Anyone live in a "Celebration-like" community?

[Zurealsoon]

There are several being built in our area, and the appeal of no yard work and parks we can walk to is very appealing.

Pro's????...Cons?????

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

There are several being built in our area, and the appeal of no yard work and parks we can walk to is very appealing.

Pro's????...Cons?????

I used to live in Sandestin, in Destin, Florida and although I've never been to Celebration, we had what you describe.

It was very nice! There were some townhomes in the area, but most were single family homes. All the yards were done at the same time, so the look was always very consistent.

We had parks, an entertainment complex, many restaurants, the bay and of course, the beautiful beach. There were bike trails that would bring you anywhere you needed to go, and we had trams as well, that would pick you up and drop you off at your home.

The only bad thing about it, was the price.

 

[Zurealsoon]

DH & I drove thru Sandestin-very nice!

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

DH & I drove thru Sandestin-very nice!

It was very nice. I miss it a lot! I'll be there for a few nights before our upcoming WDW trip.

I forgot to mention the one con that I could think of and that was tourists (of which I'll be one of now!). They weren't an issue until it was Spring Break. I don't know if Celebration will deal with that, but in Sandestin a LOT of the owners rented out their homes to tourists.

 

[Zurealsoon]

I don't know if Celebration will deal with that,.

Clarification.....I'm not moving to Celebration, just another community like that in the South.It's the hottest trend in subdivisions...

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Clarification.....I'm not moving to Celebration, just another community like that in the South.It's the hottest trend in subdivisions...

Gotcha. If I would have read your original post better I would have caught that!

 

[diznygirl]

I guess you can say my town is "Celebration-like!"

I like having a smaller yard that is easier to take care of. I like that there are a number of open spaces and parks I can take the kids to for kite-flying or playing ball. I like the walking/biking trails - a little more interesting than just walking down the street.

We do have tourists who visit downtown - but covenants don't allow short-term rentals, so we don't have to deal with that. The rest of the town has the residential/small community feel to it.

 

[JerryMoCricketsGal]

There are several being built in our area, and the appeal of no yard work and parks we can walk to is very appealing.

Pro's????...Cons?????

I've had the flu and been fighting with my HOA about my satellite dish for a week, so, you probably don't want my opinion right now...

If it were up to me, I'd be living in a shack in the woods where home owners associations and having your yard trimmed to the appropriate 3/4 of and inch at all times didn't exist....lol

Seriously though...all communities have their pros and cons..you need to list both and see what appeals more to you and your families needs.

I wish you luck!!!

 

[raammartin]

About how pricey are areas like this, Celebration specifically?

 

[Chereya]

I rented a garage apartment in Celebration in 2001. I would have loved to purchase there but even at the prices back then I couldn't afford it.

I looked into this community which sounds a lot like the "ideal" planned community similar to Celebration: http://independenceorlando.com/ Would love to hear about any others out there like this or any opinions on this particular one.

Chereya

 

[Figment2]

I live in a condo which actually looks like a townhome. Living here is not for everyone and I would suggest you try to get a copy of the Rules and Regulations and see if you can live with them. We have rules about the size and number of pets you can have, when Holiday decorations can go up and when they have to be down, our outside lights MUST be on, No For Sale signs, no open houses, etc. I got written up (which is pretty funny because I was on the original board) for having some bricks (3) on my front porch (your front porch is not to be used for storage of any kind).

Having to fight with neighbors on the rules and regulations was the worst part of being on the Board and the very reason I resigned. We would always drop off or mail warning letters (get the light bulb changed by x date or you will be fined, etc.) and it always amazed me when people would come in and dispute the fine. It got so bad we carried cameras with us.

Check out the rules and regs - then decide if you want to live there.

Cyn

 

[happybratpack]

I live in a condo which actually looks like a townhome. Living here is not for everyone and I would suggest you try to get a copy of the Rules and Regulations and see if you can live with them.

Check out the rules and regs - then decide if you want to live there.

Cyn

Sorry, I'm slow...Is this Celebration where you live or one of the other communities?

Thanks!!

 

[AllyBri]

About how pricey are areas like this, Celebration specifically?

The prices now in Celebration are really too high.
DH and I were talking to a realtor about a particular condo and I asked the price...........$700,000.
I asked what size it was (thinking it was a 2-3 bedroom) he says, one bedroom.

Thank goodness we bought when we did.

 

[Disney Doll]

No, but I have neighbors who think we do, and think they got elected President of the "association"...

 

[Feralpeg]

We have very nice parks, playgrounds, a tennis court, pool and a gazebo in my neighborhood. Our yardwork is not done for us, but crews take very good care of all the common areas. We do not have a downtown area, but we are on Lake Sawyer. We are also ten minutes from DTD.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

We just bought a house in a brand new Celebration-like community in South Florida last month...large 2 story homes, garages and parking behind the homes, lawn maintenance taken care of by the community, large front porches, dog runs, walking paths, etc. There are also condos and townhomes available in the community on the other side of the development. The homes are pricey, but we absolutely love it!! And yes, like so many of these type communities, the homeowners rules are tough, but we knew that going in, and they keep the neighborhoods beautiful.

 

[diznygirl]

I rented a garage apartment in Celebration in 2001. I would have loved to purchase there but even at the prices back then I couldn't afford it.

I looked into this community which sounds a lot like the "ideal" planned community similar to Celebration: http://independenceorlando.com/ Would love to hear about any others out there like this or any opinions on this particular one.

Chereya

Prices there have skyrocketed too. I got an email recently that offered a home for $270 per sq foot - that made for a 3 BR at $549,000.

The rules here aren't as bad as in other places - we just get the reputation. But my aunt's place in Apopka has tougher rules.

I agree that it's wise to see the rules before you move in so you know if it's something you can live with or not.

Oh, and some of the rules are county regulations, like no RV's overnight.

 

[armywife]

Definately read the HOA's Rules & Regulations and see if you can live with them. Yes, they do keep the property values up, but where I live you can't park on the street for more than 12 hrs. (no visitor parking -- I don't know where my family is going to park when they come to visit me next month). Can't fly flags of any kind; not even an AMERICAN flag! Several people fighting that one -- we live near an Air Force base.

In a neighboring subdivision they can't park work trucks in their drive way. One resident got in trouble and the HOA suggested he park it at a Home Depot which was a mile away! Yes, he is fighting his HOA.
just my 2 cents.................

 

[Planogirl]

I think that these places are nice but I don't think that they'd work for me. While I do like some restrictions (and our town luckily has quite a few), I find that many of these places are way too strict for my taste. They can get downright silly at times and I'd rather not deal with that personally.

Plus the cookie cutter look of many of them doesn't appeal to me. Some individuality is more my style.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Sandestin had some pretty tough restrictions too; for example, motorcycles weren't allowed inside the gates.

As far as cookie-cutter appearances, Sandestin isn't like that at all. They had everything from townhomes - some in the lower $$$ and some $$$$ and then they had anything from 6000sqft homes, to 1200sqft homes. The construction styles varied as well.