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Welcome to All Deer Ridge Owners Welcome to all owners of Deer Ridge Mountain Resort condos in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
My goal is to help all Deer Ridge owners to have a voice in the management and operation of your property.
Click on the TITLES of any of the following subjects to read the whole posting - and see the comments made by your co-owners. You can also type any term into the below search box, or any word or term in the search cloud.
Click the big image at the top of the page to return to the front page at any time.
Investment Analysis For A Rental Condo At Deer Ridge
Will you really lose $40,000 cash if you buy a rental condo at Deer Ridge and use Ridge Management Ltd?
As an owner-occupied home, Deer Ridge is an incredible value with THE best view in the Smokies and great amenities.
However, several owners and would-be owners of Deer Ridge condos have asked me if these units are a good rental property investment or not. To help answer that question
objectively, I had to analyze the real moving parts of buying and owning here.
Get my complete, detailed investment analysis based on buying a rental condo unit at Deer Ridge Mountain Resort in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
It shows what you MUST do to make money when you buy a rental unit at Deer Ridge.
Just click the picture or click
Investment Analysis
Gross Negligence – Or Is It Fraud? Legalese On
GENERAL DISCLAIMER FOR ALL PAGES AND POSTS
Note: The following, and the information on any and all other posts and pages by me about General Manager Joe Thomas, GGRC, RML and /or the Board of Directors and its members, or any related topics, are my personal opinions based on my ongoing investigation into the actions and inactions of the GGRC and RML Board of Directors and / or Joe Thomas, General Manager.
While I believe these allegations to be true based on my objective analysis, these opinions remain as only allegations until I, or others, prove things in court.
My goal is to offer all owners all the information and evidence that I have available so that everyone can reach their own conclusions.
Legalese - And Powered Wig - Off
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Every Dollar You Pay For Deer Ridge Is The WRONG Amount!
Please read the various posts here on this Deer Ridge Owners Blog - and see my evidence and analysis which I believe shows conclusively that EVERY dollar of HOA Fees, EVERY dollar EVERY special assessment, EVERY water bill and cable TV sent out for YEARS to ALL Deer Ridge Owners has been wrong!
In many cases at least ONE THIRD of ALL owners have been GROSSLY overcharged. My calculations show that I have been overcharged more than TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS in the past 50 months I've owned at Deer Ridge.
The Board has been WRONGLY and arbitrarily ignoring the requirements of the Master Deed and the Bylaws for YEARS.
If my analysis is correct, the Board has zero choice. They MUST abide by the Master Deed Percentages.
But they haven’t.
However, if the Board knowingly ignored the clear directives of the Master Deed and the Bylaws when allocating costs to various unit types, and overcharging certain unit types on a regular basis, my opinion is that the Board and Joe Thomas may have acted fraudulently.
If they have not been fraudulent, then they have been, at the very least, grossly negligent.
Read the various blog postings - and judge for yourself.
Please Register To Log In And Leave Your Comments Please register first - so you can participate in the discussions by making comments that reflect YOUR opinion.
When you register, please include your unit number so we can confirm you are really an owner!
You are welcome to submit as many comments as you want on any of the topics - or even on a new topic. This is the time and the place to finally have YOUR voice heard with regard to your investment at Deer Ridge Mountain Resort.
I would ask that you include your Deer Ridge unit number at the end of each of your posts so other owners get to know you - however, it is not required. I understand some owners may want anonymity for a variety of reasons - but I will need you to show me that you are an owner.
I may post non-owner comments from time to time if I believe they add to the discussion. When this happens I will note that it is a non-owner comment.
Bear in mind, any and all comments you make here can be seen by all one billion folks on the Internet, worldwide!
Thanks!
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"We do not believe any group of men adequate enough or wise enough to operate without scrutiny or without criticism. We know that the only way to avoid error is to detect it, that the only way to detect it is to be free to inquire. We know that in secrecy error undetected will flourish and subvert." — J. Robert Oppenheimer. This includes the Board of Directors of Deer Ridge Mountain Resort.
HOA Management Versus Rental Property Management
Since there is no legally elected Board of Directors, and hence, no legally hired General Manager at Deer Ridge Mountain Resort, I have begun the quest for a competent HOA management company.
This is not to be confused with a rental property management company such as RML that worries about rentals [...]
Three Ways To Cut Your Electric Bill At Deer Ridge Mountain Resort
The cost of electricity has been going though the roof. Yeah, I know, you heard it here first.
But, have you wondered why your electric bill at Deer Ridge Mountain Resort is so high? Well, we’ve identified three possible reasons.
#1: Apparent Theft Of Services
One of [...]
Summary: Do you realize that HALF of all HOA fees collected each YEAR from ALL Deer Ridge Owners are illegitimately used to pay the $152,000 a year negative cash flow of RML???
No wonder we never have ANY reserves for Deer Ridge – and the illegitimate “board” tries to force all owners to fund an illegitimate $353,500 [...]
In response to their meritless, retaliatory $1 Million defamation lawsuit against me, I have now filed a $3 Million lawsuit against Deer Ridge Mountain Resort, AKA Gatlinburg Golf and Racquet Club HOA and Joe Thomas, Luther Parker, Larry Ohm, Margie Duncan, David Barone and Tom Reise, all as individuals.
The lawsuit against GGRC et al is [...]
Joe Thomas was quick to unequivocally blame me personally, by name, in the recent “Annual Meeting” for being responsible for the slow sales at Deer Ridge.
Gee, really, Joe?
It has been my personal belief that through his position as Principal Broker of the on site real estate company, Joe Thomas has attempted to overtly control [...]
Once again, Joe Thomas and the “board” have used GGRC monies and an immense amount of time at last month’s “Annual Meeting” for their continued defamation and vilification of me in my home community of Deer Ridge.
These inappropriate actions, along with the content of past mailings to all owners, will most probably be used as [...]
Well, the illegitimate “board” is at it again – continuing their ongoing attempts to coerce and intimidate ANY and ALL owners who dare to object to their abuse of power and attempts to continue their illegal fiefdom by breaking both Deer Ridge Law and Tennessee State Law.
This time, it is yet another mailing to the [...]
The following is a Guest Post by Neil Blair regarding his notice to Quit RML.
I just told Joe Thomas and the “board” that -IF- they were planning to withhold our portion of the rental income to cover the Very Special Assessment, then we were giving our required 60 Day Notice to terminate [...]
I received this email yesterday from another 1-1 Owner at Deer Ridge in response to the blatantly self-serving attack letter by Joe Thomas and the “board.” With this Owner’s approval, I am including it here as an example of the support I am receiving from a number of other owners who are equally outraged at [...]
You can now download one document that is a complete scan of one Deer Ridge owner’s notebooks of all his documents related to GGRC and RML from 1987 through 2009.
This may or may not be comprehensive – there were probably other documents during that time frame that didn’t make its way into this notebook.
To get [...]
This is an open email to Joe Thomas regarding the new hot water heaters that we were all forced to install last summer.
Our old one worked perfectly – but with the new one, we are only getting less than 17 gallons of hot water out of our 30 gallon tank.
If you haven’t been here for [...]
Most folks don’t realize how much information is part of the public record when you buy real estate.
Did you know that you, me or anyone in the entire World can find out that you own a condo at Deer Ridge Mountain Resort, when you bought it, how much you paid for it, and how much [...]
The following comment was added by Deer Ridge Owner James Goebel regarding the David Barone / “Board” “Suspension of Membership” Letter that Joe Thomas and the illegitimate “board” are using to attempt to intimidate owners who refuse to pay the equally illegitimate Asinine Assessment.
I appreciate Jim speaking up – and wanted to upgrade his comment [...]
Did you get a letter in the mail from GGRC regarding your “Suspension of Membership” on Deer Ridge?
If so, don’t let them intimidate you with their threats. Don’t let them illegally take away YOUR rights as an owner!
A LOT of owners are refusing to pay this illegitimate “special assessment.” So, a lot of other owners [...]
This is an open letter to Chuck Sexton, attorney representing GGRC, regarding both his letter regarding access to HOA books and records and a letter from David Barone, attempting to suspend my membership rights for GGRC.
Sent Via Email, Fax and Certified Mail
Chuck,
I received your letter dated March 15, 2010 regarding my rights to review the [...]
Joey and the “board” are running scared – scared that the owners will all find out just how few of them are paying their illegitimate Asinine Assessment.
Joey and the “board”are trying all they can to block both Neil and I from having access to the GGRC books and records that the laws of the State [...]
The following letter was certified mailed, emailed, faxed and hand delivered to Luther Parker’s home, the GGRC’s attorney’s office and the Deer Ridge office.
You get to decide what is right for you with regard to the “special” assessment – but this is my position and I am ready to fight Joe Thomas, Luther Parker and [...]
The following is also a comment left by Neil, C-208, about another property he owns. This was an email he sent tonight to the entire “board” and Joey.”
Judge for yourself: Which property is operated better?
Please bear with me… And Yes, WAY, WAY Down the Thread, after my Rant,
[...]
We have been told by several owners at Deer Ridge Mountain Resort that they are NOT going to make the March 1, 2010 assessment payment in light of the written legal opinion by Howard and Howard which states among other things, that the assessment if invalid for multiple reasons.
It’s Up To You
Your decision to pay [...]
I strongly recommend you do NOT make your March 1, 2010 OR your 2011 “special” assessment payments to Deer Ridge.
Based on an independent legal counsel review of our Master Deed and Bylaws, his legal opinion is that this “special” Deer Ridge assessment is invalid for at least FOUR reasons:
The GGRC Master Deed and Bylaws do NOT [...]
Independent Legal Opinion: GGRC “Board” Guilty Of Numerous Violations / $353,500 Assessment Is Null And Void
The following is a copy of an email sent to Luther Parker, other “board” members and Joe Thomas on February 18, 2010 describing the legal findings of a real estate law firm concerning Gatlinburg Golf and Racquet Club – GGRC [...]
Joe Thomas and the board make a big deal out of the fact that we have audited financial statements for GGRC and RML – and that, because of this, owners don’t have any need for copies of the books and records.
They make out that this “comprehensive oversight by an outside accounting firm” should give all [...]
RML Illegally Formed – Board Decision Only – No Owner Vote!
If you click RML Minutes and Bylaws, you can finally have a copy of this important document that you probably have never been able to get from Joe Thomas. It even shows a stock certificate for the company.
These documents, which include the [...]
We have a new, major document you can download from the “Documents You Can Download” Section in the left column of this blog – or by clicking Deer Ridge History 1987-2006.
This document is a complete scan of one Deer Ridge owner’s notebook of all his documents related to GGRC and RML from 1987 through 2006.
This [...]
We have just been presented with two massive notebooks of historical documents on Deer Ridge that date back to about the time the property was built!
This 11″ stack of papers make absolutely fascinating reading – board minutes, incorporation papers for RML, annual meeting presentations, promises, excuses, provisional hiring, political force outs, side deals – the [...]
We have just hired an established real estate-focused law firm in Knoxville to begin our legal pursuits against GGRC, Joe Thomas and the current Board of Directors of Deer Ridge Mountain Resort.
We have already paid the necessary retainer – so watch this blog closely for upcoming developments.
Do YOU believe that ALL owners of Deer Ridge [...]
This post is in specific response to ONE of the many lies and gross misrepresentations contained in the Deer Ridge Board Attack Letter sent to all owners about me.
They are apparently SO desperate to discredit me, and the truths told here on this blog, that they are out on a vendetta to attempt to discredit [...]
Will you really lose $40,000 cash if you buy a rental condo at Deer Ridge and use Ridge Management Ltd?
As an owner-occupied home, Deer Ridge is an incredible value with THE best view in the Smokies and great amenities.
However, several owners and would-be owners of Deer Ridge condos have asked me if these [...]
Did you rent your Deer Ridge Mountain Resort unit through Ridge Management Ltd., RML, for all of 2009?
Wonder how your unit’s performance stacked up against the other units for rental? Well, here’s a chance to find out.
An owner of one of the 2-2 units at Deer Ridge provided me a copy of their year end [...]
Jim and Wanda Goebel mailed the following letter to the GGRC and RML Board of Directors yesterday and copied me on their letter. With their approval, I have included it below.
What about you?
Is Deer Ridge, as we currently know it – with its insider deals, secrecy, ongoing violations of our Master Deed and insidious conflicts [...]
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Help Us Fight The $1 Million Lawsuit If you believe in free speech as much as we do, we need your help - no matter where in America you may live.
The Deer Ridge HOA board and individual board members have filed a $1 Million Lawsuit against me in their ongoing attempts to stop this blog and have its contents removed. Click Press Release for details.
This power clique wants to continue to block free speech on this property and to keep their illegitimate secrets hidden from other owners.
They are willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars of other owners' money on legal fees to keep themselves in power while they continue to break both Tennessee state law and Deer Ridge property law.
We need your help with the legal fees that will be required to force them to abide by the law - and insure that Deer Ridge Mountain Resort is entitled to free speech like the rest of America.
If you would like to join with others who believe in free speech and believe that all of the 305,000 Home Owner Associations across the nation should be protected from tyrannical boards that ignore the laws, please click the
Donate Button below.
Even a donation of just a few dollars would be very greatly appreciated as a way of showing that we have financial support from thousands of Americans for these important issues!
Thanks so much to all of those of you who have already contributed!
Please help us broadcast this Press Release to others you know who can spread the word. You are welcome to link to this site from Twitter, Facebook or other sites.
With your help we can fight and win this $1 Million lawsuit - and keep this blog active - and an inspiration and model for other HOA Abuse Blogs across the nation.
Deer Ridge Litigation Fund Do you, as an owner at Deer Ridge Mountain Resort, believe we are ALL entitled to have access and be able to copy the books and records of our Homeowner's Association?
So, do I.
But, apparently, Employee Joe Thomas and President Luther Parker and the Board disagree - and are doing all they can to block access, publication and candid discussion of the Asinine Assessment, special deals and favored treatment - at the expense of all Owners.
What ARE they so afraid of us finding out?
Maybe it has to do with the HUGE $10,000 overcharge for my HOA Fees, special assessments, water and cable TV bill - which, in my personal opinion, is due to fraudulent intent or at least gross negligence by the Deer Ridge Board of Directors and / or General Manager Joe Thomas. Please see the posts for details.
We have no choice but to file a lawsuit against GGRC and RML in order to finally, once and for all, make it clear that OWNERS do have a right to all the information about our property and our investment at Deer Ridge.
If you have thoughts and ideas and suggestions, please post them here on this blog.
If you have any clout with the Board, convince them to stop the charade - and let the owners have the information that all owners own!
If you want to help cover the legal costs to get us the right to see the bids for $50,000 for nuts and bolts - and the other background documents for the $353,500 Asinine Assessment, please click on the Donate Button below.
With enough in donations, we can hire BOTH an attorney AND a forensic accountant for the whole process through the Court in Sevier County to make absolutely certain we win EVERY point - and never have to fight Employee Joe and the Board on this stuff again.
Even a $100 contribution will help show that you are in favor of an open and FULLY transparent homeowners' association at Deer Ridge Mountain Resort!
Thanks so much to those of you who have already contributed!
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The Latest Defamation By The Deer Ridge Board
Once again, Joe Thomas and the “board” have used GGRC monies and an immense amount of time at last month’s “Annual Meeting” for their continued defamation and vilification of me in my home community of Deer Ridge.
These inappropriate actions, along with the content of past mailings to all owners, will most probably be used as [...]