Why gated community? (Phoenix, Tempe: apartment complex, rent, houses)

[in_newengland]

I still don't see any advantage to gated communities and HOAs. Why don't you just have towns like most places? Towns with streets and maybe a playground with a community pool at the end of the street. A nice park for people to walk in. Why does it need a gate around it?

It sounds like people who live in this kind of situation have chosen to live in a crime ridden area and are trying to keep the criminals out. Don't live in a criminal infested area and you wouldn't have to hide behind those gates. Work at getting those criminals put in jail and then you won't need to live behind bars--they will be living behind bars, not you.

I've never seen a gated community but I've seen a lot of pretty towns and there is no need for gates. They strike me as strange and cold. Whatever part of the country has them, I guess I just won't go there. They wouldn't want me anyway, apparently.

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

I agree Sablebaby.

While our HOA irks me sometimes, they are usually right about it, such as when our front tree was overgrown and they kept sending notices to get it trimmed.

I lived in a neighborhood that didn't have an HOA for 12 years and things went to crap over time. Our house, the neighbors and the whole little corner we had was nice, but down the street was a house with a boarded up window because it had broke and the people always had old junk cars in the street leaking oil plus a front yard full of kids toys. Other people didn't have front landscaping, just overgrown weeds and other painted their homes a crazy purple and such.

It does seem for the most part, people who have a problem with HOAs are the ones that don't like to be clean and maintain their property.

That's not true at all. You must be living in a sub standard area to need such things as HOAS especially if you have people with boarded up windows who don't even bother to fix them and people who put junk cars in the street. What kind of a place is that?? The town should get after them to clean up their act, you don't need to pay an HOA to do that.

Some people don't have much shrubbery in front of their houses because they are not into gardening or they would rather have flowers--it's up to them, it's not a police state. Not everyone has to conform. I've seen some lovely old Victorian homes painted purple. It didn't look horrible unless you don't know any better--they call then painted ladies. I have seen weeds in front of houses but those people usually don't care about the house anyway and they usually move away. No reason why everyone should be the same and abide by rules. If they are breaking the law and bothering people, call the police. DO something about your community instead of cutting yourself off from other people or paying extra to live around other people who are like sheep and like conformity.

There are plenty of gorgeous neighborhoods and entire towns that don't have HOAs or gates. They look a lot nicer than cookie cutter neighborhoods in subdivisions. People take care of their own property without being told to in most places.

[okaythen01]

Originally Posted by smilinpretty

I owned a house in HOA and when it came time to sell it, I had a hard time selling it. 40 percent of the potential buyers said they would not buy it because of HOA. I would never own a house in a HOA again.

did they give a reason? they don't want to pay the extras every month? don't like rules and regulation by HOA?

[WSPHXPELON]

I think I'll just stick with my moat with sharks and drawbridge, thank you very much.

[Voebe]

In my experience people tend to want them because they're make the place safer, supposedly. In actual practice, gates are often broken and left unprepared, or are easy to slip around.

Personally, I'm very much against them for philosophical reasons, as it just creates even more sense of a rift between the haves and have-nots.

Now that I think about it, it's rather odd, because Phoenix has traditionally been Republican-leaning, and the essence of Republican ideal used to be that you were supposed to be responsible for yourself, not shifting the responsibility on to someone else.

I haven't read all the replies, so possibly someone already explained that an HOA is a Homeowners Association, and although there are usually fees, it's not dependent on the price of the home, but on the amount of services/maintenance they provide.

[DetroitN8V]

Gates are for the prestige-factor way more than they are for security.

[Karenjme]

In my community, it is gated. I am in a safe area but I feel safer, less chance non-residents will be on property, less chance to have car stolen/vandalized. My community is considered a "TRI-STAR" Community which means we have adopted guidelines as set forth by Mesa PD. There are many HIGH PRICED communities that are NOT gated.

"The Tri-Star Program is a partnership between the Mesa Police Department, property managers/owners, landlords and residents, working together in a cooperative effort to foster a safer community in rental properties.

The police are part of the community and have a vital interest in the well-being of the residents, but they cannot be totally effective without the involvement of property managers and residents.

The Tri-Star Program is designed to help residents, owners and managers of rental property, keep drugs and other illegal activity off their property.

By taking proactive steps to abate crime, you enhance the quality of life for tenants; making a safer and more pleasant environment to live, work and raise families.

Participating in the Tri-Star Program does not imply there is no crime on the property; it means properties are taking steps to deter crime and have consequences when tenants are involved in illegal activity in and around the property. "

[SMG]

Karen..You "feel" safer, but you are not. Anybody that wants can get in. Agents put gated codes in MLS, landscapers give them to one another moving companies and pizza drivers have them. In terms of the Tri Star program, that is marketing fluff. The neighorhood does not get extra attention from that. Do you think patrol cars give priority to TriStar neighborhhods? Calls to dispatch handled with a higher priority? Your neighborhood is no safer than the surrounding neighborhhoods. Gates and Tri Star agreements are a false feel good measure.

[AZ Tracy]

Originally Posted by Ljiljana

Thanks to you all for the imformations. About HOA, is that something like condo fee? How much would HOA cost for a house of $200.000 value?

The fee that the HOA charges is based upon the amenities of the community, not the value of the home; i.e. lake, clubhouse, front yard maintenance, community pool/spa, gates, etc.

[corydon]

Originally Posted by Ljiljana

Is it a prestige or more for a safety reason to live in a gated community.
I'm from Canada and when I visited Phoenix I saw in a real estate book condos for sale in a gated community. We dont have them here. Please someone tell me what are they about? Thanks.

It is to keep the criminals in.....