Big move to Brightleaf? (Raleigh, Durham: HOA fees, new home, neighborhoods)

[harttogo]

Hi to everyone. This is my second post in this forum. Please, I need some
advice and answers from Brightleaf residents.
Would it be a risky decision if Standard Pacific were to build a new home for my wife and I?
Are there any unfinished homes abandoned by the Builder? Any builders in trouble financially?
Are your HOA fees reasonable and have they increased since you have been here?
Finally, Are there any resale homes available?
A lot of questions. Just pick one. Any advice and answers would be very appreciated.

[sneezecake]

Originally Posted by harttogo

Hi to everyone. This is my second post in this forum. Please, I need some
advice and answers from Brightleaf residents.
Would it be a risky decision if Standard Pacific were to build a new home for my wife and I?
Are there any unfinished homes abandoned by the Builder? Any builders in trouble financially?
Are your HOA fees reasonable and have they increased since you have been here?
Finally, Are there any resale homes available?
A lot of questions. Just pick one. Any advice and answers would be very appreciated.

Hi there!

I'll answer each of your questions with my perspective as an existing Brightleaf resident.

1) I do not think it's risky with Standard Pacific. Of all the builders here, they seem to be the most successful unit-wise. They sold out the "Bluffs" phase, sold a lot of homes in the "Crossings" phase, and are off to a great start in the "Trace"

2) No unfinished homes abandoned by SP. Of the four builders here, the only one that is in financial trouble is St Lawrence (well-documented Chapter 11). Drees has taken to building a few homes to full framing and wiring and letting buyers pick their finishes, but I am seeing more and more sold signs on empty lots around here - Shea just sold 3 houses or so, and I've seen a couple sold signs on Drees lots/homes in the last month or two as well.

3) HOA fees are 400/annually and did not increase from last year to this year. The fees do NOT include the pool/tennis, though. That's an additional 85/month as it's a private club.

4) There are a few resale homes out there - not a ton...6 or 7 probably. Search any MLS site here (coldwell, fonville...fmrealty.com) and search by subdivision...you'll be able to tell which are resales.

At the 300 and lower price point, SP builds a very nice home. For the 350 range, I prefer the Drees and Shea homes...fiber cement/brick instead of vinyl. One thing I love about the Standard Pacific homes is the 10 foot downstairs ceilings.

[MikeNC29]

I would not choose Standard Pacific because they choose to NOT build Energy Star certified homes. Without the certification you will not know what you are getting and you will not qualify for the discounted rates from the electric and gas utilities.

Mike

[coltank]

On a side note, I heard St Lawrence is emerging from Chapter 11, and will continue to build in Brightleaf.

[sneezecake]

Originally Posted by coltank

On a side note, I heard St Lawrence is emerging from Chapter 11, and will continue to build in Brightleaf.

This is excellent news - where did you hear this?

I had heard the developer let StL out of many of their lot commitments, though perhaps that was part of the Chapter 11 re-org plan.

[harttogo]

Thanks for all the great info. All in all, things seem positive in Brightleaf

[ApexIntruder]

Originally Posted by harttogo

Thanks for all the great info. All in all, things seem positive in Brightleaf

You should move there if that's what you want to do, but not all things are positive. Here are some things to consider:

• Tiny lots and being on display for all the neighbors due to bad layout design
• Nothing nice around the neighborhood
• Awful traffic on 70
• A price tag that is much too high for mostly cookie cutter homes

Your dollars spent could get you much better options in other nicer parts of Durham. PLEASE look around more.

[coltank]

Originally Posted by sneezecake

This is excellent news - where did you hear this?

I had heard the developer let StL out of many of their lot commitments, though perhaps that was part of the Chapter 11 re-org plan.

St. Lawrence Homes out of bankruptcy, but must generate millions for banks - Triangle Business Journal:

[sneezecake]

Originally Posted by ApexIntruder

You should move there if that's what you want to do, but not all things are positive. Here are some things to consider:

• Tiny lots and being on display for all the neighbors due to bad layout design
• Nothing nice around the neighborhood
• Awful traffic on 70
• A price tag that is much too high for mostly cookie cutter homes

Your dollars spent could get you much better options in other nicer parts of Durham. PLEASE look around more.

My lot is .36 acres...how big is the average lot elsewhere in new communities throughout the triangle? Granted, the SP lots average a little smaller, but generalizing often leaves little room for the truth.

Brier Creek is pretty darn nice...not exactly adjacent, but then again, there's "nothing nice" immediately adjacent to many neighborhoods. Fairfield is next to farms and old ramshackle barns. Woodcroft is next to a Taco Bell.

Awful traffic on 70? Where? I've never had a traffic issue on 70 except at the corner of 70 and Brier Creek Pkwy. Traffic can be just as bad on Fayetteville in Durham, and is certainly worse on Falls of Neuse or Capital in Raleigh, or 54 in Cary.

Price tag is a relatively...well...relative thing. When we looked at Grandale vs. Brightleaf, the value/money quotient was much higher in BL. Homes here range from 180 to 450...pretty similar to most mid-range builder communities around.

[harttogo]

Golly, that gives me pause to ponder. Thanks for the insightful info.