Ocala - Palm Cay (Belleview, Bell: lease, homes, neighborhoods)

[GoodDog2]

Originally Posted by kmarc

Agree with you about the lack of modest, concrete block homes in the retirement communities. It's not that they don't exist in this area, just not in the retirement communities. If you want a modest home with a modest price, it's frame and siding. Either that or end up in Marion Oaks, the Shores or one of the subdivisions close to town.

Also agree about 200. Despite that, I like it here in the Ocala area. Very much. Palm Cay is very dog friendly.

Great News............THANKS SO MUCH!

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by GoodDog2

THANKS!
$16 - $18 bucks is really cheap. I have to think that city water and sewer will cost about three or four times that amount? Maybe more?

I haven't been here long enough to know.

Marion County Utilities | Marion County, FL

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by GoodDog2

Great News............THANKS SO MUCH!

You're welcome. Even the residents who don't have dogs are very tolerant of barking, unless it gets out of hand. I think the larger lots have a lot to do with it. However, they've been warning people in Palm Cay and Spruce Creek to be aware of the coyotes in the area and not to leave the dogs out at night, even in the fenced yards.

[GoodDog2]

We just bought a home in Palm Cay! After years of looking, we finally did it. So now I will have some questions and can use some advice/info.
My first question is how do I get gate access. Who do I contact?Do you use a swipe card? Sticker on the car?

Most importantly, what is the best option for TV and internet. We already have a dish account, but not sure if we'll keep it. It depends upon what is available. Of course, we have to get internet access and I know that cable is usually the best, but I can't see how I'd keep the dish for TV and then cable for internet?
HELP!!
I am sure I'll have lots more questions and appreciate in advance any assistance.
THANKS!

David

[Linc_log]

Originally Posted by GoodDog2

We just bought a home in Palm Cay! After years of looking, we finally did it. So now I will have some questions and can use some advice/info.
My first question is how do I get gate access. Who do I contact?Do you use a swipe card? Sticker on the car?

Most importantly, what is the best option for TV and internet. We already have a dish account, but not sure if we'll keep it. It depends upon what is available. Of course, we have to get internet access and I know that cable is usually the best, but I can't see how I'd keep the dish for TV and then cable for internet?
HELP!!
I am sure I'll have lots more questions and appreciate in advance any assistance.
THANKS!

David

Dave:
just saw your post, how is Palm Cay? live in Wadsworth, 30 minutes from Kent.
Been looking at Palm Cay, wondered how true the posts were concerning the area.
Thanks,

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by Linc_log

Dave:
just saw your post, how is Palm Cay? live in Wadsworth, 30 minutes from Kent.
Been looking at Palm Cay, wondered how true the posts were concerning the area.
Thanks,

In my opinion, Palm Cay is as good as it gets for a modest, but pleasant retirement. Along the more southerly stretch of Highway 200 in Ocala, your basic choices for modest retirement living are Palm Cay, Spruce Creek North and Pine Run. They're all in the same general area. The homes are frame and siding on slab, with county water coming in, septic going out. Many of the homes in Palm Cay have attached garages, some have carports. Pine Run mostly has carports, with some garages. Same for Spruce Creek North. Prices seem to range anywhere from a low of $75,000 to about $130,000, maybe some a little more in Spruce Creek. All have a basic clubhouse with activities and pool. Pine Run has two pools and two clubhouses. Lots are about 1/4 acre in all three communities. Pine Run and Palm Cay are gated, Spruce Creek North is not.

As far as I can tell, Palm Cay is very well managed and maintained. It has a resident HOA that employs a management company. It has had some random incidents such as a car theft and a couple of burglaries on the perimeter of the community that happened when some construction workers working in a neighboring community crossed the fence and did some messing around (that is what I heard, anyway) but when the work ended, no further problems. The only other thing I heard about was some theft from some of the mailboxes, but nothing extensive, just random incidents. Very little crime.

The main issue with Palm Cay at this time seems to be the two pieces of property on either side of the road that leads up to the community from 200. For years these pieces of property were heavily forested, but have recently been somewhat cleared out, mostly the underbrush and some of the trees. On one side they've started extending the storage unit complex back from 200 toward the community itself. The property on the other side of road is for sale. This mainly affects the houses in the front part of the community closer to the gate. It also affects the turn off into Palm Cay from 200, as people using the storage complex will be sharing that with the residents. I don't know what it will be like when construction is completely, but there will definitely be more traffic coming in and out of the entrance on 200.

The residents seem to be very nice, very live and let live, but also friendly if you want to make friends and get involved with the community. Now, the people I know who live in Pine Run seem to like that community, but I've heard some complaints about maintenance of the common areas, but that was a while ago, so I think that situation got handled. The folks in Spruce Creek North pretty much keep to themselves, but seem to like living there, too.

Now, you can also check out Oak Run, which has more modest frame and siding homes as well and a manageable developer fee if you live in one of the older subdivisions there. Oak Run has LOTS of amenities and two gate entrances and a very active community. Check out the thread on Oak Run in this forum. And sometimes you can get a good deal up in Marion Landing, which is not gated but has a security patrol. People LOVE it there and houses tend to get snapped up as soon as they come on the market. It seems to have a very good HOA with reasonable fees that include water and sewer. Houses range from a few mobile homes, to frame and siding, to more expensive concrete block homes. Good luck with your move.

[Dax13]

I agree with Kmarc's assessment of those communities. As pointed out, entrance and exits should be considered, as well as surrounding construction. I do know that Marion County Utilities are well into an expansion of sewer lines to fill in those communities between Marion Landing and Oak Run. There are 2 new communities coming along quickly on 2 of the 4 corners of SW 95th Ave and SW 60th across and diagonal from the Freedom Library.

A couple more things;
Be aware of your actual location in a community. I love mine, but there are lots that I wouldn't consider due to proximity to main entrances, club houses, roads, undeveloped land, etc.

And, like Kmarc said, ingress and egress are to be looked at. Spruce Creek North, if I'm not mistaken, comes out on SW 103rd. That road will be widened. Not necessarily a deal-breaker, but forewarned is forearmed.

Dax

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by Dax13

I agree with Kmarc's assessment of those communities. As pointed out, entrance and exits should be considered, as well as surrounding construction. I do know that Marion County Utilities are well into an expansion of sewer lines to fill in those communities between Marion Landing and Oak Run. There are 2 new communities coming along quickly on 2 of the 4 corners of SW 95th Ave and SW 60th across and diagonal from the Freedom Library.

A couple more things;
Be aware of your actual location in a community. I love mine, but there are lots that I wouldn't consider due to proximity to main entrances, club houses, roads, undeveloped land, etc.

And, like Kmarc said, ingress and egress are to be looked at. Spruce Creek North, if I'm not mistaken, comes out on SW 103rd. That road will be widened. Not necessarily a deal-breaker, but forewarned is forearmed.

Dax

Dax, thanks for the heads-up regarding the expansion of the sewer lines. I think that's generally a good thing, but I wonder about the tax assessments that are usually involved and how they will handle those. I guess I need to be calling Marion County Utilities this week and see what I can find out. It could be a bit of a rude shock for older residents in the area who are on a fixed income, too. Lol, a guy who is a neighbor of one of our friends just put in a whole new septic system at his place.

[Dax13]

Originally Posted by kmarc

Dax, thanks for the heads-up regarding the expansion of the sewer lines. I think that's generally a good thing, but I wonder about the tax assessments that are usually involved and how they will handle those. I guess I need to be calling Marion County Utilities this week and see what I can find out. It could be a bit of a rude shock for older residents in the area who are on a fixed income, too. Lol, a guy who is a neighbor of one of our friends just put in a whole new septic system at his place.

Ouch! Hopefully, it will be managed in a win/win situation for all, but let's face it, if your septic system isn't working, you're literally in a world of s!&7.

My community was built with MCU sewer with Windstream water supply. MCU bought Windstream, so it was a relatively painless, cost free transition, but the infrastructure was already there. ( and it's still an over chlorinated mess) I'm not sure how the breakdown of costs work here or if/when you have to hook up to sewer.

Dax

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by Dax13

Ouch! Hopefully, it will be managed in a win/win situation for all, but let's face it, if your septic system isn't working, you're literally in a world of s!&7.

My community was built with MCU sewer with Windstream water supply. MCU bought Windstream, so it was a relatively painless, cost free transition, but the infrastructure was already there. ( and it's still an over chlorinated mess) I'm not sure how the breakdown of costs work here or if/when you have to hook up to sewer.

Dax

There doesn't seem to be a chlorine problem where we are, and believe me, I would know because I'm very sensitive to it. Where we used to live, we could always tell if the county had found bacteria in the water during their tests, because the chlorine levels would go up and down according to what they found and you could smell it when you turned on the taps. However, eventually, they went to a different system of chemicals that eliminated the chlorine and its odors.