# Gated 12 home Community for SHTF???



## Jp4GA (Jan 21, 2016)

So we have been looking for land with a home. Found the perfect one on 30 acres with a water source, a few fruit trees, developed garden area. All we would need to add is a small barn and chicken coop. After some aggressive bidding we LOST the bid. We just could not go any higher. 

We have stumbled across a nice house on 7 acres (less than we want), with a barn and chicken coop and small garden area and private well. Our issue is this house is in a gated community with 11 other homes. They share a small stocked lake. They also share around 20 acres of undeveloped wooded land. So even with less land we would have private access to a stocked lake and woods. The community is one road in and one road out surrounded by woods. 

We have no idea of what the other homeowners are like and this is a little scary. It could be good to be in a gated easier to secure area, but not knowing the people is difficult. They could be people like us or they could be crazy. 

What are some things you might look for if considering a community like this? Any one know any big warning signs to look for?

Would you mark it off your list of possibilities or give it a go?


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

One of the first warning signs is a Home Owner's Association.


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## Targetshooter (Dec 4, 2015)

HOA's are killers , we have one here were I live , I hate it now , that is one of the reasons I want to move .


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

how do people SHARE 20 acres of land... somebody owns it right... 

How about the lake.. how is that shared.. do all neighbors have land that connects to it???


EDIT.. now if the land is state or federal that is another matter


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

HOA's and deed restrictions = Don't do this, Don't do that, Can't you read the signs?


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

A Watchman said:


> HOA's and deed restrictions = Don't do this, Don't do that, Can't you read the signs?


Yes, and long haired freaky people need not apply....


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

Having good neighbors can be good and bad in a SHTF situation.

I always walk/drive around any area I consider buying and meet the neighbors. Takes and evening or 2 but defiantly worth doing.


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## BuckB (Jan 14, 2016)

If either of the two words "gated" or "community" are used to describe the home, I would not want it.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

I call all HOA's House Nazi's. If you want true independence stay away from anything gated and all HOA's


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

It's an important decision. Pay for internet workups? Private detective to develop jackets on the residents? Just some thoughts.


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## hawgrider (Oct 24, 2014)

Run away.... keep running don't look back run..... gated community? 
Are you freakin crazy!!


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Yeppers..those HOA's can provoke folks to violence. We have a bunch of them around. They sometimes hire off duty cops to come babysit their meetings to try and discourage them shooting at each other. Now I like the gated concept. Should be a big plus security wise..for those who can afford it. The gated places with guard shacks are super Ritzy areas around here. The little yup lakes are normally catch and release. Might check on that.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

even if the rules allow for the type of property YOU want to develope - what's the other 11 homeowners like? .... don't be the azzhole intruder that purposely moves in where he's not akin or wanted and start imposing YOUR will & wishes .... there's two sides to this issue

and if your first thought is "**** the other homeowners" .... you're exactly the type of azzhole I speak


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

I agree with the OP, a gated community might be best. Slippy Lodge is one, but then again I'm pretty fancy like that!

View attachment 15163


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

I'm hiding something important and valuable behind the shiny new gate and signs out in the middle of the woods. Come back and rob me when I'm not here. That's what I think when I see such a setup. Your advertising and drawing attention to yourself. Which in a SHTF scenario is the last thing I would want to do. IMO


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

Will your gate let you out in a power outage? Most have an over ride, but I would want to know all of the particulars on the gate, including programming and speaker communication plans in case of a failure.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Chipper said:


> I'm hiding something important and valuable behind the shiny new gate and signs out in the middle of the woods. Come back and rob me when I'm not here. That's what I think when I see such a setup. Your advertising and drawing attention to yourself. Which in a SHTF scenario is the last thing I would want to do. IMO


If you are referring to Lodge de la Slippy, first off, the gate is pretty old. How old? I have no idea, but I painted it two years ago. The signs are mainly a "legality" and are scattered througout the border. I do not place any confidence in a sign being a security feature. Secondly and mainly, its doubtful that you or anyone else got past the FIRST gate at the small county road about 1 mile from the gate pictured.

I do have a decent amount of history that my camera's have shown that in the past few years, only a couple of youngsters looking for a fishing hole have ventured/trespassed down Slippy Lane. the ultimate "gray man abode" is the place that no one sees.

I put my place up against most as far as secure OPSEC east of The Mississippi. (Bets are off compared to Wyoming!)


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## Real Old Man (Aug 17, 2015)

Jp4GA said:


> So we have been looking for land with a home. Found the perfect one on 30 acres with a water source, a few fruit trees, developed garden area. All we would need to add is a small barn and chicken coop. After some aggressive bidding we LOST the bid. We just could not go any higher.
> 
> We have stumbled across a nice house on 7 acres (less than we want), with a barn and chicken coop and small garden area and private well. Our issue is this house is in a gated community with 11 other homes. They share a small stocked lake. They also share around 20 acres of undeveloped wooded land. So even with less land we would have private access to a stocked lake and woods. The community is one road in and one road out surrounded by woods.
> 
> ...


Invest in $24.95 and subscribe to BeenVerified. Go to the county web site and glean the owners information and run their names thru BeenVerified. It won't tell you everything, but it will give you a glimpse at who they are, what they've done who they owe to (liens and bncruptcies) and who they are related to.

Or you could just sit backand wring your hands and say woe is me woe is me when things go sideways.

Welcome aboard


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## Jp4GA (Jan 21, 2016)

Illini Warrior said:


> even if the rules allow for the type of property YOU want to develope - what's the other 11 homeowners like? .... don't be the azzhole intruder that purposely moves in where he's not akin or wanted and start imposing YOUR will & wishes .... there's two sides to this issue
> 
> and if your first thought is "**** the other homeowners" .... you're exactly the type of azzhole I speak[/QUO
> 
> My intent would not be to go in and try to change things or force my will on others. If they had a strict HOA it would be off the table. I lived in that type of community with 200 homes, and at that time I liked it. But when wanting animals, gardens and other things HOA properties do not normally work for this type of living. Right now I am just wondering and trying to figure out if this might be a good place to live and grow a family that would allow for a little security in a SHTF situation.


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## Jp4GA (Jan 21, 2016)

All of the houses are built around the lake and have direct access with short docks. The lake is not large enough for motored boats. From the lake you can not see any of the other houses. Most of the homes are built in the middle of there acreage and can not be seen from the street. 

As for the additional 20 acres I am not sure how that would work. It is a question we would have to ask.


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## Jp4GA (Jan 21, 2016)

We have been assured that there is no HOA. We would get that in writing if we did this. 

Here is the history we were given... The area was being developed as community of 50 homes. Then the house bubble went bust and the developer ended up selling bigger lots to dump the land in order to pay other bills for other developments that were further along. I remember stories of this developer going belly up and there is still a community nearby my current homes with roads, utilities and a gate that has no homes built in it that are owned by his company. The homes were then built independently and are a combination of big luxury homes and smaller ranch style homes. We will need to verify this information and it should be pretty easy to look-up.

I am not sure how the gate works or who pays the utility bill or how the additional 20 acres are used and taxes paid on that. Lots of questions. Looking into this but will not step blindly into anything. Still continuing to search for a location with land, water source, game and garden area.


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## Medic33 (Mar 29, 2015)

Hey if it is what your looking for why ask a bunch of strangers what they think?
Personally I think it's a bad idea I hear gated community and I think zoo look Waldo at the hairless apes behind the gate scary arm't they?
If you got your mind made up for the purchase then just do it and live with it.


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## Jp4GA (Jan 21, 2016)

Medic33 said:


> Hey if it is what your looking for why ask a bunch of strangers what they think?
> Personally I think it's a bad idea I hear gated community and I think zoo look Waldo at the hairless apes behind the gate scary arm't they?
> If you got your mind made up for the purchase then just do it and live with it.


My mind is not made up. We are still looking. Just asking for input from those who may have found the perfect SHTF property for bugging in and staying put. This type of property had not been on our radar and was suggested by a realtor- Of course she does not really know what we are looking for in terms of our long term plans. So we looked at it and are now just looking at pros and cons trying to make an educated decision. Sometimes ideas from others can help formulate the list of pros and cons. What ever we buy we will be stuck with and we just don't want to feel stuck.

Later today we have 3 other properties to look at. One I am excited about. Less acreage (only 5), but secluded, chicken coop, barn, and small permeate green house, and water source. The properties around this one are larger plots. The second one we will look at backs up national park which could be good when thinking long term. The final one for today is on lots of land, but the home needs major renovations-- this one will not be an option if the current owner won't budge on price.

We have a lot to think about .


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## ride free (Feb 9, 2016)

I like that you're getting more ideas and questions to ask about the gated community. And some of those questions will apply to any community you are a part of. How do you size up a small town you will be part of, when you buy property? Even if you are 5 miles from town, you will still be shopping there, if just to buy gas.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

Well, there are "gated communities" in the country club style, and then there are "gated communities" in the KKK/militia/skinhead style.

I personally would not buy property that does not front on a county or state road. That way there is no question about legal access, easements, etc. Your land touches the government owned road.

The road past our place is dirt, and owned/maintained by the county. Dirt roads, miles outside very small towns, are excellent - they tend to discourage city folks from moving in. Way too far from the mall (the mall nearest us is about 45 minutes at 65 & 70 mph most of the way).


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## Jp4GA (Jan 21, 2016)

rice paddy daddy said:


> Well, there are "gated communities" in the country club style, and then there are "gated communities" in the KKK/militia/skinhead style.
> 
> I personally would not buy property that does not front on a county or state road. That way there is no question about legal access, easements, etc. Your land touches the government owned road.
> 
> The road past our place is dirt, and owned/maintained by the county. Dirt roads, miles outside very small towns, are excellent - they tend to discourage city folks from moving in. Way too far from the mall (the mall nearest us is about 45 minutes at 65 & 70 mph most of the way).


Good point about easements.


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

sideKahr said:


> It's an important decision. Pay for internet workups? Private detective to develop jackets on the residents? Just some thoughts.


You can do a lot of self research too on sites like your tax collector and Public Data or Linked In. It won't tell you if the neighbors are assholes, but then a private detective wont really either.

I've had mixed results with HOA's some good and some not so good. They seem to be inept at things like the guy who burns tires in the street but really good at telling you not to have TWO cars in your driveway, God forbid. The whole purpose and intent of the HOA is to protect and guard property values by enforcing a code of commonly agreed upon standards. In and of itself, that could be great. It keeps your neighbor from opening a uranium mine in the front yard and killing your resale value. But people often see it as a way to enforce a lifestyle not a code of standards. You get a neighbor who likes to knit hats for monkeys but she thinks 4x4 trucks are an eyesore because she's not into it. So she gets on the board and passes a measure to keep trucks off the street. That's where it all goes awry.

The good news is that with only 11 homes your vote is more significant and you have less neighbors that need to be swayed to your line of thinking. You and 5 like minded homes can rule the roost. The down side is that any community property owned by the HOA - including the streets need to be managed and that costs money. Your dues in a gated community will be higher and the gates will be useless after the SHTF. Oh they'll be great for a week or two, but eventually they will be pushed aside.


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

rice paddy daddy said:


> The road past our place is dirt, and owned/maintained by the county. Dirt roads, miles outside very small towns, are excellent - they tend to discourage city folks from moving in. Way too far from the mall (the mall nearest us is about 45 minutes at 65 & 70 mph most of the way).


I'll eventually get some land & cabin out away from it all and the method I plan to use is that it must be 30 minutes from a Starbucks.


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## SittingElf (Feb 9, 2016)

GTGallop said:


> I'll eventually get some land & cabin out away from it all and the method I plan to use is that it must be 30 minutes from a Starbucks.


Is that so you can still be near it...or further AWAY from it?


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

AWAY from it and the people that frequent it. So I guess I should say "at least 30 miles AWAY from Starbucks." You can add Chipotle to that too.


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