This review should really be broken down into two separate reviews based on my Grandmothers take on…read morethe place and my families since she has passed.
I'll start with my grandmother's take. She lived in Chicago until she was in her early seventies, when health concerns forced her to move out to Elgin to be closer to me mother (her daughter and only child). She lived there for almost ten years, of which she called it the best decision she ever made. She as cared for, and met some great friends. Unfortunately she passed away about 5 years ago, but this is not an obituary.
My grandmother wasn't a wealthy person, so the only real inheritance she was planning on leaving my mother/ family was this condo to sell when she passed. Which is why she made my mother a cosigner on the mortgage. $150,000.00 investment, she was absolutly going to have a cosigner so she could pass the unit down to her family when she passed.....It has been 5 years since she passed, and that $150,000.00 inheritance is now nearly a $30,000.00 debt on my parents now.
While the unit costs $150K, there are monthly dues of around $1000.00 for house cleaning, meals, etc. Those didn't stop when the unit was unoccupied. So my parents were forced to pay $1000.00 a month to a property that was unoccupied. They put it back on the market for cost, but soon dropped their demand to $120K...no response... The challenge of selling these places, and if you take anything from this review have it be this (THE GREENS WILL NOT MARKET YOUR UNIT FOR SALE, THEY WILL ONLY PUSH NEW UNITS WHEN PEOPLE COME TO LOOK). And let's be honest, when looking for an assisted living community, you don't check Remaxx or Craigslist.. You go to the source. Had the people known they could purchase the property for thousands less, the property may have sold.
Years went by and there was no action on the property. Thousands of dollars later, the price now stood at $29,900.00. On a $150K home, they were unable to sell for $30K, and the scary thing was, there was another unit for cheaper.
My parents eventually hired a lawyer and stopped making payments, they've recently agreed to donate the unit to a local charity, thus removing themselves from the property, but still owing the $30K in monthly dues. They were given one last hope of lessening the burden then the Greens "Board" voted on if the entire amount could be compromised, and they were denied.. My grandmother's $150K inheritance was now a $30K debt.
So do I recommend the Greens of Elgin? Yes and no. Do not purchase a new unit.. there are no benefits. Do your homework and find a used one, there are at least 10-20 there right now. And if you buy one, leave it under the occupants name. Regardless of what you paid, you will never see another penny back, and you will be burdened with the $1000.00 a month dues until the unit sells.
It's sad to imagine a place that made my grandmother so happy, could financially decapitate her family. Shame on you Greens.. If you really gave a shit about the people who live in your property, you should show a little more compassion when they are gone.
