• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

Florida Gated Community = PITA

Luanne

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
19,353
Reaction score
10,185
Points
1,198
Location
New Mexico
Resorts Owned
Maui Lea at Maui Hill
San Diego Country Estates

joestein

TUG Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2005
Messages
2,373
Reaction score
2,125
Points
574
Location
Marlboro, New Jersey
I guess thing's even out because of FL town/city does not have a police department. Maybe your gated community has ours.

:confused:

BTW, a walled community with 24/7 policing sounds a little scary.

I have been there a couple of times. It is anything but scary.
 

CalGalTraveler

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2014
Messages
9,747
Reaction score
8,273
Points
498
Location
California
Resorts Owned
HGVC, MVC Vistana
No gates in our SF home community. No break-ins but mail has been stolen so we recently installed locked mailboxes. HOA discussed installing a gate, but decided against for the reasons stated.

We have Ring cameras and motion activated lights on the property which would deter any intruder. Cameras do a much better job than gates and cost a lot less.

A gate would prevent door to door solicitors though. We have a "No Soliciting" sign on the door but some ignore and knock anyway. Drives me crazy.
 
Last edited:

OldGuy

Guest
Joined
Mar 4, 2019
Messages
1,564
Reaction score
576
Points
123
Resorts Owned
some
I have been there a couple of times. It is anything but scary.

Inside or outside the walls?

I mean, if the area around the community is so scary that you have to wall off your community, and have 24/7 police protection, that does not sound like a very good area. You cannot live inside the walls all the time.

:D
 
Last edited:

OldGuy

Guest
Joined
Mar 4, 2019
Messages
1,564
Reaction score
576
Points
123
Resorts Owned
some
How about we just stick to tne topic at hand for a change?

That is what I was saying, too, sarcastically, but I see I forgot the smilie.

Here's two, to make up for it: :D:D
 

pedro47

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
22,072
Reaction score
8,536
Points
948
Location
East Coast
Gated communities are only as good as the person or security company that man their security post Correctly 24/7 IMO.
 

CalGalTraveler

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2014
Messages
9,747
Reaction score
8,273
Points
498
Location
California
Resorts Owned
HGVC, MVC Vistana
The trend for millennials is infill with walkable communities. Not sure if this is driven by economics, a passion for sustainability, desire for hip community/coffee shop culture or a combination. Perhaps gated communities are going the way of golf as a phenomenon of the 80s and 90s?
 

bizaro86

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2008
Messages
3,664
Reaction score
2,489
Points
598
Location
Calgary, AB, Canada
The trend for millennials is infill with walkable communities. Not sure if this is driven by economics, a passion for sustainability, desire for hip community/coffee shop culture or a combination. Perhaps gated communities are going the way of golf as a phenomenon of the 80s and 90s?

I'm a millenial and I think gated communities are sad.

It seems to me the only reasons developers would build a gated community are:

1) they believe there is so much crime and undesirable behaviour in the area a gate is necessary to protect people.

2) they believe people are so fearful of their fellow humans that a gate is necessary for comfort.

Those both make me sad.

My perspective may be more geographical than generational though. The city I live in (population ~1MM) has 1 gated community of <10 houses, which is routinely mocked as being absurd.
 

rapmarks

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
9,636
Reaction score
4,765
Points
649
I'm a millenial and I think gated communities are sad.

It seems to me the only reasons developers would build a gated community are:

1) they believe there is so much crime and undesirable behaviour in the area a gate is necessary to protect people.

2) they believe people are so fearful of their fellow humans that a gate is necessary for comfort.

Those both make me sad.

My perspective may be more geographical than generational though. The city I live in (population ~1MM) has 1 gated community of <10 houses, which is routinely mocked as being absurd.
Add to this people in neighboring areas walking or driving over and using our pools, tennis courts, fishing in our ponds, in other words, using our amenities without any cost tothem.
 

Panina

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
6,781
Reaction score
9,968
Points
499
Location
Florida
Resorts Owned
Hgvc Anderson, Blue Ride Village Resort
I'm a millenial and I think gated communities are sad.

It seems to me the only reasons developers would build a gated community are:

1) they believe there is so much crime and undesirable behaviour in the area a gate is necessary to protect people.

2) they believe people are so fearful of their fellow humans that a gate is necessary for comfort.

Those both make me sad.

My perspective may be more geographical than generational though. The city I live in (population ~1MM) has 1 gated community of <10 houses, which is routinely mocked as being absurd.
Some people look at living in a gated communities as a Status symbol, I have made it. While selling real estate I was surprised why people preferred gated communities. It usually had nothing to do with safety.

Sometimes a gated community has a benefit we don’t think about. I was in a gated community where all personel were first aid trained. I once slit my leg and one of the guards helped put a butterfly bandage on my wound.
 

SueDonJ

Moderator
Joined
Jul 26, 2006
Messages
16,612
Reaction score
5,778
Points
1,249
Location
Massachusetts and Hilton Head Island
Resorts Owned
Marriott Barony Beach and SurfWatch
I'm a millenial and I think gated communities are sad.

It seems to me the only reasons developers would build a gated community are:

1) they believe there is so much crime and undesirable behaviour in the area a gate is necessary to protect people.

2) they believe people are so fearful of their fellow humans that a gate is necessary for comfort.

Those both make me sad.

My perspective may be more geographical than generational though. The city I live in (population ~1MM) has 1 gated community of <10 houses, which is routinely mocked as being absurd.

Our resident-only gated community is gated because it's a part of a larger community with a large vacationing population. We chose it specifically because we don't want to live in a constant state of changeover, a constant state of people around us being on vacation. It's our home, we want to feel settled in it and develop friendships with other residents.

The gates are a deterrent for vacationers who are unfamiliar with the neighborhood, but I'm sure that professional thieves would work around them easily. The sense of security I have there is much more a result of the actual security personnel that patrol 24/7 and the management company's service (if it's requested) of keeping an eye on the property when we're not there.
 

Luanne

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
19,353
Reaction score
10,185
Points
1,198
Location
New Mexico
Resorts Owned
Maui Lea at Maui Hill
San Diego Country Estates
We live in a "gated community". When our younger dd heard this she was under the impression it meant tennis courts, pools, all that she had been used to seeing in the gated communities in California. Nope, all it means here is, there is a gate. We use a fob to open it, and yes just about everyone in town knows our gate code. I look at it more as a deterrent, however there have been break ins in the area.
 

bbodb1

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2016
Messages
4,305
Reaction score
3,824
Points
348
Location
High radiation belt of the Northern Hemisphere
Resorts Owned
RCI Weeks: LaCosta Beach Club, RCI Points: Oakmont Resort, Vacation Village at Parkway. Wyndham: CWA and La Belle Maison, and WorldMark.
No gates in our SF home community. No break-ins but mail has been stolen so we recently installed locked mailboxes. HOA discussed installing a gate, but decided against for the reasons stated.

We have Ring cameras and motion activated lights on the property which would deter any intruder. Cameras do a much better job than gates and cost a lot less.

A gate would prevent door to door solicitors though. We have a "No Soliciting" sign on the door but some ignore and knock anyway. Drives me crazy.

Just expand your fashion sense when answering the door:
dadsmrmom.jpg
 

bbodb1

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2016
Messages
4,305
Reaction score
3,824
Points
348
Location
High radiation belt of the Northern Hemisphere
Resorts Owned
RCI Weeks: LaCosta Beach Club, RCI Points: Oakmont Resort, Vacation Village at Parkway. Wyndham: CWA and La Belle Maison, and WorldMark.
I'm a millenial and I think gated communities are sad.

It seems to me the only reasons developers would build a gated community are:

1) they believe there is so much crime and undesirable behaviour in the area a gate is necessary to protect people.

2) they believe people are so fearful of their fellow humans that a gate is necessary for comfort.

Those both make me sad.

My perspective may be more geographical than generational though. The city I live in (population ~1MM) has 1 gated community of <10 houses, which is routinely mocked as being absurd.

Doesn't the cold take care of concerns 1 and 2?
 

WVBaker

TUG Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2015
Messages
2,487
Reaction score
2,087
Points
323
It seems to me the only reasons developers would build a gated community are:

1) they believe there is so much crime and undesirable behaviour in the area a gate is necessary to protect people.

2) they believe people are so fearful of their fellow humans that a gate is necessary for comfort.

In my experience, the incidences of crimes in gated communities is just a bit less than open communities however, not by much. They will provide a sense of security to the homeowner, albeit a false sense of security. Deciding to move into any neighborhood solely because it is "gated" is not a very smart decision if you believe it provides you and your family more security. Understand that criminals target gated communities simply because the residences tend to have more money and valuables.

They do have some good points though.

There is a lot less traffic than in open communities, which also means less noise. Children playing outside should be safer. Keep in mind, it may also mean less of those annoying solicitors. We can't overlook those strict HOA rules that explain how you and your guests must conduct yourself and how your property must be maintained. ;)
 

VacationForever

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2010
Messages
16,199
Reaction score
10,611
Points
1,048
Location
Somewhere Out There
Wow, there are alot of gated communities bashing on this thread. Gate envy? ;) A gated community simply means that if you have no reason to be here, do not trespass. We are OK with that.

There are about 3000 homes in this whole community, growing to 5000 maximum. Every sub-division has a gate which means we are 100% gated and only one has a live guard. This has nothing to do with status. A gate is a gate. I think there are around 30 sub-divisions here.
 

OldGuy

Guest
Joined
Mar 4, 2019
Messages
1,564
Reaction score
576
Points
123
Resorts Owned
some
Since I've been going to, or living in, SW FL for 43 years, I realize that are a lot of gated subdivisions and developments, even trailer parks.

What I find curious, now that I stop and think about our area, is that there are a lot of hoyty toyty places, wealthy people with multi-million dollar homes, and with people that you would think need a slightly higher level of security, and there is none. The riff-raff can drive by, go wherever they want, or walk right on those properties. Even the private islands have public access.

Hmmm!?
 

joestein

TUG Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2005
Messages
2,373
Reaction score
2,125
Points
574
Location
Marlboro, New Jersey
Since I've been going to, or living in, SW FL for 43 years, I realize that are a lot of gated subdivisions and developments, even trailer parks.

What I find curious, now that I stop and think about our area, is that there are a lot of hoyty toyty places, wealthy people with multi-million dollar homes, and with people that you would think need a slightly higher level of security, and there is none. The riff-raff can drive by, go wherever they want, or walk right on those properties. Even the private islands have public access.

Hmmm!?

It is in a well to do part of town. I should point out that the population of the "village" (not town) is only 670 people and 350 households (houses?) per Wikipedia. Many of them owned by doctors and dentists per my BIL. Very different than the other communities being discussed. You probably cant touch any for less than $1MM and that is the run down never updated type.

Also the police department has 15 officers! That is a lot for that few people.
 

Glynda

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2005
Messages
3,781
Reaction score
2,552
Points
599
Location
Charleston, SC
Resorts Owned
Bluegreen Points Lodge Alley Inn.
Brewster Green (two weeks).
....snip....

They do have some good points though.

There is a lot less traffic than in open communities, which also means less noise. Children playing outside should be safer. Keep in mind, it may also mean less of those annoying solicitors. We can't overlook those strict HOA rules that explain how you and your guests must conduct yourself and how your property must be maintained. ;)

Those are some very good points!
 

OldGuy

Guest
Joined
Mar 4, 2019
Messages
1,564
Reaction score
576
Points
123
Resorts Owned
some
Our resident-only gated community is gated because it's a part of a larger community with a large vacationing population. We chose it specifically because we don't want to live in a constant state of changeover, a constant state of people around us being on vacation. It's our home, we want to feel settled in it and develop friendships with other residents

That is similar to a local gated community where we own a timeshare, for amenities rights. It is in a large, regional vacation destination, and the 3000-acre gated development has a significant vacation-rental resort aspect. Except, there are no separate gates for the permanent residences; it is all intermingled.

That is not without issues, and the POA in recent years has taken measures with the vacation-related owners to increase security.
- - - - - -
I'm sorta reading that in some of the cases discussed, it seems to be a matter of keeping like people in rather than unlike people out (if I said that right).
- - - - - -
As I mentioned before, in our neck of the swamp, there are some areas of multi-multi-million $$$ residences, with some residents being significant public figures of means, and there are no gates.

I just find that curious, why our rich, special people don't seem to be worried about whatever it is other rich, special people are worried about.

There are some areas of SW FL that you couldn't pay me to live in, not with walls and moats and gates and a personal bodyguard cop. Didn't used to be that way.
 
Last edited:

rapmarks

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
9,636
Reaction score
4,765
Points
649
That is similar to a local gated community where we own a timeshare, for amenities rights. It is in a large, regional vacation destination, and the 3000-acre gated development has a significant vacation-rental resort aspect. Except, there are no separate gates for the permanent residences; it is all intermingled.

That is not without issues, and the POA in recent years has taken measures with the vacation-related owners to increase security.
- - - - - -
I'm sorta reading that in some of the cases discussed, it seems to be a matter of keeping like people in rather than unlike people out (if I said that right).
- - - - - -
As I mentioned before, in our neck of the swamp, there are some areas of multi-multi-million $$$ residences, with some residents being significant public figures of means, and there are no gates.

I just find that curious, why our rich, special people don't seem to be worried about whatever it is other rich, special people are worried about.

There are some areas of SW FL that you couldn't pay me to live in, not with walls and moats and gates and a personal bodyguard cop. Didn't used to be that way.
I imagine they have expensive security systems in place.
 

OldGuy

Guest
Joined
Mar 4, 2019
Messages
1,564
Reaction score
576
Points
123
Resorts Owned
some
I imagine they have expensive security systems in place.

A gate, a guard 24/7, and a passcard system for residents, whatever all that costs.

There is a second passcard gate with no guard.

All vacation-rental owners have to submit an application for guests, as I do for our TS guests. Last week was our week, and it's easey peasey. I got two rear-view mirror passes, gave them to my guests, and they followed me in.
 

rapmarks

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
9,636
Reaction score
4,765
Points
649
A gate, a guard 24/7, and a passcard system for residents, whatever all that costs.

There is a second passcard gate with no guard.

All vacation-rental owners have to submit an application for guests, as I do for our TS guests. Last week was our week, and it's easey peasey. I got two rear-view mirror passes, gave them to my guests, and they followed me in.
Actually referring to the multi million places without a gate.
 
Top