arrowhead vs locust lake vs emerald (Riverside, White Haven: ski resorts, for sale, real estate) - Northeastern Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania (PA) -Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Pocono area - City-Data Forum

pwkndr · 03-15-2009, 11:20 AM

Hello everybody this is my first post so I'm a little new to all of this. My boyfriend and I are looking to buy a vacation home/rental property in arrowhead lakes, I am also interested in emerald lakes and locust lake village, but my boyfriend is a little hesistant because of some te articles he has found in doing his research. Can you please give me any information that you see useful in deciding on which community to buy our home. I am interested in things such as crime, amount of fees and dues, the upkeep of the community and any other problems. We like to basically know the pros/cons of each community. Thanks for all your help.

Riverside4ever · 03-15-2009, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwkndr

Hello everybody this is my first post so I'm a little new to all of this. My boyfriend and I are looking to buy a vacation home/rental property in arrowhead lakes, I am also interested in emerald lakes and locust lake village, but my boyfriend is a little hesistant because of some te articles he has found in doing his research. Can you please give me any information that you see useful in deciding on which community to buy our home. I am interested in things such as crime, amount of fees and dues, the upkeep of the community and any other problems. We like to basically know the pros/cons of each community. Thanks for all your help.

Hello , If you have been doing ANY research then you will already know that all three of those are ""Community's"" . There is NOT one Community in the Pocono's that is good , Buy a fixer upper on your own land where you can do what you want, Without a community association up your butt telling you you CANT. I would advise you to get the community rulebook and read it a few times ... If you head a 1/2 north of Tobyhanna ,Into Wayne County You will find Very nice property's ,

Good Luck and Do A Lot more research ....

Just imagine handing 12-14k a year for dues to get told what to do and live as though in a prison.. PLUS 3k in school tax's .. Ive been there done that .. I learned the hard way .. But I got lucky . I got out ...

poconoproud · 03-15-2009, 05:38 PM

You can always rent a home in these communities for a few weekends over the summer. It would give you a chance to check out the amenities, get a feel for the people and environment... you can ask questions at the welcome centers.. then you can make a more informed decision, based on your own experience and opinions. You could also use the weekend as a chance to see what is available in that particular development, setting up appointments with a real estate agent and/or builder if looking for new construction. Good Luck!

rcb1966 · 03-15-2009, 05:43 PM

Good advice from Pocono Proud....why those communities as your first choices....what are you looking to do & why do you want to be there...for skiing, fishing, etc....what activities or locale are you researching??? There are some decent communities available near the west end of the Poconos.

pwkndr · 03-17-2009, 09:19 PM

thank you for your responses but i'm really looking for information on these communities because we are interested in being close to the casino, ski resorts, and these communities do not have thousands of dollars of dues, they also have lakes and pools which we are interested in and other activities throughout the community. if anybody can tell me anything about the three communities i listed i would really appreciate it. i have also been lookng at many houses in arrowhead lakes but i do not want to be closed minded to emerald lakes and locsut lake village just because i dont have as much information on them. thanks.

Riverside4ever · 03-18-2009, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwkndr

thank you for your responses but i'm really looking for information on these communities because we are interested in being close to the casino, ski resorts, and these communities do not have thousands of dollars of dues, they also have lakes and pools which we are interested in and other activities throughout the community. if anybody can tell me anything about the three communities i listed i would really appreciate it. i have also been lookng at many houses in arrowhead lakes but i do not want to be closed minded to emerald lakes and locsut lake village just because i dont have as much information on them. thanks.

1/2 the time you cant swim in the lakes because of high bact levels .
If I had to pick to live anywhere in near there i would look into Paradise township, Devils Hole area ... Stay away from communitys they rape the homeowner , plus you dont OWN the land your house is on ..The community does ..

rcb1966 · 03-18-2009, 07:07 AM

My advice, as far as ranking tha communities.
1. Emerald Lakes - poor security, too much city influence....not as nice as the other (2)
2. Locust Lakes - smallest of the (3) not too bad...built a house there in 2006..decent pool, lake, & beach...Probably give you the best sense of "community". This subdivision will give you access to all the amenities you are looking for.
3. Arrowhead - Large, & seems to be a local "rental" spot. Off the beaten path a little more, decent security. It is quite big, but I am also sure you will find a good deal on a house in there.

Try these....White Haven Poconos , White Haven Estates, Penn Lake, & Woodhaven Estates all near White Haven...you may be able to find a cheap lot & build in here.

poconoproud · 03-18-2009, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riverside4ever

1/2 the time you cant swim in the lakes because of high bact levels .
If I had to pick to live anywhere in near there i would look into Paradise township, Devils Hole area ... Stay away from communitys they rape the homeowner , plus you dont OWN the land your house is on ..The community does ..

I have heard of some communities that have the problem of the homeowner only owning the "footprint" that the home is on...but the three locations the op is speaking of are not such developments. If you buy in Arrowhead, Locust Lakes or Emerald, you would OWN the land your home is on. This usually happens when a community is Developer Owned...

I also haven't heard that the lakes are not swimmable due to high bacteria levels. The only lake I've heard has that issue, is Beltzville Lake...far from where the OP would like to buy.

floodrod · 03-18-2009, 07:50 AM

I'm in emerald lakes, we owned a home here for over 3 years now.

No problems to report. Haven't had any vandalism, people are friendly and mostly clean, and we have all the extra's. Indoor/outdoor pool, tennis courts, bar/grill, lakes, etc.

The roads can get a bit choppy after the winter, and the plowing isn't the best. As long as you have a decent SUV or truck, you shouldn't have a problem. I can count on one hand the times over the past 3 years that we were snowed in.

I heard people mentioning it's hard to get a permit. I found it really easy when I applied. Submitted the paperwork, and the next day I got a call saying I can pick up the completed paperwork.

Dues are currently 800 a year, but they may go up. Based on what I read in our paper, I can't see them going up more than $150 to $200 a year as of now.

The past commenter is correct about security. Security trucks do roll by now and again, but I wouldn't count on the $9 an hour employee to get me out of a pickle.

But all in all, Emerald lakes has nice properties, good prices, and offers a pretty good living. Were close enough to everything, shopping is near, and the fishing is decent in the lakes.

BUT... It's becoming more of a "Full Time Living" community here, and kids will be kids. One of my neighbors vacation homes was vandalized. (broken window). But I guess that can happen anywhere..

Can't give reviews about the other two, but were pretty happy here

notkaplan · 03-19-2009, 10:16 AM

I used to live in Emerald Lakes and my parents still do. It is a nice community where the vast majorities of properties are well maintained and the houses are nice. The community itself is beautiful with the nice properties and lots of trees. There are lots of amentities and I still go fishing and swimming in the lakes. I believe Emerald Lakes is the more expensive of the three communities mentioned.

As nice as Emerald Lakes is, I would never in a million years own a house there or live there again, or any other private community for that matter (of which there are dozens in the Poconos) Just by buying a home in these communities, you automatically give the association permission to take away your freedom and rights, and you pay them a thousand bucks a year for the pleasure. I personally would rather (and do) live outside of a community where I can do whatever I want in my house.

Although the different communities differ somewhat, here is a basic list of things most communities have in common:

You can not have a pool, fence or shed on your property. And in the few communities that do allow such things, they are heavily regulated. Signs (including real estate for sale signs) are not allowed in the yard or windows. They limit how many pets you are allowed to have (in Emerald it is 2) and they can limit how many cars you have parked in your driveway. You are not allowed to park in the street in front of your house. In some communities, THEY TELL YOU what kind of exterior you have on your house and what color. Newspaper delivery? Forget about it in some places. You cant have a box and they won't let newspaper delivery people in. In some places you can not have writing or advertisements on your vehicle (ie- if you were a contractor or had a business you can't have your name and number on your car) You have to go through a lot of red tape just to add or fix a deck or porch or driveway. You can't take down a tree without a hassle.
And if it's a gated community, it's even worse. The "guard shack" does not make the community any safer whatsoever (do I really have to mention names? I think anyone from around here knows where I'm talking about) but it DOES succeed in making a hardship and an annoyance of just inviting guests over to your house.