Whether you?re looking to relocate or this may be your first time purchasing a single family home, community living can be the best choice in regards to safety and security. The preference for buying home within a gated community have increased in recent years with many family household ditching the city or picket fence suburban option for safer housing in a gated, amenitized community. New townhomes in a gated community might be a little more expensive than the alternatives however the perks are definitely worth it. Gated community houses come with 24/7 security, protective community guidelines that are required to follow by anyone living in the area, closer and usually much friendlier neighbors, as well as community living benefits such as gym memberships, private golf courses, social events, and much more depending on the community itself.
If this sounds like a good deal, new homes listing in a gated community are hard to come by. Let?s take a look at what to consider before buying or building the home.
before you put a down payment on a home in a gated community, consider who?s responsible for performing road maintenance.Check the community guidelines to see whether road maintenance will be covered by the community board committee or by the city. Usually in most cases the community takes care of any road repairs they need but sometimes this may not apply.
Check any and all legal documentation regarding by laws and regulations within the community.It?s very important that you know the rules and regulations of the community before you buy a new house there. Some gated communities are very strict in regards to the lifestyle, as well as what is permitted and prohibited on the property. There are certain gated communities that do not allow pets anywhere, while other may have strict rules as to what kind of pets and animals are allowed to live with in the quarters. These documents can be either lengthy or just a few pages. It all depends on the community board and neighbors. If it helps have a legal professional look over the content to make sure that this is a place that you and your family will feel comfortable in.
Look through the community’s common areas to see what?s included.This may be one of the biggest factors involved when purchasing a home in a gated community. Depending on the condition of these common areas you can get a pretty good idea of whether this is a well kept community home or not.Also, if there are any crucial amenities that are not included you can decide whether the buying the house there is worth it or not.
Review any extra homeowner fees that comes with living in the community.At times there maybe be several fees asked to be paid by the community board members that goes to the upkeep of the community. Look to see how much these annual dues are and what they are for before you buy.
Consult current residents in the community.The best way to get a good idea of what you?re getting yourself into is to talk to those who are currently living in the area. It’s a good idea to talk to people living inside the community and those residing around the area. The current community members will give you an interior perspective of the place while those in the outside can let you know what to like to live near them. It’s never a bad idea to get an inside the box and outside the box point of view, especially when it goes to deciding on whether you should buy a home or not
Check the architectural guidelines and community standards for the homes.If you plan to buy a home in a community it’s quite common that the house have similar designs and architecture. There may be certain details that you can add to make the outside of the home yours however in many case these regulations are strict and confined to a certain design. This will help you understand what size homes you should build or buy, and how much it will all cost.
