Stratford Place Association

Quality Poor to fair… Some great advise.
Seriously, Don’t waste your time looking at condos at Stratford Place… (in Ft. Myers, Fl.) Horrible/​community riddled with immense negativity. I purchased a condo 10 months ago for $ 86,000… sold it this week for $ 80,000… Sat on the market since November (starting price was $ 100,000)… sold it furnished/​updated, pristene. The word is out on Stratford Place: Bad investment choice. Was previously run for decades by extremely incompetent Board members (now run by Turnkey Mgt), who… off the record told me: «Board members were clueless in running that community… wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars, etc. After paying a $ 1600 carport roof assessment… $ 153 for «extra plywood needed»… and ceiling repair of the carport/​$ 250.000…I realized I made a wrong investment decision. If you are considering buying at Stratford: read the RULES AND REGULATIONS and Condo Docs thoroughly… better yet, avoid Stratford, entirely. Nothing but a bitter/​negative experience for me, and others at Stratford Place. Board members are power-​hungry/​controlling and rigid, not to mention UNFRIENDLY. Their RULES AND REGULATIONS and condo docs are far outdated… and the Board members need to get out of the 1970’s (the time Stratford Place was built)… and step into this century. The experience of attending one owner’s meeting: it was 3 hours I will never get back. Just of few of their «Rules»: Guests who occupy or VISIT the unit MUST be accompanied by the UNIT OWNER… If you are a snowbird who occupies the unit infrequently, you MUST notify the Association’s office of your arrival/​departure times. NO PICKUP TRUCKS allowed on the property… even if it is a 2013 Ford Pick up, valued at $ 65,000… almost the value of one of the condo units.(My former 76 year-​old tenant.) RUN, do not walk from this place which is riddled with utmost neativity and unfriendliness. it is a graveyard of nothing but grief there. Perhaps if ALL of the old fart Board members resigned, and the Condo Docs were revised, and 90% of the «rules» were illiminated, it would be a more desireable place to live, or invest. If you are a renting tenant at Stratford Place, guaranteed you will be labled an outcast… and you WILL NOT be happy there. Again, lesson learned on my part… for the benefit of would-​be property owners of Stratford Place… do not waste your time at this community. It is my wish that folks who read this post will take it seriously and consult with their realtor. In general, stay away from 50+ communities… their condo docs/​rules and regs are generally too rigid. For me, lesson learned… I must realize the $ 15,000+ loss in my investment at Stratford Place and move on to a wiser choice.