Admin

Buying homes in Gated Communities

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Peace River Partners Realty SL3041749

Why are gated communities so popular, especially in Southwest Florida?

Gated communities provide a lifestyle all their own. But which community is right for you? Finding the right gated community in Southwest Florida is like buying a new pair of shoes. You must be comfortable with the fit or you won't be happy. In Southwest Florida you'll find gated communities available to all walks of life from working class to wealthy and they offer a multitude of lifestyles and housing choices so finding the right fit can be a challenge.

Gated communities are attractive to people who are buying a second home or are buying a home for future retirement because of the added security, the low or no maintenance requirements, and for the activities and amenities they provide. People feel more confident about having a part time home that they can "lock and leave" for months at a time if they know it is tucked inside a securely gated community. 

There is a wonderful sense of community inside gates. Everyone feel a sense of ownership to the whol community because they 'belong".  To many, living in a gated community represents a way of reconnecting with their past, a return to small town values, a feeling of belonging, of knowing who your neighbors are. These are often feeling that were greatly missed during careers that required living in busy suburban and city environments.

The gated community provides an environment where it is easy to make new and lasting friendships.  When people consider where to buy they are attracted to the gated communities that offer the lifestyles and activities that interest them most.  They discover that other residents chose that community for the same reasons. This simple factor assures that new residents have an almost immediate connection into the social fabric of the community, making friends right away as they have so much in common with their neighbors.

Gated communities have been a long established type of housing in Southwest Florida and you will find them in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte and surrounding areas along Florida's tropical Gulf coast.  Buyers find they have many options there are brand new developments and well established, well respeced older communities. Housing choices range from modest to magnificent. From Luxury estates to single family homes, coach homes, villas and condos.   Activities and amenities range from nothing or a single community pool, to communities with every single resort amenity you could want. Common amenities and activities found in Southwest Florida's gated communities are: clubhouses, pools & spas, tennis courts, fitness centers, playgrounds, picnic areas, community docks and fishing piers, golf courses, putting greens, saunas, billiards, card rooms, planned activities, clubs, social groups and much more.

Almost anyone can afford to live in a gated community in Southwest Florida as there are options within every price range. You can find manufactured homes in gated communities along with friendly neighbors that enjoy the many planned activities for under $100,000. You can buy homes and condos in small residential gated communities that are priced between $150,000 and $200,000.  There are gated communities restricted to active adults who are 55 years old and older in many price ranges. We have a wide selection of gated golf communities with courses for all levels of play. We have boating, waterfront and marina communities such as Cape Harbor. Among our most desirable and most popular are the handfull of communities that offer both boating and golf. These include the world class resort communities of Burnt Store Marina, Gulf Harbor, and Riverwood.    

No matter the size, the cost of living or the type of homes, gated communities all have one thing in common: They are communities where people enjoy living life comfortably among people who have like values and interests.

How secure are gated communities? That depends on the community. They come in various levels of secure access depending on how the community is managed. Some communities have open gates during daylight hours and only close the gates at night. Others require a code or remote control to gain access with a phone system that allows residents to remotely give access to guest or service providers. Some communities have very high levels of security with 24 hour security guards stationed at the gates and security patrolling within the gates. If security is a primary factor make sure to ask questions about the level of security being offered in the communities you are considering.

Just the fact that the community is gated will often deter unauthorized people from entering even if the gates are open. Most people who don't belong feel like they are intruding if they drive inside uninvited. Many gated communities don't allow solicitors so residents don't get people knocking on their doors to sell things and most gated communities have limited access points so you don't have drive through traffic.  

Homes in gated communities tend to have a better resale value because of the covenants that require homes to be maintained to certain standards. When a community shows pride in ownership it shows and it gives the whole community a good attractive overall appearance.   

As wonderful as they are, living in a gated environment is not for everyone. Gated communities are not a great fit for nonconformist and independent free spirits. People with these personality styles usually aren't happy with deed restrictions, government by committee and other confining factors found in the social make up of most gated communities.