, but we eliminated it in the process. We don't play golf so it was hard to justify the $15K or $30k social fee. We also checked out all the places in Leland, but we didn't like the barren look of those places. We really like the area inside and "outside" the gates at Porter's Neck. The HOA were less expensive outside the gates at Porter's Neck.
Do you know if the restaurants in SJP are available to WRP residents?
I live at SJP and golf infrequently, so I did not join the clubs. That eliminates the fees you mentioned above. I just pay for golf by the round when I want to play. As a resident you can dine in the club house restaurants and at the marina. As a resident of Winding River, you could probably not get in the gate, so I tend to think you will not be able to dine at the plantation. Although, there are boat owners who use the marina that do not live at SJP. They may have a special pass to let them in the gate.
We are looking in Winding River and we are driving back down this morning to sign a contract.
I would have liked to have looked in SJP, but we eliminated it in the process. We don't play golf so it was hard to justify the $15K or $30k social fee. We also checked out all the places in Leland, but we didn't like the barren look of those places. We really like the area inside and "outside" the gates at Porter's Neck. The HOA were less expensive outside the gates at Porter's Neck.
Do you know if the restaurants in SJP are available to WRP residents?
Actually, back last Fall, when we were running around looking at plantations, we went up to the front gate of the Marina at SJP and told them, 'we are going to the Marina for Lunch" and they let us right in", so I do think, although not advertised, that you can dine in the restaurants even though you don't live there....of course you would be paying cash/credit card - not give them your code number so they know how much you spend a month there - as I know there is a minium of what you need to spend in the restaurants when you live there....just like any other prestigious club..... unless, of course, we were just lucky and got right in!
We are looking in Winding River and we are driving back down this morning to sign a contract.
I would have liked to have looked in SJP, but we eliminated it in the process. We don't play golf so it was hard to justify the $15K or $30k social fee. We also checked out all the places in Leland, but we didn't like the barren look of those places. We really like the area inside and "outside" the gates at Porter's Neck. The HOA were less expensive outside the gates at Porter's Neck.
Do you know if the restaurants in SJP are available to WRP residents?
Purple,
Did you sign your life away? Would you mind telling us about your new home? Winding River?
I live at SJP and golf infrequently, so I did not join the clubs. That eliminates the fees you mentioned above. I just pay for golf by the round when I want to play. As a resident you can dine in the club house restaurants and at the marina. As a resident of Winding River, you could probably not get in the gate, so I tend to think you will not be able to dine at the plantation. Although, there are boat owners who use the marina that do not live at SJP. They may have a special pass to let them in the gate.
Let me know how things go with your purchase.
PonyPride
FYI; I don't play golf. My understanding was that if you wanted to use the pool or beach facility at SJP. you had to play the social fee of either $15K or $30K? At WRP, you pay about $1000 per year for the pool; docks; all HOA fees and access to golf. I don't know if you have to pay green fees at WRP, but I am thinking you had to pay for your rounds of golf?
We signed a contract on a house yesterday and just got back to Richmond. We drove over to Southport on Supply Road (RT 211) to celebrate from WRP. We went by the SJP entrance on Supply Road at about 4:30 PM and traffic was backed up trying to enter/exit the SJP entrance. Everyone is different, but I don't think I would enjoy the hassle of a truly gated community.
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