Dear Sequim lovers,
We noticed that the early spring on the Olympic Peninsula also attracted Sequim home buyers back to the area. Alas, the top bargain price of the 'Best Sequim Home for Sale' is still to high for potential home buyers. It was the same for us when we went house hunting on our Sequim vacation in October 2005. As retired people, we needed to stick with a Sequim home within our budget. Honestly, I loved the peace, the privacy and the beautiful green scenery at Sunland - though we are not golfers - but at that time, sellers still had the edge and prices were just not matching for us.
So, what's new at Sunland for current homeowners and what should future Sunland homeowners know? A couple months ago, the Sunland golf club membership had fallen below what would support keeping the course open. Sunland golfers have attemped to enlist new members even opening it to outside players, but it seems to have come down to having the homeowners vote on whether to increase the homeowners fees to support the golf course. There are 180 homeowners but not all are golfers. It would be interesting to know how many of the Sunland homeowners are active golfers. Bottom line, the non-playing golf homeowners don't seem to care to pay, so others can push the ball around the grass.
The big argument is that the value of Sunland homes benefits from keeping this private golf course well maintained. The entire Sunland Golf Course issue has become a big 'dispute' and 'The Peninsula Daily News' gets frequently letters concerning this topic. Even though, it's none of my concerns, I've found it quite interesting that members and investors of Sunland Golf & Country Club demand that all Sunland homeowners unilaterally be mandated to contribute $300 per year to support the golf course. And if homeowners wouldn't comply, a lien could be placed on their home. Can they do that?
Another letter to the editor claimed that the sole purpose of the $300/yr is to recover the money that a group of club members invested in a new 1-million dollar sprinkler system. They could do so with the assessed payment for 5 years. Nothing has been finalized yet, last I read in letters to the editor they are planning a vote but no date has been set. If they vote not to support the golf course, the home values could go down and of course the other way the Sunland homeowners' fees would go up. Something to think about when looking at homes for sale in Sunland.
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5 comments:
Could they possibly sell just the golf course separately to Squiem for a public course...or an individual who wants to operate it as a private business??
Hello Mic,
Guess what, as soon as I had published my post about the
'Sequim Golf Course in Sunland', next day the 'Peninsula Daily News' had the big news on the front page that the Sunland homeowners association board voted unanimously NOT to financially support the Sunland Golf Course & Country Club.
Of course, that does not solve the future for the finacially troubled Sunland Golf Course. I guess it could be sold and become a private business. Many of the Sunland homeowners do believe that the golf course adds to the value of their homes.
Interesting idea I read was that some homeowners suggest to let the golf course all 'go back to nature' and make it into a park!
Anybody buying a home in Sunland is warmly advised to follow the Sunland Golf Course discussion.
There is still the fact that the golf course has not withdrawn their illegal petition and that the golfers will attempt to sneak in a new agenda item at the next monthly meeting in April. The rumor going around is that the SLOA BOD will try to con homeowners into buying the clubhouse to help bailout the golfers. The golfers are also trying to find money by claiming that SLOA homes are damaging the golf course and that will be at the next meeting as well.
Anyone thinking of moving to Sunland needs to consider waiting until the current board members are removed! No one in Sunland trusts these people and the golfers are very unwelcome!
Dear Anonymous,
Thanks for sharing your very personal and subjective opinion on the current situation of the Sunland Golf Course.
Sequim Town Vacation blog is just our personal blog journal about life and vacation in Sequim. We know Sunland quite well and actually like it a lot. We think that the wonderful greens of the Sunland golg course really contribute to the value of the homes but that's as far as it gets with 'taking sides'.
We think it would be wonderful if Sunland homeowners and golfers could come to a final agreement which is acceptable and feasible for both sides and make future home buyers in Sunland feel good about a nice place to live in Sequim.
The homeowners voted against support based on recommendation from the attorney that even if all the homeowners WANTED to support the course, they could not legally do so through a dues assessment process. Support would have to come from a grassroots, independent effort. Since that decision, it would not appear that any related agenda items have come up at recent board meetings, although there was one yesterday, the agenda of which I do not know. It is unfortunate that this has created a division and I hope that the independent factions give up their platforms and leave it as strictly between the legal entities of the Golf Course and Homeowners Association. Folks would be wise to listen to, and direct questions to, ONLY these entities and not be swayed by media accounts, especially those articles where the only sources of information have come from some independent groups that have started up that seek to influence rather than work with either side.
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