If you’re looking for a new place to live, you might consider finding a home in a gated community. Gated communities offer several benefits that appeal to individuals and families alike. Before you make your next move, learn more about whether gated communities match your needs. You’ll likely discover that some gated communities in your area offer a safe, attractive place to live.
Improved security is one of the most common reasons people move into gated communities. While security services vary from neighborhood to neighborhood, you can expect to see benefits such as roving patrols, guest sign-in and sign-out procedures, and security personnel stationed at the community’s entrance.
Security has become an increasing concern over the past few years. Although violent crime rates fell sharply after the early 1990s, the numbers have started to rise. Between 2014 and 2015, murder rates increased in several large cities, including New York, Baltimore, St. Louis, and Chicago. In particular, Milwaukee’s murder rate rose by 74 percent within one year. Living in a gated community can’t ensure that you’re completely safe from crime, but this community environment can certainly help offer more protection for you and your loved ones.
Security isn’t the only reason that people move to gated communities. Some residents of gated communities appreciate lifestyle benefits such as access to private golf courses, tennis courts, and planned events. Planned events often include golf scrambles, book clubs, and monthly get-togethers.
Many gated communities have large rooms or clubhouses you can use to host parties. Instead of entertaining guests in your home, you can use your community’s shared space. This space availability offers some obvious conveniences; for example, you don’t have to worry about guests spilling their drinks on your furniture. However, many people don’t realize that having access to a clubhouse or party room can also save them money. When you can use a clubhouse, you don’t need to buy a home that’s large enough to host parties. You get to have parties while simultaneously downsizing to a smaller home.
The opportunity to downsize isn’t the only way that living in a gated community could benefit you financially. As the following infographic indicates, homes in gated communities sell for about $30,000 more than those in non-gated communities. By choosing a home in a gated community, you secure your investment. When you need to move, you’ll be more likely to earn a profit than if you were living in a non-gated neighborhood.
Aesthetics play a role in the higher resale values for homes in gated communities. When you enter a gated community, you may notice that each house and lawn conforms to an established standard. Neighborhood associations pass bylaws that prevent neighbors from turning their properties into eyesores.
Neighborhood association bylaws often tell people how often they must cut their grass, how high they can erect fences, and whether they can have lawn ornaments. Instead of trusting people in your neighborhood to take care of their properties, you can rely on bylaws to make your community beautiful. Residents who don’t follow the rules may face steep fines. The threat of those fines is more than enough motivation for most people to either cut their lawns or hire a service to do the work for them.
Although gated communities aren’t for everyone, many people can appreciate the advantages that these communities offer. If you want to live in a safer environment, watch your home’s value increase, and enjoy an engaging lifestyle, then a gated community probably matches your needs. Discover more features that characterize a gated home community by exploring the following infographic.
Designed by Kelly Q
