They’re Baaack!

"The simple step of a courageous individual is not to take part in the lie."

~Alexandr Solzhenitsyn

The latest antics at the self-obsessed Golf "royalty" members remind me of the movie The Poltergeist. 

The title of this Op Ed piece originates from that 1982 supernatural horror movie. In the film, a family's television comes alive with static and malevolent spirits using it to communicate with the real world, originally stating "They're here." When the sequel, Poltergeist II: The Other Side, was released in 1986, it used the marketing tagline "They're back," which permanently cemented the spooky, drawn-out pronunciation in pop culture.

Did you ever watch a horror movie where the central “bogeyman” just keeps coming back again and again?  No matter how many times he is stopped, bludgeoned or locked up—you can be sure that, when you least expect it, a scary, gnarled hand with sinister fingernails will lock itself around the victim’s neck at least one more time. 

I had this same sensation reading about the new Golf Board petition.

Just when The National citizenry thought it was “safe to go back in the water” (sorry…yet another famous movie idiom), there is now a ridiculous and irresponsible petition going around to repeal the entire new duly-elected Golf Board. This nonsense has got to stop.

What has gotten this small segment of the community so riled up? Well, to hear them tell it, they state a list of half-Truths. A half-Truth is much more dangerous than an outright lie because it is more difficult to expose. So, is it true that the Golf Board opened Social Play options for the entire year? Yes. But, the other side of their statement is deceptive. Did that rob the Golf members of anything? The answer is “No.” The social members do not get privileged tee times, and they do not pay the same rate as members. They now merely have access to OPEN tee times, when the Golf course is not being used anyway. 

Does that mean that Golf homes now have less value? No, Golf homes will still be purchased by those who want privileged member benefits. Will the entire community go down in value? No, the entire community will go UP in value as we have more revenue to spend beautifying and maintaining the Golf Course and more reasons for people to buy here. 

As the Broker of a real estate company that does most of the resale business in this community, I can unequivocally attest to the following true statements:

·        Owners sell (and thereby depress prices) when there is perceived instability in the Golf and POA Boards.

·        Owners sell (and thereby depress prices) when there is a sense that there is a “cliquish” and preferential treatment given to only certain members.

·        Owners sell (and thereby depress prices) when escalating HOA dues are not regulated closely and only go up modestly with inflation. 

·        Owners sell (and thereby depress prices) when they can no longer utilize their property in the way it was sold to them.

·        Owners sell (and thereby depress prices) when they cannot rent out their properties when needed, whenever life finds them in a situation (whether personal or financial) which requires them to move suddenly.

The REAL Truth is rising tides lift all boats. If people are excited about the opportunity to play on off tee times, they will be much less likely to sell, and there will be less inventory overload on the market. Limited outside play brings people into our community to see how lovely it is. This also increases The National reputation and property values.   

So, this latest stunt is just creating more uncertainty and more potential panic selling. This community needs time to heal. With both the Golf and the POA fully turned over to the members, why can’t we just see what next year has to bring? We’ve gotten some extremely talented people on both Boards now…let’s see what they can do.

These petulant petition outbursts are the equivalent of Chicken Little screaming that “the sky is falling,” or like the little boy who constantly cried “wolf” when there wasn’t any around. No one will die if the socials play on the off tee times. Maybe, just maybe, we might get some much-needed revenue from the people who already live here. Personally, I would like to see a good symbiotic benefit of the golf members getting their wish of limited outside (non-resident) play and the social members getting their wish of “off time” paid usage of the golf course. Then, everyone who plays golf (for the most part) in The National, would live here and all of The National citizenry would reap the benefits.  

Then, the only time we will want to hear “They’re baaack” again is on snowbird season. 

*Please don’t sign the petition that is going around. That will most definitely hurt this community’s reputation and brand it as “unstable.” Please feel free to call me if you wish to discuss further and find out more Truth. 

Thank you. 

Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. ~Proverbs 18:21 (BSB)

and that's my two cents...maybe three

Pursue the well-being of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the LORD on its behalf, for when it thrives, you will thrive.

~Jeremiah 29:7 (CSB)