The Crime of Wesley Chapel

[bentlebee]

Very low crime. Great area to live.

[LFJourney]

Thanks so much for everyone's feedback. I guess I'll plan a trip over there to get a feel for the area and see if I like it. It wasn't just this thread that gave me cause for concern. I saw other negative comments on a few websites. One person commented just a couple of years ago that things aren't as they seem, and they wish they would have known about the high crime around shopping areas. That website also claims there's a higher rate of property and violent crime in Wesley Chapel compared to the national average. However, I don't put as much credence in that data because I also searched other cities, and it's obvious the information isn't accurate based on my own personal experience.

[MortonR]

Originally Posted by LFJourney

Thanks so much for everyone's feedback. I guess I'll plan a trip over there to get a feel for the area and see if I like it. It wasn't just this thread that gave me cause for concern. I saw other negative comments on a few websites. One person commented just a couple of years ago that things aren't as they seem, and they wish they would have known about the high crime around shopping areas. That website also claims there's a higher rate of property and violent crime in Wesley Chapel compared to the national average. However, I don't put as much credence in that data because I also searched other cities, and it's obvious the information isn't accurate based on my own personal experience.

And consider that since there are a number of high-end retail malls as well as some HUGE shopping areas in Wesley Chapel, the presence of petty theft and related crimes would be higher, I would expect.

If it were me, and having known the area for at least 20 years, my biggest concern would be traffic. It's BAD.

RM

[LKJ1988]

Originally Posted by MortonR

And consider that since there are a number of high-end retail malls as well as some HUGE shopping areas in Wesley Chapel, the presence of petty theft and related crimes would be higher, I would expect.

If it were me, and having known the area for at least 20 years, my biggest concern would be traffic. It's BAD.

RM

It's bad everywhere now.

[LFJourney]

Originally Posted by MortonR

And consider that since there are a number of high-end retail malls as well as some HUGE shopping areas in Wesley Chapel, the presence of petty theft and related crimes would be higher, I would expect.

If it were me, and having known the area for at least 20 years, my biggest concern would be traffic. It's BAD.

RM

Thank you for emphasizing and confirming how bad traffic is there because this has also been one of my major concerns based on my research. I also don't like that CDD fees seem so prevalent there and that builders are mainly building these massive two-story homes, which I have no need for at this point in my life. It's annoying!

[MortonR]

Originally Posted by LFJourney

Thank you for emphasizing and confirming how bad traffic is there because this has also been one of my major concerns based on my research. I also don't like that CDD fees seem so prevalent there and that builders are mainly building these massive two-story homes, which I have no need for at this point in my life. It's annoying!

CDDs are evil, in my opinion. That may be an overstatement, and I totally understand that they're paying for amenities for the community, but to be honest, why not fund this stuff up front and be done with most of it other than maintenance and membership (if necessary.)

When CDDs became popular in the early 2000s, I was stunned to learn how much the CDD could add to your escrow or house payment, effectively cutting the value of what you could afford down due to the CDD fees being on "top" of everything else.

One thing that troubles me about a lot of the new builds that are two story - many are stick-built for the second story. It's a lot cheaper than concrete block, and faster, too. I can't help but wonder when the Big One hits how these homes are going to survive. Yes, I know they're built to code, but you know, we revise Miami-Dade hurricane codes, some of the most stringent in the country, after nearly every big storm. Does that mean we'll have to do it for the stick-built second story homes when they get elveled in the next major storm?

I'm bailing out of Florida for good next week. I've been here since the mid-90s and the cost of living has gotten to the point of approaching Southern California levels. That, and being soon to retire, I'll be on a fixed income and I don't want my homeowner's (and car!) insurance to continue doubling every year like it has for the last three. Factor in the out of control development and congestion related to it, and I'm done.

RM

[LFJourney]

Originally Posted by MortonR

CDDs are evil, in my opinion. That may be an overstatement, and I totally understand that they're paying for amenities for the community, but to be honest, why not fund this stuff up front and be done with most of it other than maintenance and membership (if necessary.)

When CDDs became popular in the early 2000s, I was stunned to learn how much the CDD could add to your escrow or house payment, effectively cutting the value of what you could afford down due to the CDD fees being on "top" of everything else.

One thing that troubles me about a lot of the new builds that are two story - many are stick-built for the second story. It's a lot cheaper than concrete block, and faster, too. I can't help but wonder when the Big One hits how these homes are going to survive. Yes, I know they're built to code, but you know, we revise Miami-Dade hurricane codes, some of the most stringent in the country, after nearly every big storm. Does that mean we'll have to do it for the stick-built second story homes when they get elveled in the next major storm?

I'm bailing out of Florida for good next week. I've been here since the mid-90s and the cost of living has gotten to the point of approaching Southern California levels. That, and being soon to retire, I'll be on a fixed income and I don't want my homeowner's (and car!) insurance to continue doubling every year like it has for the last three. Factor in the out of control development and congestion related to it, and I'm done.

RM

I don't want to derail this thread from its original intent, so I'll just say that after doing a tremendous amount of analysis, comparisons and research pertaining to CDD fees, I feel they're a scam and an underhanded way for developers to increase the profitability of their business. Good luck with your move.

[MortonR]

Originally Posted by LFJourney

I don't want to derail this thread from its original intent, so I'll just say that after doing a tremendous amount of analysis, comparisons and research pertaining to CDD fees, I feel they're a scam and an underhanded way for developers to increase the profitability of their business. Good luck with your move.

Agreed, very insightful. I see it as a means of displacing costs to move them to the property owners from the developer. Of course, that money has to come from somewhere…

RM

[bentlebee]

CDD were mostly established because builders/developers didn’t have the money and the Counties/government gave bonds/loans to be paid back, usually over a 30 year span. Chapter 190.

Without the local governments giving these funds we wouldn’t have many developments in Wesley Chapel as many developments were build during and after the housing downturn when land that was already sold to builders was sitting empty and builders left these areas without maintenance and no money to develop.

That is also the reason why many communities build after 2010 have much higher CDD and HOA cost than the ones developed prior to that date.

Often people who leave the State for whatever personal reason, are giving more negative feedback. While many others are very happy en love living in Florida and move to Florida. It is rare to hear someone leaving the State, any State and crying about wanting to stay as people leave for a reason.

The cost of living is more expensive for many reasons and I don’t want to bring up politics. Insurance is high, which is caused by fraud, uninsured driving often because people had DUI’s, bad driving records, undocumented, etc. Property insurance is high due to storms, fraud for sinkholes during the 2005-2010 years, roof replacement fraud, etc. Health insurance is high due to fraud, undocumented and uninsured for which we all pay and people getting older than 30 years ago, which is everywhere around the world more costly.

But we enjoy so much else in Florida that makes so many people happy.

The benefits of CDD and HOA if run well, is that the home values stay as all properties are maintained to a certain standard, exceptions will always be there.

The sad side is that some volunteers on HOA’s boards treat the board as a dictatorship and run them very bad. Luckily there have to be elections each year so don’t complain but step up and vote and/or volunteer.