What Is a Master Planned Community? Here Are the Pros and Cons
Neighborhoods, complexes, developments, communities — with so many options, how do you know what living situation is right for you? Beyond constraints like budget and location, many of these options offer the same things: a driveway and a mailbox.
A master-planned community is different. It offers a unique lifestyle and provides value to you, your family, and your home. Let’s discuss what a master-planned community is and its advantages and disadvantages.
What is a Master-Planned Community?
A master-planned community is similar to a development or traditional neighborhood, but highly organized. Each element is carefully chosen when creating a master-planned community, from its location, the orientation of each lot, a carefully designed HOA, all the way down to the systems, like water and electricity.
Master-planned communities put residents first and consider their needs when designing the look and feel of the community spaces and private lots. They contain everything future residents need for recreation, comfort, and privacy.
Where a traditional neighborhood is just a street address, a master-planned community is an experience, an all-inclusive package for your new living situation. Where you can build and live in your dream space, while enjoying a lifestyle that’s perfectly suited for you and your family — in other words, a home.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Master-Planned Communities?
Are you considering calling a master-planned community your new home? Below, we’ll take a closer look at specific details that make them so great and what aspects sometimes turn homeowners away from them. Because ultimately, you need a home that works best for you and your family — and we’re here to help you make that decision.
The Pros of Living In a Master-Planned Community:
We like to say that a traditional neighborhood is just a street address, while a master-planned community is an all-inclusive living experience. There are many advantages to buying land in a master-planned community, including:
- Ready-to-build land – When you purchase a lot in a master-planned community, the ground is leveled, connected to utilities, and ready for construction to begin. It doesn’t get more convenient than that.
- Instant curb appeal – Master-planned communities are fully landscaped and maintained by the development. In addition to your own beautiful landscaping on your homesite, this delivers instant curb appeal to your home and community.
- Access to a reputable builders network – Creating a master-planned community requires help from many resources — all of which can be available to you! Since they’re already a part of the community, you can gain access to a builders network full of custom home builders, designers, contractors, architects, and local suppliers.
- Enhanced security – Master-planned communities often have gated entrances to limit non-essential traffic, encourage peaceful surroundings, and improve safety and security.
- Exclusive activities and attractions – Many master-planned communities don’t just include homes, but outdoor activities and attractions as well.
- Stable property values – Due to their well-maintained land and high-quality homes, master-planned communities help homes retain value and appreciate steadily.
The Cons of Living In a Master-Planned Community:
While there are many unique advantages, some homeowners prefer to live in something other than a master-planned community. Most of their concerns are related to the following three aspects:
- Cookie-cutter homes – Some master-planned communities contract a builder to construct all the houses within them, using just one or a few styles. This can result in less customization and uniqueness in the communities — at least on the exterior of homes.
- Homeowners Association (HOA) dues – Many master-planned communities require HOA fees, which can be more expensive than some homeowners are willing to pay.
- Lack of privacy – Some master-planned communities are designed to fit smaller homes and more of them. These are called high-density master-planned communities, and some homeowners may experience a lack of privacy within them due to closer lot placement.
What It’s Like To Live In Our Master-Planned Community: The Vineyards at Stage Pass
Now that you know the general pros and cons of master-planned communities, we’ll let you know how we do master-planned community life at The Vineyards at Stage Pass.
We’ve designed our master-planned community with future residents in mind, taking full advantage of Southern Oregon’s beautiful natural surroundings and our top-tier network of custom home builders.
Remember all the benefits of living in a master-planned community we listed above? At Stage Pass, we meet all of them. From ready-to-build land to fantastic curb appeal to private access to trails and vineyards, we know what it means to offer “all-inclusive” amenities. Plus, as residents, you’ll be able to live among the vines and have access to our Wine Program, which allows you exclusive access to the wine and fruit that grows on the land.
And, of course, if you remember all the benefits of living in a master-planned community, you likely also remember the common complaints about it. But at Stage Pass, we’ve found a way to overcome those challenges and provide an outstanding living experience. Here’s how:
- Our HOA dues go toward a multitude of great community amenities, like professional groundworks and convenient trash pickup. They’re well worth their cost, making life more relaxing and convenient.
- Stage Pass is a low-density master-planned community that provides residents with the space they need to live abundantly. Privacy is never a problem with our expansive, spread-out, scenic lots.
- We don’t contract one builder to construct cookie-cutter homes. Instead, we enable you with a high-quality builders network so that you can build the custom home of your dreams. Make all the stylistic choices you wish, and enjoy your view overlooking breathtaking mountains, flourishing vineyards, and more.
- The HOA is responsible for brush and fire maintenance on everyone’s property, plus shared spaces. Owners are only required to maintain their buildable envelope. There’s no need for owners to worry that their neighbors might not be managing their property appropriately.
Explore a New Way of Life in The Vineyards at Stage Pass
Are you interested in learning more about life in our master-planned community? Take a look at our website. We’ll give you the inside scoop on the lifestyle and other benefits you can anticipate when joining this type of community. You can also schedule a tour to view our breathtaking lots for sale. If you have any other questions, reach out to the team at Stage Pass. We’re here to make your dream home a reality.