The Farm at Brunswick

Pros

• The Grove is a great community.
• The Grove is a nice place to live.
• Residents of The Grove live there and love it.
• The Grove is a great place to live.
• Residents love living there.

Cons

• The Grove is described as the worst experience the reviewer has had.
• The subdivision was marketed as 55+, but the origin/change was not disclosed when newer, younger lots were sold, implying discriminatory practices.
• The residents are accused of discrimination and prejudice toward homeowners who are not 55+, cisgender white, and from the northeastern US.
• The HOA is depicted as a syndicate that targets, fines, and outcasts entire families.
• The community is described as cliquey, false, and quick to twist benign comments to advance an agenda.
• Gossiping and scheming among residents are blamed for ostracizing those who are different.
• Some families avoid using the facilities to escape judgment or ostracization, even over trivial matters like attire.
• The toxicity is seen as capable of spilling over into The Farm unless addressed.

Review

The Grove sits as an add-on community within The Farm, a configuration the reviewer treats as inherently interconnected with the larger development. The core contention is not simply about personal preference or minor quirks of living in a private neighborhood, but about an overarching sense of exclusivity and a culture of exclusivist gatekeeping that, in the reviewer's view, taints the whole experience. The Grove was introduced with an outwardly simple premise: a 55+ subdivision. Yet, the narrative from the reviewer is that the original 55+ requirement was quietly abandoned once it became clear that selling to younger buyers and families would widen the market, and the change was not disclosed in a forthright way. From the outset, this shift feels like a betrayal to those who believed the community's identity was anchored in a specific demographic, and it feeds into a perception that the development operates with a double standard: welcome in one breath, select and judgmental in another.

If you listen to the reviewer's memories and impressions, they describe the Grove as an enclave of striking exclusivity, where a sense of being "other" is reinforced by quiet, sometimes covert, social pressures. The identity the reviewer highlights is stark: a neighborhood that is perceived as predominantly cisgender, white, and from the northeastern United States, and in their view, oriented toward a certain older, established class. The reviewer does not shy away from labeling discriminatory attitudes, even while conceding that their own stance condemns discrimination in principle. The fervent claim is that the community's origins and evolving demographics were not transparently communicated, and that this lack of transparency contributed to a climate of suspicion and unease among homeowners who felt they did not fit the narrowly drawn mold.

What follows is a portrait of social dynamics that the reviewer describes as deeply flawed. What initially appears to be a welcoming and inclusive welcome mat is, in their telling, a carefully constructed front. Behind the smiles are plans to gather information, to cultivate loyalty, and to gossip in ways that create a "us versus them" atmosphere. The HOA, in their portrayal, operates like a cohesive syndicate that polices behavior, fines, and ostracizes whole families perceived as different. The language used is stark: cliquey, false, and bent on twisting even the most innocent comments to serve an agenda. In short, the reviewer argues that the social fabric of the Grove is less about neighborly support and more about control - an environment where dissent or deviation from the approved script is met with pressure and censure.

The consequences of this social order, as described, ripple through daily life in troubling ways. The reviewer uses sharp imagery to describe a community where rules feel punitive and where nonconformity is treated as a fault to be corrected. The HOA rules are likened to oppressive regimes, and the suggestion is that anyone who is different becomes a target. The reviewer paints a picture of paralyzing social surveillance - people "scared to even use the facilities" lest they wear the wrong bathing suit, sit in the wrong chair, or show up with mismatched socks. Such details underscore a climate of anxiety where casual, everyday enjoyment, like using the pool, becomes a source of potential conflict and exclusion. The sense of community, from this perspective, is hollowed out by fear and judgment, to the point where families even choose late-hour pool visits to avoid drawing attention or criticism.

Yet, the reviewer does acknowledge a more nuanced reality: there are indeed members within The Grove who are described as wonderful and awesome. These positive voices exist alongside the more troubling observations, and they add to the story's complexity. The reviewer notes that many of the people who might have offered warmth or support have moved away, leaving behind a residue of toxicity and fear for those who remain. There is a plea embedded in this part of the narrative: that The Farm, as the larger community, would do well to intervene and address the toxic subculture that threatens to contaminate not only The Grove but the reputation of the entire development. The underlying message is one of stewardship - recognize the problem, confront it, and prevent a spreading pattern of hostility from seeping into the broader community.

In closing, the reviewer presents a bifurcated portrait: on one hand, a place that has real appeal and beauty, with affirmations like "great community," "nice place to live," and "I live here?I love it here." The repeated, emphatic affirmations - "Love it here!" and "Great place to live" - serve as a counterweight to the darker critique, signaling that for some residents, The Grove remains a place of genuine belonging and satisfaction. For others, however, the atmosphere of exclusivity, the perceived manipulation of information, and the social policing by a subset of residents are powerful enough to color their entire experience with frustration or fear. The review ultimately leaves The Farm and The Grove at a crossroads: preserve the elements that make the community attractive while rooting out the behavior that undermines trust and inclusivity. The call to action is clear enough - address the toxicity before it seeps further into the community's fabric and threatens the well-being and harmony of all who call this place home.

Hospitals

• Novant Health Imaging South Brunswick (1.2 miles)
• McLeod Seacoast Hospital (7 miles)

Physicians

• Novant Health Family and Internal Medicine South Brunswick (1.2 miles)
• Verdin Pediatrics (1.7 miles)
• Calabash Internal Medicine (2.3 miles)
• Calabash Medical Center (2.4 miles)
• Calabash & Waterway Family Medicine (3.5 miles)
• Seaside Medical Center (4.5 miles)
• Thompson Adam-Novant Health Seaside Family Medicine (4.5 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (1.7 miles)
• Seashore Drugs (2.5 miles)
• Walgreens (4.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.8 miles)
• Seashore Drugs (5 miles)
• Cherry Grove Drug (7.4 miles)

Restaurants

• Calabash Creamery (2.2 miles)
• Gravy Southern Eatery (2.2 miles)
• Grapevine Restaurant & Lounge (2.3 miles)
• Sunny Side Up Diner (2.3 miles)
• Bennett's Grill and Cafe (2.3 miles)
• The Boundary House Restaurant (2.4 miles)
• Ella's of Calabash (2.5 miles)

Cafes

• Bagel Dock Cafe (2.6 miles)
• Drift (7.8 miles)
• Panera Bread (8.1 miles)
• Starbucks (8.9 miles)

Parks

• Sunset Beach Town Park (4.1 miles)
• Ocean Isle Beach Park (5.8 miles)
• Ocean Ridge Bocce courts (5.9 miles)
• Town Center Park (7.7 miles)
• Shallotte Township District Park (9.2 miles)
• Ferry Landing Park (9.9 miles)

Transportation

• Odell Williamson Municipal Airport (60J) (7.3 miles)

Places of Worship

• Our Lady Star of the Sea (8.7 miles)