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My husband and I have done the research and already know someone that has lived there for 9 years now. Every Association will have people that agree with it or don't.
I have lived in candlewick Lake for about 6 years. When I first bought my house I was told that the associations covered the YMCA membership and other amenities. When I moved in then the story changed...everything cost. In the past I lived in an association and I saw were my money was going, such as..maintaining my property and the roads and I did not have a problem with crime or vandalism. I think the gate is a waste of association fees. If someone wanted to get into candlewick they can just wallk right in. My house has been vandalised every year, my car has been broken in as well as other neighbors. My water bill is about 120 dollars a month which is a lot considering were I came from my water bill was 20 dollars a month including sewer. I bought my house in 2003 for 175,000 and it is only worth 181,000. The association is quick to ticket you for not keeping your property up, but they cant maintain their common areas. I have spoken with the association about their common areas in my back yard. It is full of debris and dead trees. They have yet to come out and clean it . My neighbors have paid out of pocket to clean it out, but I refuse to because it should be the responsibility of the association...lead by example. If someone comes to visit you, and they are speeding, you get the ticket because they are your guest.. I can go on and on, if you are planning on moving into CWL..please do your homework. If I had to do all over again I would not have moved in..
It's easy to complain about a water bill and association fees.
What about the rest of the Village that's paying $2-$3,000 more than Candlewick on their tax bill?
everything evens out in the end....Jeff
Well Jeff, my taxes are about the same as yours and I don't know why. We cant even use the library without having to pay yearly because it is not included in our taxes. We are paying for roads and schools plus, association fees for our roads in CWL. Our houses is worth nothing, but our taxes continue to go up while our house value is going down. It was going down before the econonmy went bad, so imagine what they are worht now
It's easy to complain about a water bill and association fees.
What about the rest of the Village that's paying $2-$3,000 more than Candlewick on their tax bill?
everything evens out in the end....Jeff
Well Jeff, my taxes are about the same as yours and I don't know why. We cant even use the library without having to pay yearly because it is not included in our taxes. We are paying for roads and schools plus, association fees for our roads in CWL. Our houses is worth nothing, but our taxes continue to go up while our house value is going down. It was going down before the econonmy went bad, so imagine what they are worht now
I bought my house for 305,000 in 06.......two doors down from me, a house in foreclosure, which is bigger than mine....just sold for 174,000! My tax bill in 07 was just over 6000.00!
I'll take your tax bill and high water bill any day.
Hi Pexpress1:
I'm sorry you've been having a rough time. When people ask me about Candlewick I freely tell them about the water bill. I think it's something people need to know. But it's still a very beautiful community. The economy is hitting all home values hard. Your home losing value prior to the economy going down may have something to do with overpaying? We've lived here close to 12 years and when some teens lived afew homes down our mailbox was knocked down once and our cars were ransacked a couple of times. You will find that in many neighborhoods of all types. That was about 7 years ago. We haven't had incidences like that since. Compared to many neighborhoods this one is much safer. People may find a way to walk in.... but it wouldn't be so easy to "walk out" with a child. And cars are kept track of. The exception may be the twice a year garage sale time... but even then they may keep track of license plates... I'd have to ask them. I certainly don't let my kids run free on those days anyway... too many strangers in here at that time. Otherwise.... you know this for yourself... the roads are exceptionally quiet for having so many residents, the lake is incredibly beautiful and there are many opportunities here for family fun. Last night I visited the Latin Dance Exercise class for the first time. Wow! Lots of nice people getting fun exercise in a beautiful gym... and with me being 50 now I need the exercise. And it's two mins. from my house. It's also very reasonable in cost. We were never told that the YMCA fees were included. Whoever told you that was wrong. But the pool passes are now included aren't they? And the gate does do a great job of keeping us safer here in my opinion. Tell your friends to drive slowly here... there are lots of kids. Blessings!
have lived in Candlewick now for 3 years, I have looked in many different areas from Chicago to Rockford, I have found high association dues everywhere along with town houses in Lake In The Hills with a price of $2500 per year and taxes of $5500. I am single and with only one income. I have a brand new house that most everywhere else would have cost me double. I have some problems with the way the association is ran. The gate is a plus but even though they keep your id on file on their computer when you come in if you are in the passenger seat you fly right by. The office workers are rude to the homeowners that pay their sallary. I was not notified of the $75 per mo. sewer charge on top of the water bill, not even from the realestate agent that lived in CW at closing. I was told I should have asked. I have complained to the water company and they tell me to talk to the association, the association tells me to talk to the county, who is really responsible since all towns around CW pay only a percentage not a flat rate. Most of the rules are the same in any other subdivision but some make no sense what so ever. They tell you to obtain the rules and regulation guidelines and read them before you move in which I did, I had my lawyer look at it and then a month or two later the rules changed so the first didn't apply. I stay because I love my neighbors and is a beautiful area to live in but changes need to be made in how the homeowners a treated by the office and the association. I hear shut up or do something, I have been trying since I moved in there is know one who will listen and unless the board knows you or you are part of their friendly click. I am here until the association realizes that they need to review the reputation that they created and make changes so people will want to stay. I have been told by the office and there is one person that runs the office that if I don't like it here I should move, well that is all good if you were able to do that. I worked in real estate and yes the market is bad but the property value here is due to the reputation of this community.
This community is based on volunteers but caters to the families of the board of directors not your average homeowner. I still can not figure out what my dues actually apply to, you still have to pay for passes for the pool, golf packages etc... our dues I feel should cover these fees for the homeowners of Candlewick along with the gate passes for each household up to two then the homeowner would be responsible for any additional, along with the sewer fees if it was negotiated by them that the residents here pay that. They CW newspaper posts what they want you to hear, a survey was passed around a couple of years ago and the feed back posted in the paper was all positive nothing about the changes that needed to be made. I will be here until I can afford to move, but knowing what I know now would have reconsidered.
i agree with P3anut your right if your not family nor friends with the associations or board people, you are just garbage to them .. they work for us we pay them..they like to write tickets and double the fines thats for sure.. not only that they really don't care if you have a problem.. but i can tell you one thing if we can get enough people that do not like what they are doing we can kick them off the assoc../ board and reelect new people.. but we need the people .. they really suck at what they do.. and they are the biggest snakes of them alll ...and how can we sell our homes when there is over 280 homes in forclrs in the cwl area and have 7 child mlstrs in the place .. what a untruthful place .. i couhgt 1 of the gards sleeping on the job.. and they did nothing about if i couhgt another gaurd having sex in his car by the lake in the summer and they did nothing ..he still works at the gate and in the car ..if they can write fines why cant we as the HOME OWNERS GET JUSTICE .. IF IT WASN'T FOR US THEY WOULD NOT HAVE A JOB.. AGAIN THEY WORK FOR US .. THEY ARE TO DO WHAT WE SAY NOT US DO WHAT THEY SAY.. THEY DON'T PAY ME I PAY THEM.. SO SOON THERE WILL BE A LETTER GOING AROUND TO FIGHT FOR US HOME OWNERS TO GET SOME JUSTICE ...
I agree I believe something needs to be done, I would send a petition around, but there is no soliciting in Candlewick, imagine that, we need a homeowners rights group, but I'm sure that won't apply, the association will find a way around that.
The above posting from a CWL resident stated the roads are good, that is not true in the winter, my street is icey and you get tickets for during this time that are out rageous, when you drive the speed limit and slide only to get a ticket for an outrageous amount. They think they are Police officers when they are only private security, There are some nice people working at the gate and others have this sour face on all the time, this is not what I want to come home to every night.
If there is anything that can be done, I am all for it, I have tried. I agree it could be a beautiful area if the association would realize what they are doing is bringing the reputation of this place down. There are many cases of discrimination and homeowners suing CWL for what they have done, which we pay for out of our association dues. I like how they state it is a town of volunteers.
Yet we pay for the office their salaries, the gate and their salaries, along with everything else.
The volunteers I'm sure help with the activities. I have spoke to many about the sewer fee, which is outrageous and just get the run around it is my goal to address this issue and find out from our governor or alderman, maybe they can find out what can be done.
I am all for change in CWL since I invested all I have into my home and feel I made a mistake moving here and now stuck dealing with in competant people.
This is my home and I love it and don't like the fact that they make this place miserable for homeowners that are just trying to live with dignity and quality of life.
If you think something can be done add me as a contact and get something together. I'm in.
P3anut, I don't mean to burst your bubble, but it's Aqua America that sets the prices for water and sewage, not CWL. Is it possible that some of the board members work for Aqua as their 'day job'? Yes. But it comes down to a company that's out of PA, NOT IL. The only way to get our water bills down would be to buy out Aqua, and install a board of directors from the subdivision, making it a not-for-profit corporation.
As far as the staff here, I have to agree, they aren't exactly the most helpful people on the planet, but I can't say as I've had problems with them being outright rude, except in the case of one 'public safety officer' that works the overnight at the main gate. I strongly believe that there is a workaround for everything. I got the 'C-Pass', so I no longer have to deal with the gate personnel, and rather than pay the flat fee ($48/4mo) I buy stickers individually, as my family doesn't produce enough waste to make it necessary.
I agree that the association is really falling down on the job, but most have probably been in 'office' since the subdivision was started in the early 80's. The answer there is to get out and meet people, get to know your neighbors, and start a 'grass-roots' or word-of-mouth campaign for office when the next election comes around.
My biggest issue with the 'management' here at CWL is, like you said, the outrageous tickets. I personally have never been fined, granted I've only lived here 6 months. But listed in the rule book are probably close to 50 items which may result in a fine. Enforcement is also spotty, as my fiancee was rear-ended by another motorist while driving out from the main gate, and the offender wasn't stopped, cited, or anything, since the guards 'didn't see it happen'.
My personal opinion is that a thorough 'spring-cleaning' needs to be enacted in the CWL management, from the Chairman of the Board down to the office staff. My caution there is, just because it changes, doesn't make it better. A new board may be different, but won't necessarily see it the way the homeowners want.
To the other CWL homeowner, the CWL administration is not allowed, by law, to discriminate against someone because of their past. Nowhere in the charter is permission given to the board to make that kind of distinction. As to the quality of the residents, this is yet another 'thank you' we owe our wonderful governor. When he 'cleaned out' the Robert Taylor homes, low-income housing, and tenement areas in downtown Chicago, all those people had to go SOMEWHERE. Unfortunately for those of us living here, that somewhere was the Rockford area, where demand for unskilled labor is relatively high, commutes are generally short, and the cost of living is generally a lot lower than Chicago. Recall, if you will, that the residents that were 'relocated' were given some pretty attractive compensation when Rod made it clear that he intended to rebuild downtown. Real estate out here was inexpensive at the time, so it made sense for them to come here. It's not just here in the neighborhood that a lower quality of people have started springing up, but all over the Rockford area. They had the means to purchase property here, and did so legally. The only way to 'reclaim the neighborhood' is to offer them a high price for the home in which they reside, and before reselling or renting, do your own homework. Keep in mind though, that if you resell, and list it commercially, by discriminating as to whom you sell, you subject yourself to a possible lawsuit.
In response to your posting, how do explain a ticket on vehicle that isn't mine, I'm borrowing it because my car broke down, the car is registered to my boyfriends mother that is a guest that comes in here, guests don't have to have c-passes. They expect me to register a car with the DMV in order to get a CPass, again this is not my vehicle. I spoke to a officer in candle wick he said he would talk to the office about it because he new the situation, now a recieved another $50 ticket.
I am so sick of them making the rules as they go along.
I don't have a problem with living here, I have a problem with the way things are ran in here.
I don't have a problem with their rules, I have a problem with them changing things when they feel like it, another prime example of them not caring about the homeowner only caring about the bottom dollar. Any comments please advise.
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Taxes
And it's two mins. from my house. It's also very reasonable in cost. We were never told that the YMCA fees were included. Whoever told you that was wrong. But the pool passes are now included aren't they? And the gate does do a great job of keeping us safer here in my opinion. Tell your friends to drive slowly here... there are lots of kids. Blessings!
