:) Colony Cove, Country Lakes II, or?? Please help!! (Tampa, Bradenton: real estate, rental)

[chzzbgr-in-paradze]

What do you think of Colony Cove or Country Lakes II 55+ parks? Would you recommend others in that area of town?

If you've lived in a mobile home I'd love your thoughts on that general!! Are mobile homes energy efficient? Will I be able to keep it 75 degrees inside without spending a fortune in electric?

Looking for a great, safe, quiet, very friendly 55+ park with activities. Need to be in the Palmetto/Ellenton area with quick access to I275.

I still work in St. Pete but my hubby is already retired. I'll probably be working for quite a bit longer and need to stay in a fast commute to St. Pete and Tampa.

[chzzbgr-in-paradze]

No replies yet?

[FLMommy07]

I live in the area and drive by Colony Cove often. It looks like a nice 55 + and up place. My mom lives in Terra Siesta which is also nice. I do know that Colony Cove has a high fee vs Terra Siesta. The Gardens in Parrish also looks nice.

[chzzbgr-in-paradze]

Thanks for the reply!! I didn't know about Terra Siesta or The Gardens. It's nice to have some other options. Colony Cove lot fees do seem very high and it is such a large community -- over 2000 homes!

[lrwohio]

If you want a to drive a little further down I-75 to State Route 70 exit in Bradenton. There is a 55+ land-owned park. It has very low monthly fees which include heated pool, clubhouse, laundromat etc. It is call WestWinds MHP and is located on SR 70 within a couple miles of I-75. My sister and her husband have lived there for a couple years and love it! Since I enjoyed the park and especially the pool, I recently looked at a yearly rental in WestWinds! Good Luck!

[FLMommy07]

You should definitely look into Terra Siesta. They have three different phases. The first one has the older homes and the third has the newest. The lot rent is around $130, I think? I know its a little over $100. Colony coves fees are around $500! I have heard a lot of people are trying to move out of there! Terra Siesta has two pools, two clubhouses, community events (ice cream socials etc.) And its only a minute or so away from Colony Cove. I think the Gardens in Parrish has a higher fee, but I'm not positive. Hope I helped a little.

[chzzbgr-in-paradze]

@Irwohio - Thank you for the suggestion, unfortunately that is a little too far for us. Sounds like a wonderful place!!

@FLMommy07 - you have helped much! I didn't know about Terra Siesta or the Gardens and will research them more.

[FLMommy07]

Glad to help. Good luck on your search!

[Dollydo]

I own a place in both Colony Cove and Tropic Isles. Colony Cove is a nice park, just expensive.

Tropic Isles offers several options. You can buy a home on a rental lot, rent is about $500 per month. Or you can buy a home on a co-op lot, where you actually own a share of the co-op and thus technically own the land. I inherited the home in Tropic Isles from my dad, he owned the co-op share, I pay $175 in matinance fees monthy, includes common areas, water and use of the facalities. When he purchased the co-op share it was 33k for the share, now you can P/U the share through resale for 20K or so. You pay your own real estate taxes if you own the land.

Tropic Isles is in Palmetto, off of 10th street, just after you come off the skyway bridge. They have a swimming pool, billards room, yacht club (park is on the water), clunhouse, gym and lots of activities.

Next to Colony Cove is a park called Ridgewood, it is all also owned by Hometown, the same owners as Colony Cove, it is a nice park, rents used to be cheaper than Colony Cove. The gardens is quite a ways past Colony Cove, further east. It is a lovely park, also expensive.

As for the elec, I would recommend finding a home with a roof over on it. The one in Colony Cove, runs me an average of $125 per month, and has no roof over, the one in Tropic Isles, average $75 per month, it has a roof over. Not only does a roof over insulate, it also gives you alot less headaches, you do not have to worry about roof leaks.

There are alot of mobilehome parks in the Palmetto, Ellenton area. Some are well maintained and others are not. I did look at Country Lakes with my dad, and I cannot remember why we didn't buy there, if it ever comes back to me, I'll post the reason!

[chzzbgr-in-paradze]

@Dollydo -- you've posted some great information!! Thank you! I really appreciate the information about getting a roof over ... saving 50% in electric is huge. Thanks again