Community Enhancement Fee is used to fund the Art of Living program.  The Art of Living Program is unique to the Southwood Community.  It was created to keep a sense of community through a variety of fun and educational activities for all ages throughout the calendar year.  The Community Enhancement Fee is a fee incurred for all resale (any transaction that is not through the Builder or Developer) purchases in Southwood.  The fee is based on a percent of the gross selling price and the amount decreases every three years as shown below.  Currently (2012),  for every $100,000 you spend there would be a $300 fee to St. Joe.

January 1, 2011 – December 31, 2013     (1% of selling price X 0.03%)
January 1, 2014 – December 31, 2016     (1% of selling price X 0.02%)
Thereafter:  (1% of selling price X 0.01%)

For more information about real estate in SouthWood please feel free to contact me anytime.

The estoppel fee in SouthWood is an administrative charge accessed by the HOA that takes one owner out of the home owners association and moves the new owner into the association.  Unlike the community enhancment fee wich applies to resales only, the estoppel fee applies to ALL transactions.  This is normally a seller expense on re-sale transactions but it is negotiable.  The charge is $250.

CDD stands for Community Development District. SouthWood is part of the Capital Region Community Development District.  A CDD is basically another layer of local government that takes care of everything NOT covered by the City of Tallahassee and the Home Owners Association.  In SouthWood, the CDD provides for maintenance of the parks, lakes, green areas and alley ways that run through the back of many homes.  The assessment will be presented as a line item on the home owner’s propery tax bill and is paid to the tax collector.  The assessment is based on the size of the home site (lot).   One of the main reason that SouthWood looks so good, is because of the CDD.  They keep things looking great, and that adds to the desirability of the community.

I wanted to write my first post about something that I get asked a lot about, the H.O.A fees in SouthWood. There seems to be a lot of miss information out there, so I thought I would try and set the record straight.

SouthWood Quarterly Dues

$206.48 every 3 months broken down in the following way:

$125 pays for the H.O.A administration and management,  as well as the upkeep of the community center and surrounding five acres.

$81.48 pays for the bulk rate agreement with Comcast for Internet service to each completed townhome.

Townhome Monthly Dues

$194.00 covers insurance on the townhome from the dry wall out, lawn maintenance, and routine maintenance and repairs to the exterior of the townhome, pressure washing and a termite bond.

information is subject to change.

SouthWood Quarterly Dues for Single Family Homes

$206.48 every 3 months broken down in the following way:

$125 pays for the H.O.A administration and management,  as well as the upkeep of the community center and surrounding five acres.

$81.48 pays for the bulk rate agreement with Comcast for Internet service to each completed home & townhome.

SouthWood Quarterly Dues for Lots

$125 every 3 months plus mowing fees:

Vacant Lots Mowing – 100′ Lot $25

- 1/2 Acre Lot $29.50

- 1 Acre Lot $35

Mowing is billed per mow on a monthly basis.