Advantages and disadvantages of living in a gated community

In the 1990s it was a synonym for luxury. Inaccessible to outsiders and abundantly supplied with everything needed in daily life. Over time its value fell considerably and living there ceased to be a source of pride – the gated community. Does it still enjoy as much interest as it did almost 30 years ago? Let us look at the advantages and disadvantages of living in a gated community.

• When security is a priority
• Gated communities – ghettos for the rich?
• Peace and quiet
• Enclosure fosters integration
• Hostility from the city's residents
• What about friends from outside the estate?
• Perfect order
• Everyone has their place

When security is a priority

An undoubted advantage of a gated community is that it is inaccessible to strangers. This significantly raises residents' sense of security. CCTV, entry phones and security staff – all this makes it possible to avoid potentially dangerous situations. An unauthorised person has no right to enter the closed and guarded zone, which means that residents will meet only their neighbours, but is that a good thing?

Gated communities – ghettos for the rich?

The first of the charges made by opponents of gated communities is that they are a modern ghetto. Why have they come to be called that? Because, as psychologists have argued, living in them has a bad effect on the human psyche. On the one hand, living there emphasises residents' material and social status, but on the other – it has a negative effect on human behaviour. A person naturally used to company, once fenced off from it, becomes isolated. He or she is deprived of the support of other people, their closeness and a sense of belonging. People who do not satisfy these needs are more susceptible to anxiety states and other psychological problems. Assuming, however, that such a phenomenon is rare, it is worth paying attention to one more advantage of the gated community – peace.

Peace and quiet

Anyone who decides to buy a property away from the bustle of the city will certainly consider buying a flat in a gated community. These enclaves usually arise where residents can count on a peaceful atmosphere, free from noise, for example in close proximity to a forest. It should be remembered, however, that this is not always the case. Sometimes the opposite happens – blocks are built in the very middle of a metropolis, where plots are outrageously expensive and only a select few can afford them. It is a fact, though, that the internal estate roads are much safer. Moreover, residents of such places can be sure they will not run into pushy door-to-door salesmen. There are hardly any leaflet distributors or travelling traders who would disturb their peace of mind. This in turn brings one more advantage.

READ ALSO – A TWO-LEVEL FLAT – PROS AND CONS

Enclosure fosters integration

In a quiet and peaceful atmosphere it is possible to strengthen bonds. It often happens that warm acquaintanceships form in a small space. Neighbours are well disposed towards one another, visit each other more often and spend time together. This is certainly one of the positive features of a gated community. Moreover, people who live close to one another and trust each other have someone to entrust their property to while they are away. It is much easier to leave a pet behind when you can leave it with someone you trust. But… what about the other people who live right next door?

Hostility from the city's residents

Gated communities are sometimes built in the middle of existing, "ordinary" estates of blocks of flats. New buildings appear where there used to be a well-liked path or where many people used to take their dog for a walk. As practice shows, this arouses a hostile attitude in some people. It is often the reason for protests.

What about friends from outside the estate?

Another issue often raised in the discussion is how a gated community disrupts communication with friends and acquaintances from outside it. Those who come to visit must state the purpose of their visit to a caretaker or security guard. This significantly undermines privacy and has a negative effect on interpersonal contacts.

READ ALSO – WHAT AFFECTS THE PRICE OF A FLAT?

Perfect order

Residents of a gated community are most often people of established, high social status. They pay a lot and demand just as much. This means they can be sure that the grounds where they live will be kept impeccably clean. The caretaker, the gardener and the staff will see to it. Moreover, the buildings inside the walls or fence look very attractive, although they are generally built to a tried-and-tested, hackneyed design and it is certainly hard to find originality in them.

Everyone has their place

Access to parking spaces is inseparably linked with living in a gated community. Residents will certainly not complain that they have nowhere to leave their car. Everyone has one, reserved just for them. This means there will never be a problem with a lack of space to leave the car.

As this text shows, a gated community has many advantages, but it is not free of drawbacks. They have been described here quite thoroughly, but everyone certainly has a number of their own observations that they could add to the list presented here. Advice on whether it is worth choosing a flat in a gated community is also offered by the specialists at the REMAX Gold estate agency. With their professional knowledge they will certainly help those who are undecided.