Windy Hills Mobile Home Park

For many Virginians, the prospect of mobile home living can be an attractive alternative to traditional housing, often promising a more affordable entry point into homeownership and a unique community atmosphere. However, like any significant housing decision, it's crucial to be fully informed about the specific experiences within a given community. In Williamsburg, Virginia, one such option is Windy Hills Mobile Home Park. This article aims to provide a factual and direct overview of what residents have reported about living in Windy Hills, drawing on publicly available reviews. Our goal is to help you, as a local resident of Virginia, navigate the realities of this community and determine if it aligns with your housing needs and expectations.

Windy Hills Mobile Home Park is located at 8920 Pocahontas Trail, Williamsburg, VA 23185, USA. This address places it within the historic and vibrant city of Williamsburg, Virginia, a significant advantage for those who wish to remain close to the area's rich history, attractions, and amenities. For local Virginians, the location on Pocahontas Trail offers relatively convenient access to major roadways, including Route 60 and Interstate 64, which are key arteries for commuting throughout the Hampton Roads region. This connectivity means that residents can access nearby cities like Newport News, Hampton, and Richmond with relative ease.

The park's proximity to Williamsburg's celebrated attractions, such as Busch Gardens, Water Country USA, and the various historical sites of Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown, is a notable geographical advantage. Daily necessities like grocery stores, shopping centers, restaurants, and medical facilities would generally be within a reasonable driving distance from this area. While the reviews highlight concerns about internal park conditions, the external location offers a significant draw for those seeking to be part of the Williamsburg community and its surrounding benefits. Understanding the ease of access to these external amenities is an important part of assessing the overall suitability of the park for your lifestyle.

Based on the provided customer reviews and publicly available information from Franklin Management Company (which manages Windy Hills), here's an overview of the services reportedly offered or experienced by residents:

• Lot Rental: The primary service is the rental of individual lots for mobile homes. Residents pay a monthly fee for the use of the land their mobile home occupies.

• Trash Collection: According to Franklin Management Company's website, trash collection is included in the monthly lot rent. Tenants are provided with individual toters, which are picked up on Tuesdays. Additional toters are available for an extra fee. Bulk trash requires residents to haul it to a dump or schedule a pre-paid pickup with Waste Management.

• Water Billing: Residents are billed monthly for their individual metered water usage, plus a $4.00 reading fee. This indicates that water is not included in the base lot rent.

• Utility Setup Assistance: Residents are responsible for setting up their own electric service with Dominion Energy, indicating that electricity is a separate utility cost borne by the resident.

• Rules and Regulations Enforcement: The management company states that "All residents, their children, and their guests are bound by our Rules and Regulations." However, customer reviews suggest issues with the enforcement of these rules, particularly concerning parking, with one resident noting, "people park were they want too."

• Management Interaction: Residents' experiences with management are described as "incompetent" and focused on "steal more hard earned money," with claims of poor service and a decline in conditions despite rising rent.

Based on the provided customer reviews and other public information, the features and highlights of Windy Hills Mobile Home Park present a concerning picture from a resident's perspective:

• Declining Conditions: A consistent theme across reviews is that the "service and conditions have gone way down" over time, despite residents having lived there for "30 plus years." This suggests a significant decline in the quality of the living environment.

• Rising Rent Without Corresponding Improvements: Residents report that "Rent keeps going up" while the "service and conditions have gone way down." This indicates a perceived lack of value for the increasing cost of lot rent.

• Unkempt and "Trash Ridden Lots": One review explicitly states that the park has "Horrid, trash ridden lots," pointing to significant issues with cleanliness and property maintenance within the community.

• Parking Issues: The observation that "people park were they want too" suggests a lack of enforced parking rules, which can lead to congestion, inconvenience, and potentially safety hazards within the park.

• Management Competence and Trust: Reviews describe management as "incompetent" and accuse them of "just looking to steal more hard earned money out of your pocket." This reflects a severe breakdown of trust and dissatisfaction with management practices.

• Location Near Attractions (External Feature): While internal conditions are criticized, the park's location "just east of Williamsburg near Busch Gardens" is an inherent external feature. This proximity to major theme parks and the Historic Triangle could be seen as a convenience for some, though it does not mitigate the internal park issues.

• Access to Major Roads (External Feature): The park is "located off Route 60 with easy access to Interstate 64," which is a practical feature for commuting and accessing the wider Hampton Roads area.

• Individual Totters for Trash: The provision of individual trash toters is a positive amenity, allowing for direct waste disposal at each home.

Based on the provided customer reviews, "promotions or special offers" are not mentioned. Instead, the feedback points to a consistent trend of increasing costs without a corresponding improvement in the living environment.

• Consistent Rent Increases: Residents explicitly state that "Rent keeps going up," with one indicating this trend has been ongoing for "30 plus years." This suggests that any potential long-term affordability benefit of mobile home living may be eroded by annual increases.

• No Value for Money: The core complaint is that despite rent increases, "service and conditions have gone way down." This implies that residents do not perceive any added value or special offers that justify the rising costs.

• Additional Fees: While the monthly lot rent includes trash collection, residents are separately billed for water usage plus a reading fee, and additional trash toters come at an extra cost. Bulk trash removal also incurs a pre-paid pickup fee, indicating a system of various charges beyond the base rent.

Prospective residents should anticipate that the monthly lot rent, currently advertised between $675.00 and $700.00, is subject to increases and that additional fees for utilities and certain waste services will apply. It is crucial to obtain a clear and detailed breakdown of all current and potential future costs directly from management before making any commitment. Given the strong negative sentiment regarding rent increases and declining conditions, it would be prudent for any interested party to thoroughly inquire about the history of rent adjustments and the park's future investment plans.

For inquiries or to contact Windy Hills Mobile Home Park, please use the following details:

Address: 8920 Pocahontas Trail, Williamsburg, VA 23185, USA

Phone: (757) 875-2392

Mobile Phone: +1 757-875-2392

The office hours are listed as Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. It is highly recommended to clarify all aspects of lot rental agreements, community rules, and discuss any concerns directly with management before considering residency.

For Virginians considering a mobile home park, assessing the suitability of Windy Hills Mobile Home Park in Williamsburg requires a very careful evaluation of the provided resident feedback. While its location on Pocahontas Trail offers convenient access to Williamsburg's attractions, including Busch Gardens, and major transportation routes like Route 60 and I-64, the internal conditions and management practices, as described by residents, present significant concerns.

The recurring theme of "rent keeps going up and service and conditions have gone way down" over many years indicates a potential long-term decline in the quality of living for residents. Direct quotes like "Horrid, trash ridden lots with incompetent management that's just looking to steal more hard earned money out of your pocket" are very strong warnings from those who have experienced life within the park. Issues such as unmanaged parking and a general sense of neglect regarding common area maintenance ("trash ridden lots") can significantly impact the daily quality of life and safety for residents. The advice to "Practice social distancing and stay far away from this place. There are plenty of feasible alternatives in the area!" from a former resident is a stark recommendation against choosing this park.

Therefore, for a local Virginian, Windy Hills Mobile Home Park appears to be a challenging choice. While mobile home living can offer affordability, the described situation suggests that the increasing costs are not being matched by adequate services or living conditions. Potential residents seeking a stable, well-maintained, and respectful community would likely find the reported experiences at Windy Hills to be a significant deterrent. It is crucial for anyone considering this park to conduct extensive due diligence, visit the property multiple times, and ideally speak with current residents to independently verify the prevailing conditions before making any housing commitments. Exploring the "plenty of feasible alternatives in the area" is highly advisable for those prioritizing a positive and well-managed living environment.