Diamond farm(Potomac Oaks) in Gaithersburg

[GougingHater]

There are , of course, other problems that contribute the increase in the HOA. Lack of Security, chief among them. While it is good that the Assn. recently had security cameras installed in the Assn. Office area, they still have failed to have them installed in community/residential areas, which means that illegal dumping is rampant at the trash areas. This extra pick up of non residents, and residents NOT disposing of furniture, electronics, etc, costs the /Assn./Owners much more in Trash pick up. While the cost of cameras would initially be a drain on budget, I have NO doubt, that the savings in illegal dumping deterrence, and prosecution, would make up for that cost in little time, not to mention how it would deter chronic vagrancy, loitering, malfeasance, public intoxication in parking lots, and general malaise for residence and their guests, and the inevitable decline of value of the neighbourhood. Naturally, it would ALSO be a good idea to have electronic, or at least key /locks for entrance into each building....this cost would be relatively small , since it only involves the cost of a new door, perhaps 12 keys, and master one for Postal, and that would be, for the most part, a 1 time cost. I strongly suspect that there would be fewer rape victims as well as solicitors, vagrants,and generally unwelcome riff raff.

[GougingHater]

Originally Posted by GougingHater

read what I said please

This is NOT rocket science. Last time I checked most all buildings that are 2 floors(one of them is Underground) have to do the very same thing. Case in point properties/Condos that have to "push water underground" 12 stories , or more! This is a lame reason to rationalize the nearly $6OO a month for HOA .....it does NOT add up!!! Enough is Enough! I have to laugh when you mention "pushing water up"....that is how plumbing is done for thousands of years. It's akin to saying....."our costs of rotating tires have gone up because it requires 4 rotations!" ...... does anyone really believe that crap?

[Phoenix888]

Thanks for the feed back. I was considering purchasing a property @ Potomac Oaks Condominiums, but I changed my mind when I was informed that there appears to be a large problem w/ Max. Occupancy Violations ; apparently the HOA allows 6 adults in 2 BR Units, and was also informed that another Unit had 2 families that were living in a 2BR for several months . I was also told that there were somewhere between 11 to 12 people the adjacent unit as well. It is common for Associations to see very high HOA costs *(Which means property value devalues as well) due in large part to the massive consumption of electricity and especially water, the former problem , of course, also lends itself to much higher (Electrical) fire frequency , which of course also increases cost and devalues properties as well. In short, it has become increasingly "Ghettoized", and the HOA has been the seminal problem in allowing the financial costs of Max Occupancy , and the parking problems that go with it, which of course deValue the properties at large. The budget problems are endemic, and to add insult to injury (*the HOA costs near $7OO.oo a month for a 2BR 1 bathroom barely over 1K sq feet) the salary (*this was based on 2 years ago, probably more now) was over $90,000 a year for the Property Manager , who was actually in absentia nearly half of the time. This does not sound like a neighborhood that would be good to live in, much less as an investment. We/I am glad I spoke to some of the resident owners lest I have made a very foolish choice. I opted for a much nicer Condo @ around $25OK, closer to D.C. (Near Exit 8) which is not too old, has large Storage, sky light, garage parking, and a much lower Condo fee, also not too overly crowded, parking for guests is never a problem either . Guests lots can almost always see their vehicle when parking w/ about up to 5 spots that are visible most all of the time. While they do enforce the non authorized parked cars, it is better that way for guests have spots and are authorized up to 24 hours, longer when authorized from Management Office.