With some of the most beautiful homes and an excellent reputation, gated communities are highly sought after by homebuyers. If you are on the lookout for a new home and come across a gated community home for sale, you may be curious if this would be the right pick for you. Here are a few perks and potential pitfalls to consider.
1. Perk: Homes in gated communities offer the most supreme privacy.
Pitfall: You do still have neighbors.
If you like the idea of being tucked away from the general population in a private neighborhood, a gated community home for sale is definitely something to consider. You do have to remember, however, that gated communities are indeed communities, so you will have neighbors in close proximity. You can still find homes within these communities that offer some level of privacy, especially in the backyard areas, but it would be rare to have a large plot of private land all to yourself.
2. Perk: Gated community homes are well-secured.
Pitfall: It can be harder for your friends and family to visit.
One of the bigger reasons seek out gated community homes is because of the level of security they can provide. These neighborhoods are not open to thru traffic and some of them do actually have perimeter "gates" or some type of structure that will generally keep the public out. This can be great for security reasons, especially if you are a high-profile individual or if you have children you wish to protect. However, when you have someone visit, they will have to get clearance to enter the community, which can sometimes be inconvenient.
3. Perk: A lot of gated communities have neighborhood amenities for everyone to enjoy.
Pitfall: You will have to pay your part to cover the costs of those amenities.
It is not at all uncommon to find gated communities outfitted with some awesome amenities that all the residents get to share. For example, you may find:
- A neighborhood pool or small water park where kids can play
- A neighborhood banquet hall that can be used for big events
- A neighborhood tennis court that all residents can use
All these amenities can be great, but they can also come at a small price to you as a homeowner within the community. These amenities are paid for and kept up through funds paid to the community HOA, which may be billed annually or attached to your mortgage payment in some way.