Recipe for the Best Master Planned Communities

Those who know us, know one of our favorite past times is cooking delicious recipes. After preparing a dish, if the recipe turns out to be complicated, with the scrapings on the plate the recipe card follows right into the trash. As with cooking, creating the best master planned communities can be a delicious masterpiece. The perfect mix of lifestyle amenities and home choices built in a desirable temperature zone.

In cooking recipes there are staples such as butter, water, salt and pepper. With master planned neighborhoods, there are staples too such as curb appeal, fiscal responsibility and quick access to medical care, schools and shopping. How can you tell without buying first, what life is like in a master planned community? When we search for the best master planned communities in Florida, Georgia, the Carolina’s and Tennessee, we watch for positive and negative signals bubbling up through the for sale signs giving us an early taste of what to expect. Property owner reviews we collect also reveals important information.

Don't mind our kitchen indulgence but our recipe card includes the following:

INGREDIENTS:

1. There is a delicate balance of ingredients in the best master planned communities. Smaller neighborhoods we refer to as ‘boutique communities’ don’t need grandiose entrances, golf courses, clubhouses and fitness centers. These neighborhoods typically have low HOA fees of less than $100 a month, important to budget conscious buyers. Although occasionally we do find real estate developments with golf courses, clubhouses and fitness centers still charging HOA fees less than $100 a month. You may wonder how is this possible and which communities? When a real estate developer creates a master planned community, sometimes the golf courses are sold separately to private investment companies like Oaktree Capital Management, Tavistock Group and Challenge Golf Group. This makes things more affordable and at times, better managed. 
2. The size of the master planned community is important to notice because it dictates how many people will share in the monthly expenses keeping your HOA fees low. Are decorative flowers changed seasonally? What is the condition of the roads if a community is gated? HOA's and POA's are generally responsible for maintenance of the roads behind a gated entrance. Do property owners receive annual special assessments? Well managed fiscally sound homeowners association’s budget for these items avoiding unexpected special assessments, ingredients that leave a sour taste with home owners. Property owner reviews we collect reveal the satisfication regarding HOA fees and membership fees.
3. Home choices also effect the flavor of a community. A real estate development with a large number of townhomes, condominiums and villas tend to attract vacation and second home buyers, adding to the transient traffic in the community. In vacation areas such as the North Carolina High Country or Hilton Head Island you would expect this. These type of communities often have property’s in close proximity to each other and zero lot lines. In more exclusive neighborhoods, you will find larger homesites, bigger homes and bigger price tags. Often, the closer the neighborhoods are to excellent restaurants, shopping and an urban downtown, the higher the prices for new homes. Your recipe ingredients for the best master planned community should also include the level of seasonal traffic verses year round residents and your need to be close to urban downtown. 

TEMPERATURE: Today is a cold day in South Florida and we're bundled up writing to you. Most Floridian's prefer the year round tropical weather celebrating almost 365 days of sunshine in Florida. To others, Florida is too hot and too humid. Many folks preparing to relocate are moving to be closer to the kids, grandkids or friends regardless of the weather. Aging Baby Boomers plagued with arthritis and temperature sensitive health issues know the south is where they need to go to suffer less. When selecting where to retire, it is important to experience the best and worst weather temperatures. Our recipe for finding the best master planned community includes visiting the areas you are interested during both seasons, experience the extreme temperatures BEFORE making a buying decision. 

NUMBER OF SERVINGS: Introverts like Henry David Thoreau could careless about the community social events calendar. Content with nature, a walk in the woods or reflecting by the lake was his perfect recipe for happiness. Social butterfly’s like ourselves want to be socially connected. Buyer’s often ask us if people are really friendly in the neighborhood they are considering. To us, the easiest way to tell is to attend a social club events incognito BEFORE you buy. If you alert the sales team of your visit, you can be sure they will send the friendliest meet and greet team to your rescue foiling your true evaluation. When we mail scorecards to property owners, one of the questions they are asked is if they're happy with the neighborhood's social clubs. Property owner reviews are very helpful and shed a light on the friendliness of the community to our members.

Here's an example of superior master planned communities: 2012 Bliss Award Winners for the Best Communities of the Year.