Auburndale Estates

For many Floridians, mobile home parks represent an accessible pathway to homeownership and community living, particularly for those seeking more affordable options in the Sunshine State. These communities, often evolving from traditional trailer parks, now offer diverse living arrangements for a wide range of residents. Located in the heart of Central Florida, Auburndale Estates is one such mobile home park, providing housing opportunities in the Auburndale area.

Mobile home parks can offer a unique lifestyle, often fostering a sense of community among residents, with shared spaces and a neighborhood feel. They can be a practical choice for individuals and families looking for a less expensive alternative to traditional stick-built homes, allowing residents to leverage Florida's favorable climate and diverse recreational activities without the higher property costs. However, like any community, the resident experience can be significantly shaped by management practices and overall park conditions.

Auburndale, a charming city in Polk County, is known for its beautiful lakes and proximity to both Tampa and Orlando, making it an attractive location for various lifestyles. Auburndale Estates, situated within this area, contributes to the local housing landscape. This article aims to provide a factual and informative overview of Auburndale Estates, based on available public data and direct resident feedback. It will detail the park's location, the services it purports to offer, and important considerations for anyone in Florida exploring mobile home living. Our goal is to present a clear picture, allowing prospective residents to make informed decisions about whether Auburndale Estates aligns with their needs and expectations.

Auburndale Estates is located at 5065 Saddle Creek Rd, Auburndale, FL 33823, USA. This address places it in Auburndale, a city within Polk County, situated in the heart of Central Florida. Saddle Creek Road is a well-known local thoroughfare, providing relatively straightforward access to and from the park.

Auburndale offers a blend of natural beauty and suburban convenience. While the park is noted as being in a "rural area" by one resident, it still benefits from its proximity to key Central Florida locations and amenities:

• Auburndale City Center: The park is within a reasonable driving distance of Auburndale's downtown area, which typically offers local shops, restaurants, and essential services.
• Saddle Creek Park: Given its location on Saddle Creek Road, the park is likely near or has easy access to Saddle Creek Park, a large county park known for its fishing lakes, dog park, disc golf, and nature trails.
• Lakeland: The larger city of Lakeland, with its more extensive shopping, dining, medical facilities, and cultural attractions, is typically a short drive away (approximately 15-20 minutes).
• Major Highways: Proximity to major routes like US-92 and I-4 (connecting Tampa and Orlando) allows for convenient travel for residents.
  • Tampa: Approximately a 45-minute to hour drive to the west, offering professional sports, cultural institutions, and Gulf Coast beaches.
  • Orlando: Roughly an hour's drive to the east, home to world-famous theme parks, international airports, and extensive shopping districts.
• Chain of Lakes: Auburndale is part of Polk County's extensive Chain of Lakes, providing numerous opportunities for boating, fishing, and various water sports, appealing to those who enjoy Florida's aquatic environment.

The location in a "rural area" might imply a quieter setting, but its Central Florida position ensures that residents are not isolated from necessary urban amenities or the region's recreational offerings.

Auburndale Estates, as a mobile home park, is expected to provide fundamental services for its residents. However, recent public feedback indicates significant concerns regarding the delivery and transparency of these services, particularly under new ownership.

• Mobile Home Lots: The core service is the provision of lots for mobile homes. Residents pay a monthly lot rent for their space. However, reviews indicate substantial, unnotified increases in "lot rent $300.00 in one shot" under new ownership, which residents claim violates Florida mobile home statutes regarding notification.
• Utilities (Electricity): Residents typically pay for their own utilities. A new fee for "electricity is on our account" has been added for "other parts of the park" that residents state is not their responsibility, leading to disputes over billing for shared areas.
• Lawn Mowing/Landscaping: Residents are stated to be "paying for mowing." However, a significant concern raised is that the service is not consistently delivered, with one resident reporting "5 weeks that my house doesn’t get mowed and we are paying for it" due to logs left behind from tree cutting.
• Correspondence and Communication: Communication from management, specifically "Troy," is described as "cold, no greeting, just says morning and from management." There are also concerns about a lack of decency in sending correspondence to Hispanic tenants "in English" despite language barriers.
• Management Presence: A major complaint is that "there is no manager on site," leading to issues of unmanaged behavior ("some people run a muck here") and a lack of oversight for hired contractors (e.g., "mowing and tree cutters").
• Rent-to-Own Contracts: A serious issue highlighted is that "Families that had rent to own contracts are not being acknowledged," with new demands for "astronomical amount" or eviction.

It is crucial for any prospective resident to thoroughly investigate all terms, conditions, and management practices directly with the park before making any commitments, especially given the consistent concerns raised in public reviews regarding service delivery and communication.

Based on the provided public reviews, the highlighted features of Auburndale Estates are largely centered around its basic provision of mobile home lots and its current operational challenges, rather than amenity-rich offerings.

• Mobile Home Lots: The park provides spaces for mobile homes, catering to individuals and families seeking this type of housing.
• Rural Area Location: Situated in a "rural area," which might appeal to those seeking a quieter environment, away from dense urban centers.
• Affordable (Originally): Residents indicate that the park was initially chosen by "low income" families due to its affordability, suggesting it traditionally served a demographic seeking budget-friendly housing.
• Two Streets: Implies a relatively small, contained community layout.
• Ongoing Changes Under New Ownership: The park is currently undergoing significant changes under new ownership, including "increasing without notifying us" and adding new fees, which are noted as negative highlights by current residents.
• High Vacancy: Residents note the park is "more empty than ever" with "more people are moving out as we speak," indicating a high vacancy rate.
• Unacknowledged Rent-to-Own Contracts: A critical highlight of concern is that "Families that had rent to own contracts are not being acknowledged," potentially leading to loss of prior arrangements.
• Tree Removal: A "whole bunch of trees chopped down" was a recent event, which has impacted the park's landscaping and led to logs being left behind.

It is clear that the current "highlights" from a resident perspective focus on operational issues and perceived negative changes under the new management, rather than positive community features. Any prospective resident should be keenly aware of these points.

Based on the provided resident reviews, Auburndale Estates does not appear to be offering any "promotions" or "special offers" in the traditional sense. In fact, the feedback strongly indicates the opposite, with residents experiencing significant, unannounced increases in costs and a general lack of perceived value.

The consistent narrative from residents highlights:

• Lot Rent Increases: The most prominent "action" from the park, described as "another increase without notifying us" and "hikes up the lot rent $300.00... in one shot." This suggests a focus on increasing revenue rather than offering incentives to new or existing tenants.
• Addition of New Fees: Residents report "little by little started adding fees here and there with only maybe one notice," including new electricity fees for common areas. This indicates a trend of increasing costs rather than promotions.
• Disregard for Existing Contracts: The park reportedly "not being acknowledged" families with "rent to own contracts" and demanding "astronomical amount" or forcing them out. This suggests a lack of promotional or retention efforts for existing residents.
• High Vacancy: The park is noted as "more empty than ever" with "more people are moving out as we speak." This high vacancy, despite an apparent lack of attractive offers, suggests management's current approach is not drawing or retaining residents effectively through promotional means.

Given this feedback, prospective residents should not expect any special offers. Instead, they should be prepared for potentially significant and unannounced increases in lot rent and additional fees. Direct and thorough inquiry into all current and prospective costs is absolutely essential before considering residency here.

For inquiries about Auburndale Estates, including lot availability, current and future rental costs, and to directly discuss the concerns raised in public reviews, please use the following contact details:

Address: 5065 Saddle Creek Rd, Auburndale, FL 33823, USA

Phone: (813) 463-8312

Mobile Phone: +1 813-463-8312

Given the serious nature of the concerns raised by current residents, prospective tenants are strongly advised to engage in direct and detailed communication with the park management, requesting all terms and conditions in writing. It is also advisable to speak with existing residents if possible, and to consult Florida's mobile home statutes regarding tenant rights.

Based on the provided direct feedback from current residents, Auburndale Estates, in its current operational state, presents significant challenges rather than clear suitability for locals, particularly those seeking stable, affordable, and respectful mobile home living in Florida. While its location in Auburndale, a Central Florida city, might initially seem appealing due to proximity to services and major hubs, the overwhelming sentiment from residents points to a concerning living environment.

The core reasons for its unsuitability, as voiced by the community, revolve around management practices under new ownership. The alleged "increase without notifying us" and "hikes up the lot rent $300.00" directly contradict Florida mobile home statutes and severely impact "low income" families who chose the park for its affordability. The added and seemingly unwarranted "electricity is on our account" for non-individual usage further erodes financial stability. These practices, described as "greed" and "sucking the people dry," make it unsustainable for many residents.

Beyond financial concerns, the reported lack of basic service delivery, such as un-mowed lawns despite paying for the service, and "broken" water connections, indicates a significant lapse in operational standards. The communication style of the manager, described as "rude and unprofessional," and a preference for "If we don’t like it, just move," along with the absence of an on-site manager, contributes to a hostile and unmanaged environment. The disregard for existing "rent to own contracts" further compounds the issues, showing a lack of respect for prior agreements.

While a rural location might appeal to some for its quietude, the current conditions of "more empty than ever" and "More people are moving out as we speak" suggest that the park is struggling to retain residents due to these issues. In summary, while the concept of affordable mobile home living in Central Florida is attractive, the consistent and severe negative feedback from current residents regarding unnotified rent increases, new fees, poor service, disrespectful communication, and lack of on-site management renders Auburndale Estates, at this time, largely unsuitable for locals seeking a stable, respectful, and fairly managed mobile home community. Prospective residents are strongly advised to proceed with extreme caution and verify all claims and conditions directly.