Upkeep in JCP (Plantation, Laurel, Plantation Island: real estate, foreclosures, HOA fees)

[cclovis1]

My husband and I are moving to St. Johns County in a little over a year. One of the areas we are considering is Julington Creek Plantation.

Some people hate strict HOAs -- feeling that they are too overbearing/controlling. We actually prefer them as they make sure the properties are kept up well. We drove around several non-gated communities within JCP and were surprised to see nice homes for the most part, but also a sprinkling of fences in poor repair, some overgrown yards, etc.

Are there big differences in the neighborhoods of JCP in terms of how well they are maintained? I am wondering if the gated ones tend to have stricter requirements. The ones we visited today were not gated.

Any guidance -- especially with NAMES of specific subdivisions you would recommend -- would be appreciated. We are looking to buy a home in the $350k - $450k range.

Thanks,
Carol

[mississippimagnolia]

The HOA does a pretty good job of ensuring homes and property are maintained. The homes you see with issues like fences in need of repair or yards that need work are likely in pre-foreclosure or already foreclosed. The HOA can continue sending letters, fining, and imposing liens against the property, but realistically, they won't ever see the money.

Things are much better now than they were just a few years ago. The housing crisis really hit Florida hard. We don't have nearly as many foreclosures in our JCP neighborhod (We are in The Parkes) as we did even a few years ago. I think things will continue to improve.

We just got a friendly note from our HOA rep because I accidentally left a lawn chair in our driveway overnight. We had been sitting outside talking with neighbors and I just forgot to put it back on the porch. The HOA covenant enforcement is alive and well

[LaurelBlack]

I live in Julington Creek Plantation, and have shown, listed, and sold numerous houses in the area. I can tell you that the value offered by the HOA generally supports the cost by way of home prices. The downsides are obvious -- people can be obnoxious in reporting "offenses" to the HOA, the fees are not negotiable and may change from year to year, and you may be restricted in what you can do to the exterior of the home and whether you can park certain kinds of vehicles or trailers in your driveway.

However, if you are willing to look past the downsides, a strong HOA has a huge influence on the value of the homes. When I compare areas with weaker HOAs in the NW St. Johns County area, there's absolutely a correlation -- the stronger the HOA the stronger the resale market.

In JCP, for your price point, I'd steer toward the neighborhoods of: Eastgate, Westgate, Plantation Cove, the Meadows, Plantation Estates, Magnolia Preserve, Eastwood, Plantation Island, and Deer Run. I'm not aware of any additional restrictions for the gated communities -- it's a good question and I'll try to find out the answer on that.

Let me know if you want to have a conversation; we can take this offline and I can be more specific.

[Thundarr457]

Originally Posted by LaurelBlack

I live in Julington Creek Plantation, and have shown, listed, and sold numerous houses in the area. I can tell you that the value offered by the HOA generally supports the cost by way of home prices. The downsides are obvious -- people can be obnoxious in reporting "offenses" to the HOA, the fees are not negotiable and may change from year to year, and you may be restricted in what you can do to the exterior of the home and whether you can park certain kinds of vehicles or trailers in your driveway.

However, if you are willing to look past the downsides, a strong HOA has a huge influence on the value of the homes. When I compare areas with weaker HOAs in the NW St. Johns County area, there's absolutely a correlation -- the stronger the HOA the stronger the resale market.

In JCP, for your price point, I'd steer toward the neighborhoods of: Eastgate, Westgate, Plantation Cove, the Meadows, Plantation Estates, Magnolia Preserve, Eastwood, Plantation Island, and Deer Run. I'm not aware of any additional restrictions for the gated communities -- it's a good question and I'll try to find out the answer on that.

Let me know if you want to have a conversation; we can take this offline and I can be more specific.

My wife and I are considering JCP as well. We want a larger yard, preferably gated and if possible a pool. We plan on coming down in April to start looking.

[JMMH]

I think the HOA here is fine. I've never owned a home or lived with an HOA before, so while they have guidelines, I don't think they are overly strict.

To give you an idea of fees, JCP charges $380 a year. I live in Plantation Estates which is gated, and next year their fees will be $280 every 3 months.

[rs1n]

Just wanted to add that there is at least one other neighborhood that is part of JCP, but has its own, separate HOA: River Oaks Plantation.

Also, please note the difference between the HOA fees and the CDD fees.

[snuffybear]

Originally Posted by rs1n

Just wanted to add that there is at least one other neighborhood that is part of JCP, but has its own, separate HOA: River Oaks Plantation.

Also, please note the difference between the HOA fees and the CDD fees.

Does JCP have CDD fees on top of HOA fees? If so how much are CDD fees?

[rs1n]

Originally Posted by snuffybear

Does JCP have CDD fees on top of HOA fees? If so how much are CDD fees?

Yes, and I think it may be dependent on the size of your house. That said, a recent tax summary from the St Johns County Tax Collector shows our JCP CDD was $726.71 (in prior years it was a bit higher).

Edit: sometimes home listings do not show that there is a CDD fee because those fees are assessed along with real estate taxes -- it all depends on your neighborhood. Make sure to ask your realtor.

[fsquid]

I haven't had an issue with the HOA and they made the bank do some work to the home next door as it worked its way through the foreclosure process. Same with another down the street.

[GinoJune]

The HOA is pretty strict which I believe is a good thing. My neighbors and I have all received notices about something or other and we have all been quick to fix. I do agree that there are fences that could definitely use replacing.