I have many decades of experience in construction, and here is my two cents worth.
A lot of people build because they think they know what they want, but after it is built, they realize that they didn't. If you are concerned about value, you will get a better deal buying a house that is already built, either pre-owned or new. Yes, The Villages builders are very good and the quality control is very good. But, after you sign a contract to build a house, human nature and business sense dictates that the builder does not need to make the house perfect or put his best people on it because the house is already sold. Also, you have no negotiating leverage when you decide to make changes.
If you do decide to build, take advantage of the opportunity to put things in to it that "spec" houses don't have, like tile floors throughout the house, high quality windows and exterior doors, upgraded cabinets, countertops and plumbing fixtures, extra insulation, and other features that the builder would never install in a spec house because they cannot recover the cost.
Take advantage of being able to select a great premium lot that you probably could not get in a new spec house because of the high demand. Also, realize that, if your house is located in Lake County, your property taxes will be significantly higher than in Sumter County. A $500K house in Lake County will have a property tax of about $4,000 more per year than the same house in Sumter County.
Good luck.
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