Why Americans love gated communities

From an analytical standpoint, American gated communities have evolved to fit a variety of budgets, lifestyles and needs

In contrast, They aren't just a haven for retirees or the ultra-wealthy, although those communities are still prevalent

Florida and California have the highest number of gated communities, in part because of weather and space

Furthermore, CNBC toured three gated communities in Palm Beach County, Florida

This tells us that most desirable neighborhoods tout amenities golf access, water access, or "concierge-style living," said Lindsey Tronolone, realtor at The Jupiter Group at Compass

At the same time, "The market is changing for gated communities that have really these top-tier amenities," she said

While security remains a key and desirable feature, it's not as heavily emphasized in the U, given the current landscape

As in other countries where rates of violent crime are higher

Are manned, while others are not (this bears monitoring)

On the other hand, "I think it's a little bit less tied to an actual need for security and more to control access to the community," said Peter Dennehy, senior vice president of consulting at John Burns Re and Consulting

Gated communities typically have owners Associations that collect fees and enforce rules

There may also be additional membership dues for the use of facilities

Moreover, Furthermore, And s in gated communities are, on average, between 5% and 10% more expensive than similar s in the same area, or as much as 10% to 20% in some of the most desirable cities, according to Dennehy

HOA fees for the three communities CNBC visited ranged according to upkeep and amenities; the first community, Bay Reach, has fees of between $500 and $800 monthly

None of this includes membership fees

Yet these s also tend to have higher appreciation rates (quite telling)

At the same time, "Every HOA is different, but in the well-maintained, ones, that's why people keep coming back (which is quite significant)

That's why s are selling off market quickly," said Tronolone

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