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I'm looking at a couple of different homes in Four Seasons Cane Bay and would love to get input from residents of the community. After a whirlwind tour of multiple different communities, Four Seasons Cane Bay is on my short list.
One of the things I noticed when visiting the community is that the residents seem very friendly and that there were quite a few active people. I was joking with the sales person, Rick, who took my realtor and me on a tour, that either people here were really friendly or that he had a lot of paid friends!
I'm a "young" 63-year old. I love pickleball, working out and meeting new people. I'm not yet retired, work from home and really want a community where I have everything readily available with lots of activities and friendly people, so that I can just pop over and play a game of pickleball, take my dog for a walk or just relax by the pool.
I'd say the most important thing to me is being part of a friendly and active community, and it seems like Four Seasons is just that.
I would really appreciate hearing from people in the community -- pros and cons -- what do you like, what do you not like.
Thanks for taking the time to read my post and respond!
I'm not a resident but I visited Four Seasons Cane Bay twice and did strike friendship with some people living there. We put an offer on a house last June but our offer was declined. I keep looking every day if something interesting for sale pops up.
I can offer my overall impression: I think this one of the best if not the best overall 55+ community out there and I mean nationally at least for the things me and my wife are interested.
First of all, it is one of the few built on a real and not artificial body of water (most of the other 55+ developments have small artificial pond here and there) with connecting canals. Flood risk is minimal (according to the FEMA tables, you can get flood insurance for very cheap) and it is strategically located in Charleston, meaning you can easily drive to Florida for a nice beach weekend, let's say in Sarasota or drive up the snowy mountains in winter only 2 hours away. Charleston itself, with all of its charm, it's only a 25 minutes drive.
Their houses are reasonably well built (for example, they use concrete fiber siding) and they have so many variation for each model that it does not give you that cookie cutter feeling when you drive around.
People are very friendly and their entertainment center (Pool and various amenities) is top class.
Now, let's talk some negatives.....they are fairly strict with their yard rules, basically no fence (or a minimal one, very short and small only for the smallest of the dogs) and if you want a hot tub it has to be covered (In South Carolina weather!!).
No private swimming pools allowed.
House prices seems to be "split" in two camps: The smaller ones up to 22-2500 sq/ft are reasonably priced, sales are a bit soft and you can get a good deal (new or resale), the big ones (3000 sq/ft and up) are experiencing some sort of bidding war especially if on water lots and with a loft. The one we lost (we offered 4% below asking but we were willing to go a bit higher if the owner would have counteroffered which he did not) sat on the market for well over 3 months and suddenly couple of weeks ago it received multiple offers and our agent thinks it went for well over asking.
Few days ago a big one came on the market (6 years old, one of the early homes) with basically no back yard, not on the water and not many upgrades and the owner is asking crazy money for it...good luck with that but what do I know.
Frankly, prices for these larger homes are getting a little bit ahead of themselves (confirmed to me by our agent, she lives on the development herself and she is a bit baffled at the current price action) after all these are not custom homes......I find hard to justify figures just shy of a big one for a model home.
Recently I started looking into a couple of other developments in the same area at Cane Bay, they are not 55+ communities but they do have nice amenities (pool, tennis court, clubhouse, boat launch, etc..) and you can get a similar quality house on the water for 20-30% less and with less restrictions (you can build you own pool, install a hot tub, etc...).
I suspect the larger homes at Four Seasons are being targeted by folks close to retirement that probably plan to work from home, etc... and these people are flush with cash with their bond portfolio, MMFs or CDs (at the current rates, they receive juicy interest) and pay mostly in cash so they are not affected by high mortgage cost....this is driving some sort of mini-bubble on that particular segment of the market.
If you are willing to settle for a smaller home, as I said, good deasl can still be had (there are 3 very nice sub 2500 sq/ft homes on the water right now for sale and priced right).
Last edited by saturno_v; 09-26-2023 at 02:18 PM..
BBosch, I agree with Saturno_v about Four Seasons Cane Bay. I also think Four Seasons is one of the best if not the best overall 55+ community - at least in the entire Charleston area. Great community, people, clubhouse, and lots of things to do. In addition, I believe it is the only 55+ community that is actually on a 300-acre lake system, which is great for fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and boating (electric only) as well as many miles of paved walking, biking, and golf cart trails. If we were old enough, we would have bought a home there. Other nice 55+ communities are Del Webb Cane Bay and Del Webb Nexton. If you decide that you like the Cane Bay lake system and want a lakefront home, other non-55+ communities to consider would be the Coves, West Lake, and Waterside in Cane Bay because they also have waterfront homes on that lake system. Del Webb, K. Hovnanian in Four Seasons as well as Sabal (now Toll Brothers) and Crescent Homes in the Coves are all better builders. Both Sabal and Crescent built custom homes in the Coves. The Coves also includes some Lennar Homes. West Lake homes were built by DR Horton, and Waterside homes are being built by Lennar. Currently, the Coves is being expanded by Meritage Homes, and is projected to begin selling waterfront and non-waterfront homes in 2024. If you choose Cane Bay, I suggest Four Seasons or the Coves because those are the two subsections of Cane Bay that have set records for highest selling price in all of Cane Bay and will have the best potential for current & future increases in resale value - and more so for the waterfront homes.
Saturno_v, I agree with the majority of what you said except for your home price comments. I've been paying close attention to the housing market in the Charleston area for quite a few years, and in my opinion, the lakefront home prices in Four Seasons, the Coves, West Lake, and Waterside have been historically lower than they should be. Especially the nicer quality built waterfront homes in Four Seasons and the Coves. Even the non-waterfront home sale prices are often lower than they should be - which they shouldn't be because they also have access to the lake system and all the other Lakes of Cane Bay amenities. Yes, some have been priced correctly, but for the most part, they've been listed and sold lower than they are worth - especially when comparing them to similar homes in comparable neighborhoods such as Nexton, Carnes Crossroads, the Ponds, etc (those neighborhoods don't even have waterfront property on a large lake system that Cane Bay has) as well as other neighborhoods like Park West, Carolina Park, I'On, Daniel Island, Carolina Bay, etc, etc. The Lakes of Cane Bay homes should all really be getting their true market value because of the very cool and unique lake system amenity. There are some current homes for sale that are underpriced (and others properly priced) that are worth buying for great resale value in the Lakes of Cane Bay neighborhoods of Four Seasons, the Coves, West Lake, and Waterside.
Best wishes to both of you in the search for your new place to call home!
Saturno_v, I agree with the majority of what you said except for your home price comments. I've been paying close attention to the housing market in the Charleston area for quite a few years, and in my opinion, the lakefront home prices in Four Seasons, the Coves, West Lake, and Waterside have been historically lower than they should be. Especially the nicer quality built waterfront homes in Four Seasons and the Coves. Even the non-waterfront home sale prices are often lower than they should be - which they shouldn't be because they also have access to the lake system and all the other Lakes of Cane Bay amenities. Yes, some have been priced correctly, but for the most part, they've been listed and sold lower than they are worth - especially when comparing them to similar homes in comparable neighborhoods such as Nexton, Carnes Crossroads, the Ponds, etc (those neighborhoods don't even have waterfront property on a large lake system that Cane Bay has) as well as other neighborhoods like Park West, Carolina Park, I'On, Daniel Island, Carolina Bay, etc, etc. The Lakes of Cane Bay homes should all really be getting their true market value because of the very cool and unique lake system amenity. There are some current homes for sale that are underpriced (and others properly priced) that are worth buying for great resale value in the Lakes of Cane Bay neighborhoods of Four Seasons, the Coves, West Lake, and Waterside.
Best wishes to both of you in the search for your new place to call home!
I agree that the waterfront homes below 3000 sq/ft are priced very well and they are still not selling but for some reasons the ones above 3000 sq/ft with a loft are becoming quite expensive this even according to my realtor which live at the Four Seasons.
This week I got quoted by one of their sale people 910K for a new waterfront home with a loft (about 3400 sq/ft in size) to be built and delivered in March, no wiggle room. Sorry I'm not going to pay almost a million for a wood model home.
Few days ago I saw a custom home for sale on a lake system similar to Cane Bay in one of the best gated neighborhoods of Tampa (Arbor Greene).
3700 sq/ft, cement blocks, tile roof, all tile floors, private pool with two Jacuzi and a fantastic landscaped lot. The Four Seasons San Sebastian Loft are shacks in comparison, Not to mention the 40.000 sq/ft entertainment center that blows the one at Four Seasons out of the water. Price?? 950K...now that's a deal.....The FEMA flooding risk assessment was the same as the Four Seasons (ranking of 1, meaning minimal).
We are seriously considering looking at the Tampa area......much more competition and so many choices.
Last edited by saturno_v; 10-19-2023 at 06:07 PM..
Before you buy in Tampa, verify that you can get insurance.
Yes, I already did, you can get insurance. It was one of my search parameters, insurability and FEMA rank 1 for flooding (minimal risk).
Florida has higher property taxes but no income tax. I would never consider the Atlantic coast or the Panhandle but the Tampa Bay - Sarasota area is very very nice,
Yes, I already did, you can get insurance. It was one of my search parameters, insurability and FEMA rank 1 for flooding (minimal risk).
Florida has higher property taxes but no income tax. I would never consider the Atlantic coast or the Panhandle but the Tampa Bay - Sarasota area is very very nice,
Enjoy.
Curious, if you could never consider the Atlantic Coast, why Summerville/Charleston?
Curious, if you could never consider the Atlantic Coast, why Summerville/Charleston?
I'm not interested in the Atlantic Coast of Florida because of very high chance of hurricanes, more than the Tampa area.
I was ok with Summerville because of less chances of hurricanes as well compared to the Atlantic coast of Florida and because it is relatively close to the mountains (3 hours drive) for a change of scenery on a weekend especially in winter. It is a good compromise.
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I am moving to this area from Long Island to be closer to my daughter and my grandson. I thought that these seemed to be the nicest ones I saw on line. If anyone has any comments or ideas about this complex , I would love to know. Are they close to stores (I am sort of a trepidatious driver and do not drive on
highways )? Are there activities there for the residents ? Do people like living there ?
Thanks for any help. I'm coming down in December to probably buy a condo . I am so excited to be moving close to my wonderful grandson and away from cold and snow.
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People may not recall what you said to them, but they will always remember how you made them feel .
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I am moving to this area from Long Island to be closer to my daughter and my grandson. I thought that these seemed to be the nicest ones I saw on line. If anyone has any comments or ideas about this complex , I would love to know. Are they close to stores (I am sort of a trepidatious driver and do not drive on
highways )? Are there activities there for the residents ? Do people like living there ?
Thanks for any help. I'm coming down in December to probably buy a condo . I am so excited to be moving close to my wonderful grandson and away from cold and snow.
Hey Nancy, FS Cane Bay is fairly close to stores and dining. Within 10-15 minutes depending on traffic so I think you'll be please with the location. Future options will continue to be offered as they add more housing along 17A and the areas around Cane Bay/Nexton. Feel free to reach out if there's any other questions I might be able to answer
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