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Just as an fyi, this thread is 344 pages long, with over 3,400 posts. The chances of anyone finding your thread with that information is pretty slim. My suggestion would be to start a new thread titled something like "Information on St. James Plantation POA Fees" so that people can search for it in the future.
Actually, I find stuff in this thread easily, just searching. Although I suspect you are correct that many might not. I actually didn't want to start yet another SJP thread in the forum. It seems like people get sick of them.
Sassa, I would simply call the SJP real estate office directly and get that info from the horse's mouth. Each of the "sub communities" has its own rules and rates.
Good luck!
Steve
Indeed! It took several phone calls: SJP POA; Seaside Property Manager, Kent (developer of The Hammocks in at least that one section).
You DO need to ask questions. For example, we purchased our lot, met with a number of builders, and it was only Hagood who pointed out that we could not use board and batten exteriors on our section of SJP. It is allowed some locations, not others, per ARC rules. For example, our lot is on Moss Wynd, which stretches all over the western and central portions of SJP. You can use board and batten construction on some portions of Moss Wynd, but not in others.
Those HOA dues quoted seem very reasonable, when you figure that SJP has countless millions of dollars in amenities already up and running. I do believe it is literally true that no one could afford to start this development in 2018 and be able to afford to build and offer this vast array of amenities at any kind of affordable price. Get it while you can. All the lots will be gone, except for resale, within a couple years at current trends. They will build well over 250 new homes there this year.
We have been looking for a while, visiting different communities on the coast as well as near Chapel Hill and Raleigh. Of the 4-5 communities we have seriously looked at so far, SJP is the one to me that feels the most like a giant sales presentation, without answers or at least only partial ones. It is the hardest to get a straight answer, so far, to questions asked to the builders, real estate salesperson, even the property manager. This scares me somewhat; what if I don't know what questions to ask? Information has not exactly been forthcoming. I suspect my experience might be different if I were not dealing with the SJP sales force, but rather a local realtor.
My husband is sold on SJP. I am not there yet. He works from home. I will continue to work - I want to and I am not close to retirement age - but job opportunities are not plentiful in Southport. They are not exactly plentiful in Leland either, but it is closer to Wilmington. For this reason and also reasons of social life, I feel a better fit with Brunswick Forest. Yes, BF has fewer amenities, and is not near the ocean. The community is not as attractive. There is only one indoor pool, and one outdoor pool. But, I like the homes and lots there, and it doesn't feel as restrictive as SJP in many ways. BTW, I am very used to HOAs and rules; Cary is like a giant HOA itself, so HOAs themselves are not the issue.
Steve, you note that "I do believe it is literally true that no one could afford to start this development in 2018 and be able to afford to build and offer this vast array of amenities at any kind of affordable price." This one of the things that gives me pause. Is the developer still subsidizing amenities? How rapidly will POA dues increase? Club membership? I could wonder this about any development, for sure. But with SJP it is harder for me to get answers to questions, so far. Again, this could be due to the salesperson I am working with.
This is an important move. We are not unhappy where we are, we are not fleeing snow or taxes. We are close to RDU, close to Chapel Hill (I teach some semesters there), my job is 3 miles from my house. But we are seeking something different, yet want to make sure we make a good decision. Thanks for reading!
Sassakitty- what a wonderful perspective you've given for anyone considering St. James. We also live in the triangle area and have gone back and forth about St. James. It is a beautiful community, but the things that keep holding us back are the distances to conveniences like Trader Joes, shopping, abundance of restaurants close by, established Doctors, and the fact we've lived here over 30 years. We are also concerned about what will happen to the clubs and golf courses once the developer doesn't have them anymore. Having owned a home where the golf courses folded was not a pleasant experience and makes us a bit wary of a community where there are so many of them. And, yes, it is very difficult to get straight answers sometimes. But, even though we keep reminding ourselves of all our reservations, there is still a pull to St James- the beauty of the development,the amenities, the coastline, the beach, charming Southport, the peace and calm that we can't find where we live now. So, we are still on the fence, but who knows, St James may still be in our future.
Pinkjewel, only took one weekend for my wife and I to decide to buy and build in SJP coming from NY. True, some things are a small issue such as major shopping nearby and specialty doctors but I get to Wilmington in 30-35 minutes for these things. Twice a month is probably all you need to take the trip up there to see a Dr or do a shopping spree at a Trader Joe's, Costco, Kohl's, etc. As for restaurants, we moved in last Fall and we still haven't hit all the restaurants in Southport and Oak Island. You have five here in SJP, about 8 we know of on Oak Island and about 15 in Southport. Sure, a larger variety of cuisine in Wilmington, so combine it with one of the trips you make monthly up there and have dinner too.
As for the clubs, the developer sold them(Troon had been managing them for SJP) to Troon Golf, the worlds largest golf and club management company this past Feb. They are in 33 countries and 37 states. They have only bought 3 clubs in their history and SJP is one of them so I don't believe the clubs are going anywhere.
Any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Good luck.
nysteve661, I think the perspective of those of us coming from the Triangle is different than those coming from the NYC tristate area. You all are gaining a lot in your move; taxes that are a fraction, expenses that are a fraction, your real estate was probably worth a fortune, no harsh winters, etc...Coming from the Triangle, we are not fleeing that stuff (well, maybe some traffic); nor do we have the amazing tax savings. Those of us in the Triangle, honestly, already have an amazing place we call home. World class medical care with two university teaching hospitals within 20 miles of each other. Major universities and cultural offerings. A plethora of ethnic food offerings. It is really a terrific place to live, albeit one that is growing so quickly and has for the last 20 years...it will make your head spin. It is also barely southern anymore. In my work place for example, we have 2 native southerners out of 23 people. Out of those 23, 4 are from India.
I actually don't care about the shopping. I will miss the Fresh Market, but there is one in Wilmington if I feel the urge. I will miss the proximity to a large airport for sure. Shopping doesn't bother me either, since most of what I buy is online.
Pinkjewel, some days I think I am ready to leave, and others...not so much. Thank you for your perspective. In some ways, I think it is a harder decision for us as "locals" so to speak to make this decision.
It was kinda odd to get 2 Triangle people just in the past week. You are correct in the differences between NY and your area. If I couldn't live on the coast in NC then I would choose your area for the reasons you mentioned. I have to assume for people to leave there, the desire to slow down, less traffic, small town feel, etc could be some of the reasons. Of course the biggest one could be the beach. If your a beach lover, this is the place to be. I am 8 minutes to the SJP Beach club. Whether it is a full day at the beach or joining a bunch of our neighbors around 7pm there to watch the sunset while enjoying some drinks.
Yes, the biggest reason for us is the beach. And the SJP amenities. In effect, we would be giving up the medical, airport, diversity, etc. Although Oak Island is not the most stellar beach in NC, it is close to SJP and the beach club is a draw.
Yes, the biggest reason for us is the beach. And the SJP amenities. In effect, we would be giving up the medical, airport, diversity, etc. Although Oak Island is not the most stellar beach in NC, it is close to SJP and the beach club is a draw.
If beach is important to you, check out Winding river Plantation. They have a beautiful beach house on Holden beach, with a pool
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