I CAN afford it

[9eileen9]

Hello Everyone, I have my own sign-on now and I thank you for all your advice regarding the topic "Can she afford it" or something like that. ha ha.

Like gracie says I need to get my own computer but I need to crawl before I walk. I am so out of the loop. I will continue to read and take to heart everyone's advice and support for my question as to whether or not I can afford to live in The Villages. thank you, thank you, thank you.

[chelsea24]

:welcome: YEAH! Another new peep! 040 040 040 024 wav

[Barefoot]

Eileen, welcome to TOTV. I hope you love the site as much as we all do. When I was a newbie, I found the Search button at the top of the page invaluable, it gave me so much information on just about every topic. If you have questions for individual posters, you can click on their name and send them a private message. (Your friend has probably already explained all this to you). Or you can post your comments or questions here and we'll all try to help. :welcome:

[9eileen9]

Thank you for the advice. I think I'm getting the hang of it and will try the search to see what's what with that.

From the other posting Chuckinca wrote this and I appreciate this information, also.

My mother lived in the historic section in a 1100 SF manufactured home that was paid off and had no problem on her $1500/mo gross income and actually saved a couple hundred dollars each month. However, her medical was covered by UAW pension funds.

[Cassie325]

:welcome: :welcome: :welcome: :welcome: :welcome: :welcome: :welcome:


We live in a 2/2 Villa....we paid cash so there is no mortgage...the bond is almost paid....and we figured the monthly cost....should we divide everything up....taxes, amenities, electric, etc.....we will pay about $800-$1000 to live here.

[ConeyIsBabe]

Hi Eileen..... wav :welcome:

My situation is similar to yours except I have to wait until I sell my Oregon home before moving to TV........ and I don't know when that will be in this buyer's market :dontknow:

And, I am favoring the historic district because of the more scenic landscaping and the beautiful Orange Blossom pool where I'd love to hang out.

[tkret]

Hi Eileen..... wav :welcome:

My situation is similar to yours except I have to wait until I sell my Oregon home before moving to TV........ and I don't know when that will be in this buyer's market :dontknow:

And, I am favoring the historic district because of the more scenic landscaping and the beautiful Orange Blossom pool where I'd love to hang out.


Hi CIBabe,

My neighbor, Eileen, has been searching out info on The Villages ever since I shared the video with her. I'll pass your info and that of all the other kind folks with her the next time I see her. She now has her own signon for TOTV but no computer, yet. She knows that she is always welcomed to use mine, though. ConeyIsBabe did you hear that Astroland Amusement Park in Coney Island is no more. It closed down, they say permanently, today...an end of another era.

[9eileen9]

I just posted the following on another discussion but wanted to paste it to this one also. I hope that's OK because I still learning how this all works.

Hello Everyone,

I back on the "borrowed" computer and I want all of you to know that I have ready EVERY response to my question about affordability in The Villages. I cannot reply to each and everyone but believe me I have very grateful for your advice. I will sign up for the visitors program and take a look at the historic side and the newer sides for resales on both. I'm sure the manufactured homes are lovely but I just cannot accept that being alone I want the extra outside maintenance costs, insurance costs, and repair and upkeep expenses. If I were part of a couple I would be more self-confident about it but for now I think patios would be better for me. Knowing that I can purchase for cash a patio up to about 150,000 and with everyone telling me that my 2000/month would cover everything else makes me comfortable. I would be able to keep my savings (50000) available for emergencies and as one person stated I could consider a reverse mortgage eventually. But, the 2000 a month was my BIGGEST concern and you have cleared that up for me. If I were younger, I would consider a parttime job but those days are past. Thanks everyone for helping me.

[graciegirl]

Eileen. You are very welcome and I know I speak for my buddies on TOTV, if you need any further help, just holler.

I hope you find a warm and welcoming home,( your neighborhood will certainly be ) and enjoy the first 100 years in Paradise!
:welcome: :welcome: :welcome:

[Belle]

Hi Eileen,

I believe you can certainly afford to live on 2,000, if you have no mortgage. I am located in a CY in Spanish Springs and enjoy it. There is just enough property to do a little gardening if I want. There are many ways to live very nicely if you watch the sales at all supermarkets, many restaurants are very reasonable and of course (my downfall) shopping at Bealls outlet stores. I love to go on monday and shop the dots.

Belle

[Frangyomory]

9eileen9 There are beautiful and affordable manufactured homes over on the historic side and you certainly should be able to afford one. There are also some lovely patio villas, some of which I believe have one or two bedrooms which are quite affordable. If you have a home to sell, you might be able to pay the full amount and then you would only have to budget for monthly expenses and taxes/insurance, etc.

Using a golf cart here will save on gas and things being so close really helps. I don't know where you live now, but heat cost here are low. We were amazed at how low our gas costs were compared to our very large place in Central Virginia.

Just look at everything very carefully. Ask lots of questions. Everyone here at TofTV will be very honest with you.

Best of luck.

[ilvgolf]

Hi Eileen, I just thought I would throw my 2 cents in - I live in a one bedroom/one bath Patio Villa. I have the larger one called The Nantucket. I have approximately 997 sq feet under heat and air. I also have a one and a half car garage (you need the half for your golf cart). I do have a mortgage but I do just fine on about 2300.00 a month income (and I don't work). A 1/1 might be something to think about. Just thought i would throw this out to you. Happy days.

[Cassie325]

Eileen...when you move down here...I have an older lap top in GREAT shape....it will be your housewarming gift! Buy the house....computer will come with!!

[kit9240]

ilvgolf: I will be moving to TV in about 1 yr. after I retire and sell my condo up north. I looked at a 1B1B Patio when I was down in June. Would be perfect for me. The living room is very spacious and so is the bedroom. What I like best about the 1 bedroom is they have a window in the kitchen. The kitchens in the 2B2B Patios are very dark.

My situation is very similar to 9Eileen9. My biggest dilema is is it better to buy a 1B1B patio villa or a 2B2B manufactured home in the historic side. I have looked at both and there are some very nice redone manufactured homes and the properties are mature and beautifully landscaped. I could be happy in either.

I will probably have to have a small mortgage as I don't think I will get as much when I sell my condo as I was planning on. It's encouraging to hear that you can live on $2300/month including a mortgage. My goal is to find affordable housing and have enough to enjoy all the activites and trips. I love TV and can't wait to get there and make new friends and start having fun!

[tkret]

Eileen...when you move down here...I have an older lap top in GREAT shape....it will be your housewarming gift! Buy the house....computer will come with!!


Cassie325,

I haven't seen Eileen in a couple of days and remember that she mentioned something about taking a trip to visit a friend for a few day. I can guarantee that she won't be on the internet to view TOTV. When she returns I will be certain to share your kind offer with her. I think it's real nice of you to think of her regarding your laptop. bye

[Cassie325]

But she must be here in TV's to enjoy....otherwise it will go up for auction....LOL

Seriously...I have it sitting here doing nothing...will gladly give it to her...nice big screen and key board....wireless card doesn't work to well anymore but it can hard wired!

[Sidney Lanier]

You never know what you might find in the resale market, especially nowadays with TV lowering prices on new construction that do include full (and higher...) bonds and closing costs. As snowbirds we came looking for--and at--Patio Villas and ended up buying a small Designer home with bond already paid and upgrades (some costly) for barely more than the Patio Villas we had been looking at.

On top of this, with a resale the seller pays virtually all of the closing costs; the buyer pays adjustments (e.g., taxes paid in advance by the seller that will end up covering some portion of time that the buyer owns the house) plus, best as I recall, $25 which was half the cost of registering the new deed. We were fortunate to have been able to buy directly from the sellers (privately, that is), which helped as well.

If time is on your side, keep looking, check the FSBOs that come on the market, look at new listings every day, and eventually you will find something that you love and that is affordable to you. Best of luck!

[9eileen9]

hello again everyone. it has been about a month since i posted last but have read all the helpful information that you sent for me. i was away helping a friend in need and i did not have a computer. i still don't have one but use tkret's. it took me a while to figure out how to use the new format. tkret told me about the nice time he had while visiting a few weeks ago and the wonderful people that he met. i'm not surprised that he met wonderful people because water seeks its own level. isn't that right. i am happy to hear that he found a home to buy but also sad that i am losing a neighbor who has been so kind and helpful. my lose is your gain if you know what i mean. but i will be visiting tkret and looking at the manufactured homes this winter. tkret has gone out this morning but set up his laptop for me to use and i will be able to read all the the threads that i have missed for the last month. thank you to everyone who told me that i can afford to live there on my monthly income. its good that i won't have a mortgage and a manufactured home is a perfect choice. i will get to meet each of you in a few months and that is nice.