[Ohiogirl]

We also have a 3 BR, 2 bath - 1-1/2 car garage CYV. We don't mind the garage because we have a small car and neither of us are garage putterers - and we both back up well (the driveways are curved). We love the privacy and think we made the right choice for us.

We put 2 golf carts (tandem style) and our car (Honda Fit) in the garage. Most of our neighbors keep their large SUVs in the driveway. The Bonita garage seems extra deep - lots of room for bikes, other stuff in front of the car and on walls.

But - I have met people who didn't buy a CYV for various reasons:
- wife couldn't back out of the garage without going into the neighbor's landscaping
- not enough room in garage for "stuff." (we put in attic stairs and have some stuff up there (Christmas and grandkid stuff, mostly)

Most love the privacy, although when I was renting I had one tenant who thought it was too private for her - of course, she was renting in the summer and you don't see the neighbors out and about as much, and you do tend to have more snowbirds (gone in summer) in villa neighborhoods.

I have met others who sold designers and moved into CYVs (or wish they had bought one) from smaller designers.

I've met several couples or widows who downsized to CYVs after they got older and/or were widowed. Everything maintenance-wise is usually less expensive, although the initial price might be about the same.

If you can, try to rent one of each. We didn't like the lack of privacy in the "kissing lanais" and the even smaller backyard of the designers that backed up against a (usually) villa wall. But all reasons for either style are very valid.