Update on Coral Lakes (Cape Coral, Bonita Springs: HOA, how much, houses)

[justNancy]

Is there anyone here who lives in Coral Lakes? There was a Class Action Lawsuit against the builder and many homes were gutted and rebuilt.

I've looked all over SWFL and one reason I'm paranoid about moving into a community with no deed restrictions is because of my experience in Bonita Springs when I had the neighbors from hell. I'm not saying you can't have bad neighbors in a gated community, but at least they won't be able to tie up their dogs all night. I love animals and would never do that anyway, but the barking is intolerable. I just looked at a gorgeous home in North Port in a quiet area. Well, it was quiet until I drove by a nearby house with 2 rottweilers. I'm glad I was in my car. They wanted to eat me, and I didn't feel very confident that the fence would have prevented them from trying.

I wonder why the houses in gated communities are so much higher per square foot. I don't want to sound stupid, since I understand there are common areas, amenities, etc. However, that's what the HOA fee is for and, in some cases, the additional CDD. You definitely get a lot more house for the money if you don't purchase in a gated community, but then you've got to pray your neighbor doesn't paint his house purple, park his trailer on the lawn next to your window, and raise chickens in the backyard. Please don't call me a snob. This has nothing to do with money or class. Lots of rich people are inconsiderate, sloppy and rude.

Anyway, if someone here has recent information (good or bad) about the gated communities in Cape Coral, specifically Bella Vida and Coral Lakes, please post your comments.

[nhkev]

that was a huge area for chinese drywall. Even though as you say many were gutted there may be an ongoing stigma linked to the area. Looks like a nice area, but personally I'd be hesitant. There are rumors whether founded or unfounded that by gutting the houses alone will not eliminate drywall gases. I know anytime there is any type of adverse issue..... lead paint, radon, formaldehyde isulation, asbestos, etc it's usually best to stand clear

Cape Coral residents learn more about defective drywall » Naples Daily News

[justNancy]

Thanks, but that link is from March 2009. I started a thread last year and posted a similar article. I was wondering if there has been any news about that community lately.

[URL="//www.city-data.com/forum/8245149-post1.html"][/URL]I agree that reputation can hurt a development, but I also wonder if knowing a home has been gutted and rebuilt is more reassuring than getting an inspection that says "no defective drywall detected." I'm not saying I would buy a home with CDW but I don't see why removing it is any different from removing the other hazards you mentioned.

[hiknapster]

Being that it is swFlorida, I wonder how much of a stigma anything carries. People troop through the area so much, and so few pay attention or even care about anything that happened in the past down there. It's not like other places where if something like that happened you couldn't give it away. There is always someone that will buy something without knowing any better or even know enough to ask.

[justNancy]

I have to agree with you. I won't elaborate because there are already several threads dedicated to CDW, so I'll try to stay on the topic of gated communities in the area. I wonder if the extra price per sq ft is worth it. I assume a lot depends on the HOA and how the community is managed.

[hiknapster]

Whether you or I think that a gated community is worth the price, some people think that it is and are willing to pay it.

It is very similar to when we discussed how people are willing to pay more for something while others run the other way. A great example is a swimming pool. Because a house has a pool, the price is going to be higher. However, depending on where the home is located, the pool will scare away a certain percentage of buyers. In Florida, the percentage will be lower than, say, Massachusetts, but you will still lose some people that do not want that pool home.

Some people do not like gated communities while others will pay a premium for them. Just know that during resale you will attract some people while other people will pass you by. I think that in swFlorida, much like the pool issue, gated communities are more popular than in other places for various reasons. Local market is everything.

[jdkaire]

We at A-1 Property Service Co. have seen properties with Chinese Drywall and sometimes in there may be other houses in the same development that don't have this defective drywall. The only way is to take samples and test in an EPA lab. And of course, we offer that service. I would recommend to test it before concluding anything.
[url=http://www.a1propertyservice.com]A1 Property Service Co.[/url]