Reviews & Comments
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
re: Unbelievably Nice - 6/1/2006 -
7/30/2012One negative about RSM is the distance to the I-5 freeway. While the 241 toll road is convenient for many commuters, it isn't cheap and it may be quite an indirect (north) route to head west to jobs Irvine or Newport Beach for example. Otherwise, folks in RSM have a long schlep to the I-5 through dozens of traffic signals via Antonio and Oso or Alicia, we're talking 20 minutes just to get to the 5 freeway.
Ladera Ranch, CA
Ladera Ranch Homes -
2/25/2010Biggest complaints regarding homes in Ladera Ranch are 1) the small number of homes with true three car garages (meaning one double garage door and one single garage door). Many homes advertise three car garages but they are tandem garages, one space is long enough for two cars. This is a hassle because if you use the deeper space for storage like bikes and scooters, your kids will scrape your car getting their stuff out.
The other complaint is the extremely high HOA fees of $200/month minimum. Yes, you do get lots of amenities (pool, clubhouse, etc) but you had better use them to justify $200/month.
Finally, Ladera Ranch is served by two high schools: Tesoro (fantastic, highly rated) and San Juan Hill (far away, unproven, dissimilar demographics). The northern third of Ladera Ranch is served by Tesoro.
Huntsville, AL
re: Dave C - 2/27/2006 -
2/25/2010That's great. Too bad this is the Huntsville forum.
Huntsville, AL
No Traffic in Huntsville -
2/25/2010Responding to a few posts from people complaining about traffic in Huntsville. There is no traffic in Huntsville. Rush hour is never lower than 50 MPH. Some two lane streets in Madison get a little clogged (Hughes Road, Madison Pike) but that's Madison (where they vote "NO" on "YES" for everything including road projects). Otherwise, Governors, Memorial Parkway, and Cecil Ashburn/Four Mile Post move quite fast even at rush hour.
Huntsville, AL
re: cost of living and taxes - 3/27/2008 -
2/25/2010There are public school buses in Huntsville. Huntsville City Schools, Madison City Schools, and Madison County Schools all have school buses.
Huntsville, AL
Hampton Cove in Huntsville -
3/26/2009I live in Hampton Cove. It is well maintained, pretty, and fairly convenient to most amenities in Huntsville. The HOA does an outstanding job of keeping the public areas mowed, trimmed, and full of cheerful flowers and landscaping. There are no ugly power lines like one would see in the majority of the Huntsville Madison metro. Most residents are educated and professional. Many residents are transplants from high cost locations such as Northern Virginia and Southern California. The local schools are Hampton Cove Elementary and Hampton Cove Middle school and these schools are at the top of the ratings for the region's public schools. It is the only large scale master planned community in the Huntsville/Madison metro. Most residents work in either the Medical District, the Redstone Arsenal, or the Cummings Research Park. The streets are loaded with kids and safety is the last concern on anyone's mind. Property values in the Huntsville area actually increased over 3% in the 2008-2009 time frame - which is remarkable considering the majority of US markets went down considerably. The unemployment rate for degreed engineers in the Huntsville metro is a stunning 0.2%. Hampton Cove is surrounded by foothills which provide a few to just about every home in the community - it truly is in a cove. Hampton Cove residents use the (real) Olympic Size (50 meter) outdoor pool for swim team competition, lessons, and summer fun. In addition a brand new fitness facility will open at the end of summer 2009. This will replace the existing fitness facility. Hampton Cove kids play soccer, basketball, and softball in the local park so schlepping over to downtown Huntsville for sports is not necessary.