I wanted to live in The Villages to make friends and get involved with activities, but I’m an introvert, and most of my life I’ve lived in the woods or on a lake. I like to be beside or in a pool, au naturel, ideally with friends in the same condition, which means having a pool and birdcage. I got the pool and a golf course and no houses to be seen out behind and trees for shading from the west-facing back yard, but the pool and view added a LOT to the cost (over $100,000 extra.) I found those, liked the house, and made an offer an hour later without seeing it in person. Houses with no other houses to be seen behind and a nice view are rare in The Villages. I would never buy one of these houses where you see a number of neighbors out back, fifty feet away, though I’d consider a courtyard house. I like the privacy. But only with a pool.
I wanted about 1500 sq ft with a large living room. Got it. Having had houses with white tile (yech!), linoleum, hardwood, or concrete floors, I wanted carpet in the bedrooms and living room and got it. (I’d lived in Ocala with white tiles, and one day with the windows open and the tiles needed sweeping because they felt gritty.)
I didn’t care if I got granite counters, but they were already there. Got a walk in shower. I really love a six foot long deep bathtub, but I’ll have to do that myself. I really wanted a 2.5 Space garage. I’d pay a lot extra for that. No luck. I wanted his and hers walk in closets and lots of other well-designed closets and got them.
I bought a house with a new roof, new AC system, and bond paid. That was like getting a $50,000 price cut. I also bought it furnished, which saved me a LOT of money. All I had to do was make the sale contingent on having the furniture included. (It’s a good deal for the sellers, as used furniture doesn't get much from consignment sellers.)
When I added up all the good points and subtracted the wishes the house didn’t have (the golf cart garage), I bought. (Of course, the house also looked great indoors and out—impeccable.)
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