My Bite Into The Apple

A Gated Community Home – is it for You?

As a real estate agent, often I am requested to find my clients specific types of homes and home sites for building. These specifics typically include: Bay front, Lake front, water view, specific number of bedrooms and baths etc. If you’ve ever purchased a home, then you know exactly what I am referring to…

In recent months however, I’ve been increasingly asked to locate homes or home building sites in gated communities around my service area of Bay County: more importantly, the Panama City – Lynn Haven metro area of Florida. I believe we are all well aware of what a gated community is, but if not let’s identify some characteristics of these communities…

“A gated community is a type of residential community which offers controlled access and entrances for pedestrians, bicycles, and automobiles, and may feature a closed perimeter of walls and fences.”

While gated communities are not a new form of residence, they are often misunderstood. In today’s real estate market there remains a common misunderstanding that gated communities are only for the wealthy and beyond the means of the average home owner. This of course is not entirely true.

While there are some upscale communities that cater to a more costly living style, there are also many gated communities that offer similar life styles and amenities for the average home buyer. In my area there are many of these types of communities all offering various amenities and benefits. From master planned gated lake communities such as Lake Merial or Wild Heron, to master planned gated bay front communities such as Bay Point.

Each gated community may offer unique living and investment potential. For the consumer interested in these types of communities, there may also be additional benefits. When speaking with my customers regarding their desire to own a home in a gated community, an over-riding factor seems prevalent: Gated communities are perceived safer for children and families and offer unique living styles for those that so desire them. They are also perceived as maintaining their home values and appreciation.

While gated communities may not be for everyone, they do offer features many find attractive for their choice of style and quality of living. Features such as private and semi-private marinas, on-site fitness clubs, golf courses and child day care are being required by home buyers more and more in today’s real estate market. These features and amenities tend to be prevalent in many gated communities and fulfill the wants and needs of these types of home buyers.

In addition, I’ve recently been made aware of another unique style of gated community which caters to the racing fan! These communities offer residents race tracks for their amusement. From oval stock car style tracks to 1/8 mile drag racing tracks as well as motocross racing. How’s that for a unique recreation and living style!!!

A retired couple I am currently working with would like to find an Active Adult 55+ Community. Both husband and wife workout daily, own a boat and are avid golfers. Naturally, they would like to purchase a home within a gated community, which is either on or very close to the golf course. The community must offer dock space for their boat and have a club house or community club with an exercise room or fitness center.

As I show this couple the available communities, a few items are of particular interest to them: Some gated communities offer limited or no “through traffic” to the residents, which they value. The limited trough traffic value is for their grand children whom visit with them several times a year. Homes within gated communities often exhibit a strong pride of ownership. I’ve yet to find within a gated community a home with an unkempt lawn or debris scattered about the property. In large part this is due to the homeowners’ associations’ rules, or covenants and restrictions which govern many of these communities.

Homeowner association rules often include restrictions such as:

No overnight street parking No boats, campers or RVs allowed in driveways Houses must be painted only certain colors Landscaping must be pre-approved by an appointed committee

Additionally, residents of these communities take pride in their community and self-monitor and maintain their properties. To some these rules may seem excessively restrictive, while to others they are a necessity to maintain their style and quality of living. Many of these communities have what I refer to as “spot light homes”. These homes are the “premier” homes of the community. Often, they are built for specific owners or for events such as the Panama City Parade of Homes.

They will feature the highest quality construction materials and fixtures, and often are the highest priced homes in the community. While many gated communities offer luxury homes, vacation homes, and luxury condos there are also those that offer affordable homes, condos and home sites.

These communities may not have the full amenities of the more luxurious communities, but still manage to offer safety, community spirit and modest community pools and club houses. Many of these practical communities are specifically and conveniently constructed near schools and local recreation venues.

Summary

Not all master planned gated communities have uniformed security guards and cameras, but all offer unique living opportunities for those that desire the features and amenities the gate community has to offer.

From retirement communities to equestrian communities, from waterfront communities to forested secluded communities, gated communities are sought out by many of today’s home buyer looking for that little something “special” for their investment. Gated communities work for everyone, not just for the wealthy.

© Copyright 2008 Jennifer MacKay. All Rights Reserved.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

A Tough Call on the Inventor of the Telephone

The history books will tell you that Alexander Graham Bell of Scotland invented the telephone. Alexander Bell won a patent dispute which would lead to the most valuable patent ever issued, the telephone. The patent on the telephone and the subsequent success of the device would lead to the creation of the world’s largest monopoly, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company. Consider that for over a century, ATT, was referred to in our culture by the name of “Ma Bell” after the inventor of the device.

In fact, the first telephone call was on March 10, 1876 and the anniversary of that day is now only a few days away. The first telephone call has often been recreated in writing and in the movies. The first telephone call is sometimes recreated with Alexander Bell crying out “Watson, come here! I want to see you!” with Watson answering the call. That first telephone call is a well known part of American history and lore. The story would later be popularized by Hollywood when actor Don Amiche played the part of Alexander Graham Bell in a movie.

However, this nice, classic, Hollywood story about American history and the invention of the telephone overlooks the likely fact that Alexander Bell stole the entire telephone concept and its resulting patent from at least two other inventors. The reality is that the American telephone monopoly known as “Ma Bell” should really have been known as “Ma Grey” or “Ma Meucci”.

An early version of the telephone was invented around 1860 by Antonio Meucci who called it Teletrofono. In 1860, Meucci organized a demonstration of a successful telephone in which a singer’s voice was clearly heard by spectators a considerable distance away. The fact is that Meucci filed his first notice to take out a telephone patent in 1871, five years before Alexander Graham Bell’s now infamous first telephone call.

Sadly, Meucci would eventually be cheated out of his invention. The sordid story includes “lost” Meucci filings by the United States patent office. The Meucci telephone device was also “lost” by Western Union as the inventor was trying to demonstrate the possibilities of his invention to them. Later investigation would produce evidence of illegal relationships linking certain employees of the Patent Office and officials of Alexander Bell’s company. Eventually, in the course of litigation between Bell and Western Union, it was revealed that Bell had agreed to pay Western Union 20 percent of profits from commercialization of his “invention” for a period of 17 years. Certainly, conspiracy theorists would have a field day with this evidence.

Despite a public statement by the Secretary of State of the time that “there exists sufficient proof to give priority to Meucci in the invention of the telephone,” and despite the fact that the United States initiated prosecution for fraud against Bell’s patent, the actual trial was postponed every year until the death of Antonio Meucci in 1896. The government’s fraud case against Alexander Bell would eventually be dropped, securing Alexander Graham Bell’s place in history as the inventor of the telephone.

Elisha Grey was another apparent victim of Alexander Bell. In Seth Shulman’s recent book, entitled “The Telephone Gambit: Chasing Alexander Graham Bell’s Secret”, Seth Shulman tells a story of shady lawyers and a corrupt patent examiner. The book describes Bell’s dishonesty in securing the telephone patent as follows: “Bell furtively and illegally copied part of Elisha Gray’s invention in the race to secure what would become the most valuable U.S. patent ever issued. And afterward, as Bell’s device led to fame, he hid his invention’s illicit beginnings.”

Over the years, the Bell Telephone Company would fight five lawsuits that reached the Supreme Court as well as five hundred and eighty eight lawsuits that posed various legal challenges over the rights to the telephone. It never lost a major case. However, over the years, the evidence has continued to increase that Alexander Graham Bell used his wealth and influence to illegally claim the right to the patent of the telephone and to be called its inventor.

On September 25, 2001, the United States House of Representatives through Resolution 269, recognized Antonio Meucci as the inventor of the telephone. The House Resolution reads, “that it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the life and achievements of Antonio Meucci should be recognized, and his work in the invention of the telephone should be acknowledged.”

The invention of the telephone is a murky tale of fraud, dishonesty, and corruption. Alexander Graham Bell used his wealth and political influence to secure the rights to a device that would change the world. In retrospect, both Antonio Meucci and Elisha Grey were victims of a long, sordid, costly legal process. The evidence now suggests that justice was not well served for either of these men. That’s why even on its one hundred and thirty second anniversary, its still a tough call to recognize the real inventor of the telephone.

We have one of the most comprehensive portfolios of IP desktop phones in the industry; and we’re a Mitel Premier Partner.
Video Rating: 0 / 5

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

cell phone carefully review contracts Consider For research

Mobile Review, it was learned that only the use of wireless services in the U.S. Only a fool 7 billion generated in 2004. This was achieved by the industry, while 3.6 million shore jobs.

is estimated that mobile phone services is between two and three million more jobs created. Undaunted sets the industry increased ahead at 15% per year.

As the industry continues to roll like a giant control is not known for prisoners when it comes to transportation plans. If you are signing is true. No way beyond.

is important that you marry her as best you can with your company’s rates will be offered. Call minutes is by far the main reason for abandoning a plan to plan. Going over your monthly allowance often bring severe penalties.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites