[kevinjanet]

We are getting very close to closing on a unit at the Falls. I think it would be really helpful to talk to an actual resident there
and get their first hand impressions of the place, the quality of the HOA and any problems in the complex.
I don't know any residents there so I decided to try here.

Does anyone reading this live or know someone who lives in the complex?

If you have the time, I would love to chat with you/them!

Let me know,

Kevin Hall

PS. I will also send you a free magic trick and the fabulous Halls of Magic DVD for responding! WOW!

Check out our site: Halls of Magic Entertainment

[airics]

i don't know much about your exact unit, but my wife and I tried to buy in Rhodes Ranch.. It was our 1st choice. Beautiful area. We ended up in the Northwest instead in a larger home with a view of the strip for about $50k less

[jplumber]

Real nice complex, has gone down hill lately because the influx of renters and the HOA choosing to hold down the HOA fees. They don't even heat the spa in the winter as the used to. I know the unit you were and eventually purchased, I was intouch with my realator and was going to buy if you bailed on it. If in the future you sell please post on this message.
Gary

[olecapt]

The ratio of owner occupied is pretty low in there. Overall under 50%. Even above $300,000 it is still under 60%.

Not as bad as some of the condos but reasonably awful for a gated SFR community.

Think hard...does not bode well for the next few years.

[quixotic59]

We are renting a unit there this summer for July and August. Took a quick tour last summer of the unit and the grounds. It looked pretty nice. Everything seemed well maintained and up to date. The clubhouse was clean, the pools looked good, the unit was spotless, and the grounds looked well kept. We were going to try it out for a possible future purchase. Olecapt, could you elaborate on "reasonably awful"? Is it dangerous, poorly maintained?

[olecapt]

Renter tend, as a class, to be less socially consicious then homeowners. When they are a small minority nobody notices or is rarely a problem. As they get to be a majority it becomes a problem. You find things not being maintained...cars worked on in the street or driveways...dead cars left out front for months.

If policed by the HOA it can be contained for a few bad boys whether owners or renters. But if it gets to be a high percentage it becomes difficult.

Renters tend to be poorer and younger and party more and stress the social fabric more.

The other problem is that rental owners tend to oppose the spending of money even when it is needed. The result is great pressure to hold fees down even at the cost of deferring maintenance. That will eventually catch up with the tract.

Less expensive places that get 50% rental often go much higher over time. People have problems with the "feel" of the neighborhood or their RE Agent warns that rental percentage is quite high. All that tends to hold prices down which is one of the reasons that such neighborhoods are favored by investors.

Note that more expensive neighborhood often come back...the price moves up and renting becomes less feasible...so they convert back to owner occupant.

[jplumber]

To quixotic59
Make sure that the person or company you are renting from for the two months has you registered with the HOA and that you are given a photo ID, if not they will not allow you to use the pool's or club house.

[kevinjanet]

I am sitting in my condo now over looking the immaculate pool and grounds.
Olecapt makes some good points but I haven't seen any problems here.
The security people are really good but not intrusive. The HOA really enforces the rules (Noise, old or repairing cars, etc) The HOA is well funded
with a 20 yr master plan for all contingencies and emergency work plus
you can see exactly what the monthly fee will be for the next 20 years.

Another plus is that they recently won a construction defect lawsuit on
the common areas so lots of the stuff will be fixed at no cost to the homeowners starting next month. ( There isn't anything obvious wrong that I can see but apparently thee are things like cracked concrete etc)

One thing I have noticed is that for high end condos they sure put in some cheap appliances and fixtures. We have already replaced the bathroom fixtures, the diswasher sounds like loud industrial pressure washer and the kitchen sink is ridiculously small!

We really like it here and feel good about our purchase. I remember when Olecapt took us out to see our first condo complex. It was right next to this one and I thought it was way too far out from the strip. Now, after driving around Vegas for a bit, It seems very easy to get to the strip plus
there are lots and lots of good stores nearby.

If anyone wants any more info about the complex contact me.

Kevin

Keywords: The Falls The Falls at Rhodes Ranch Apache Springs

[quixotic59]

Thanks jplumber. We have used him before and he already assured us he will give us everything we need to be able to use all the facilities.

Reading Kevin's post, I hope everything is finished by July!

[jplumber]

RE: As I understand it the construction defecet settlement was with Rhodes, there is still pending litigation with the subcontractors. The main problem is with pending litigation it makes it vertually impossible to sell a unit, except for cash, buyers can't get loans with pending litigation and the high occupancy of rental units. I think the owners were told that the construction defecets would take about a year to complete.