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About Hildreth Hills Where is Hildreth Hills located? What amenities are available in the town of Westford? What is Hildreth Hills like? What types of homes are available at Hildreth Hills? What amenities and services does Hildreth Hills offer? Are pets allowed? Is Hildreth Heights part of Hildreth Hills?

Buying a Condo What exactly is a condominium and why should I buy one? What are the condominium association fees and what do they include? How is a condominium managed? Does the Condominium Association have insurance? What is a 'capital reserve fund'?

Answers

About Hildreth Hills Question: Where is Hildreth Hills located?   Answer: Hildreth Hills sits high on scenic Sparks Hill in Westford, Massachusetts, surrounded by conservation land. With easy access to I-495, Route 2 and Route 3, residents are within commuting distance from companies in Boston MetroWest and the I-95/I-495 high tech corridor. Residents also enjoy convenient access to the commuter rail system and the regional airport in nearby Manchester, NH.   Back to top Question: What amenities are available in the town of Westford?   Answer: Westford is a suburban residential community northwest of Boston. The town of about 22,000 covers about 31 square miles. Although it is close to Lowell, Boston, and the high tech corridor, Westford retains much of its rural character. In 2009, Westford was the only Massachusetts community named one of the “100 best places to live” in the country by RelocateAmerica.com. The reasons for Westford’s inclusion included its state-of-the-art library, thriving community center, excellent school system, blend of older and newer homes, and numerous recreation opportunities such as the nearby Nashoba Valley Ski Area. Westford is known for its school system. In 2011, Westford Academy was ranked in the top three in the region on all three MCAS 10th grade exams. The school was ranked first in the region and 12th in the state on the math test, with 80% of students scoring Advanced. Children from Hildreth Hills attend Robinson, Crisafulli, Blanchard, and Westford Academy located nearby. Westford employers include well-known high tech firms, MIT’s Haystack Observatory, Puma North America, as well as many small businesses. Several top-rated medical centers are within 20 mile radius. Close enough Boston for an evening at the ballet or symphony, Westford also has access to nearby regional performing arts organizations including the Westford Parish Center for the Arts, Indian Hill Symphony, the Merrimack Repertory Theatre, and Commonwealth Ballet Company.   Back to top Question: What is Hildreth Hills like?   Answer: Hildreth Hills consists of 108 homes set on 180+ acres of meadows and woodlands. The park-like setting is crossed by nature trails and surrounded by conservation land. Neighbors get together for bridge, book clubs, yoga, and parties at the Hildreth Hills Club. During the annual Earth Day Cleanup, families spruce up common areas, collect refuse, haul away tree branches and brush, and enjoy a potluck lunch. Amenities at Hildreth Hills include nature trails, nearby conservation land, and the Hildreth Hills Club with its pool, tennis courts, and clubhouse. Hildreth Hills is a well-established, fiscally-sound community with a strong Capital Reserve Fund and a low turnover rate. Some families have lived here for 30 years.   Back to top Question: What types of homes are available at Hildreth Hills?   Answer: Hildreth Hills offers four distinct townhouse designs. The spacious floorplans were named for the four mountains that can be seen from the property. From largest to smallest they are: Monadnock, Wachusett, Watatic, and Nashoba. All homes have enormous closets, fireplaces, large windows, skylights, decks, a sunporch, two garage spaces, and full basements. The townhouses are sited for maximum privacy. The neighbors you are most likely to see from your window are deer and turkeys, not the people next door.   Back to top Question: What amenities and services does Hildreth Hills offer?   Answer: Hildreth Hills’ offers a maintenance-free lifestyle with outstanding amenities and services: Amenities Services Utilities Clubhouse Open Space/Park-like Setting Swimming Pool Tennis Courts Walking/Nature Trails Exterior Maintenance Landscaping Master Insurance Refuse Removal/Recycling Road Maintenance Snow Removal Sewer Water Underground Utilities   Back to top Question: Are pets allowed?   Answer: Household pets are welcome at Hildreth Hills. Dogs and cats must be registered with the Board of Trustees and the management company. Dog owners must also obey Town of Westford licensing and leash laws. You must clean up after your dog as a courtesy to walkers, bikers, etc.   Back to top Question: Is Hildreth Heights part of Hildreth Hills?   Answer: Nearby Hildreth Heights has similar home styles, but is not part of Hildreth Hills. Homeowners at Hildreth Heights have a separate condominium association. Although Hildreth Heights shares the Hildreth Hills sewerage treatment plant and some of the roads, the residents of Hildreth Heights do not have access to the Hildreth Hills Club, with its pool and tennis courts.   Back to top Buying a Condo Question: What exactly is a condominium and why should I buy one?   Answer: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary defines condominium as “joint dominion” or “joint ownership.” In general, State Condominium Ownership Acts define a condominium as, “the ownership of a single unit in a multi-unit project together with an undivided interest in the common areas and facilities.” Simply stated, a condominium is a dynamic concept in real estate ownership whereby a person can own his/her own home in a multiple unit project and enjoy many of the benefits that have heretofore been restricted to individual homeowners. Condominium makes possible the individual financing, buying, and selling, insuring and taxing of each unit. Under condominium plan, the owner holds title to his/her own home. He/she receives a deed to it, which includes his/her proportionate share of common elements. His/her home is mortgaged and taxed separately from the other homes in the development. Maintenance expenses are shared with other members of the development. These definitions do not constitute legal advice. The condominium documents and state law are the controlling statements on the matter.   Back to top Question: What are the condominium association fees and what do they include?   Answer: The costs of homeownership for a single-family home include not only the monthly mortgage payments and property taxes, but also insurance, and all of the utilities, maintenance, and services that are needed to maintain a home. Condo fees bundle costs of master insurance; amenities, such as a pool and tennis courts; services, such as maintenance, snow removal, and landscaping; and some utilities, into a single fee. Part of the fee pays for property management services to engage, manage, and pay the sub-contractors who provide those services, as well as to provide all the necessary accounting services. The condo fee also includes money put into a Capital Reserve Fund that funds the inevitable repair and replacement costs in the common areas of a community. When comparing condo fees between different properties, it is useful to look at not only the total condo fee, but also what that fee covers. To make the comparison more useful, compare condo fees per square foot, condo fees per acre, and the number and types of amenities and services included. Four specific questions to ask about condo fees: • how well-funded is the capital reserve fund? • are sewer, water, and refuse/recycling pickup included? • are the units on a public road or a private way? • is the development still in an active sales phase? Hildreth Hills condo fees cover: Amenities Services Utilities Clubhouse Open Space/   Park-like Setting Swimming Pool Tennis Courts Walking/Nature Trails    Exterior Maintenance    including Gutter Cleaning,       Exterior Painting Landscaping    including Tree Pruning Master Insurance Refuse Removal/ Recycling* Road Maintenance Snow Removal Sewer Water Underground Utilities *Included in Westford's local property taxes.   Back to top Question: How is a condominium managed?   Answer: A non-profit Home Owners Association exists to handle the management and affairs of the condominium community. The volunteer officers of the Association are annually elected by the homeowners. This Association is responsible for the supervision of the professional management team serving the entire Association. The Association’s operations are supported by a monthly assessment collected from the homeowners. These definitions do not constitute legal advice. The condominium documents and state law are the controlling statements on the matter.   Back to top Question: Does the Condominium Association have insurance?   Answer: The condominium provides a master insurance policy that covers all common property of the Condominium Trust as well as its buildings. All homeowners must maintain individual policies to insure their furnishings and personal property.   Back to top Question: What is a 'capital reserve fund'?   Answer: The Massachusetts Condominium Act requires the creation of an adequate “Replacement Reserve Fund,” to fund and plan for the inevitable repair and replacement costs in the common areas of a community. According to RealtyTimes.com, “it's the reserve fund that protects the homeowners' investment, maintains property values, and provides the peace-of-mind knowing that your HOA has a financial safety net in place.” Although Massachusetts has not defined what is “adequate,” FHA and FNMA rules require that condominiums set aside at least 10% of their operating income towards their capital reserve accounts. By many standards, this is the bare minimum that should be held as a reserve, because it does not provide an adequate cushion for unexpected, major expenses that are not part of the normal operating budget. Underfunding capital reserves can lead to disrepair, decreased property values, and low morale among property owners. Hildreth Hills generally maintains a Capital Reserve balance of 30-40% of annual operating expenses. These definitions do not constitute legal advice. The condominium documents and state law are the controlling statements on the matter.   Back to top

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