CYV - noise level?

[Russ_Boston]

On our next visit we plan to narrow down the search for possible homes. We plan on being full-time residents and not snow birds. I've convinced Linda that we need to take a hard look at CYV vs. designer homes. Not so much for the price but for the privacy.

My question relates to something that only those that live in a CYV would know and I can't determine by a visit:

I understand that the visual privacy would be there with the fences on the side and the back (or view in the back) but does the noise from neighboring lanais raise a problem? Is it worse than a non-villa due to the closeness of the other villas? Better because of the walls? It depends on your neighbors I would assume but I'm looking for items to consider.

Thanks for your input.

Also: Is there any storage above the garage or in the house attic in a CYV?

Russ & Linda.

[OpusX1]

We live in(snow birds) a CBS CYV. It is very quiet. If the neighbors are having a party we can hear voices but can not see anyone. Mostly when there are parties we are invited too. Our CYV is on a golf course but we are between a green and the next tee so no golf in our back yard.
Our villa has volume ceilings so there is storage above the garage but none over the house.
If we were considering full time the only thing I would change would be the garage. There are some CYV with 2 car garages so that is what I would look for. Being snowbirds the CYV is perfect for us right now.

[Ohiogirl]

we added stairs and plywood in the garage to our CV, gives some storage. We don't live there yet, mostly rent it out and use for vacations, but seems pretty quiet to me.

We can occasionally hear neighbors from 1 side enough to hear that they are over there talking, but not loud enough to hear what anyone's saying. I think the fence probably does help. They have small dogs, as do we and occasionally one gives a little yip, but think everyone is very considerate about not leaving barking dogs outside. Our lanai is on one side of the villa, as I think all of them would be, so you really don't hear any noise at all from the other side, and haven't heard anything from the back fence side. Unless we could afford a designer with a private back we wouldn't do anything other than a CV. Plenty of interior space.

A 2 car garage would be nice, but am thinking we can fit in 2 golf carts and a small car when we move down for good, and sell the 2nd car. Will have to remove the post in front of the furnace and put something on the floor instead. The post sticks out to the side. People are very creative in their garage storage ideas. We already have bikes and other storage stuff using a Rubbermaid hanging storage system.

[BarryB]

I will be here year round in a cyv. Right now only 1 neighbor can't answer your noise question as my village isn't fully sold. I also put in attic stairs and ply wood in the garage for storage. Only change I would make is a 2 car garage

[SteveZ]

I wouldn't trade my CYV for any other type of structure in TV. My spouse (also a Linda) and I were talking yesterday about how well insulated the units are to be this quiet. When out on the lanai (which we enclosed with acrylic windows) and the windows are open, we can hear our neighbors, but ONLY if they are involved in "noisy" activities.

The garbage truck comes by between 5 and 7 AM, and we never hear it. Any traffic down the street is not noticed, and it just is so very peaceful.

The wall and fencing makes a difference, and we put a couple of Chinese Palms in the back for added privacy.

We also have a couple terriers, and put a dog door in the patio sliding door. Many dog owners gravitate toward the CYVs since they give you a place to safely let the dogs out. After a couple of days, the dogs get used to each other and quiet down, so dog noise is very minor (at least to us).

Walls and fences do make good neighbors, and the CYVs provide just enough.

[Peazoup]

I have a CYV and love it. Actually, you can spend more money on some CYV models than on some designer models. I like the privacy of a walled in courtyard and hear nothing from surrounding homes. I also like the fact that you can do more in terms of landscaping or hardscaping in the courtyard. I have pull down stairs in the garage for attic storage. No storage over the house itself because of the volume ceilings. I do occasionally wish I had a kitchen in the front of the house that had a window though.
Pros and cons to all types and models. You probably will know instantly when you walk into the "right" home for you. Good luck.

[bobolink46]

We bought a CYV because of the privacy issue. The lanai's on the designers freaked me out because they were so close and the builder put a cable outlet on them. I could just picture neighbors with dueling televisions on their lanai. We love our Bonita and having the interior laundry leaves alot more space in the garage.

[another Linda]

After staying in a CYV and a designer on our 2 trips before we bought, we decided we really liked the CYVs. The walled courtyards really appealed to us both and had so much potential. Ours is really quiet, but then maybe it is because we have quiet neighbors. We love the privacy especially for our nightly hot tubbing!

When we started looking I was definite about wanting volume ceilings. What I found happening, however, was that I would leave a place and not be able to remember if it had volume ceilings or not. I finally decided that the ceilings were not something I needed to pay much attention to.

We have attic stairs in the garage with storage both above the garage and above the house. While it is hot in the summer, we also have a solar attic fan that keeps the space cooler than it would otherwise be. Someone on here mentioned attic access through the master bedroom closet so we would probably consider that if we felt like we needed more room.

[Barefoot]

In my opinion CYVs are much quieter than other homes in TV. We bought one for that reason, for privacy, and for our dogs.

We have a courtyard villa on a small stretch of golf course, so it has a low picket fence in back and high side walls. We rarely hear our neighbours.

If you're looking at resales, I think most CYVs have storage space above the garage. If you're looking at new CYVs, you'd probably have to add that feature.

[ijusluvit]

All the above CYV owners are right, yet the myth prevails that CYVs are in a category below designer homes. We know people who started with villas and "moved up" to designers, only to be a little disappointed, mostly with the lack of privacy.

Our CYV is HEAVEN! It's the next to largest model, bigger than many designers. It's on a corner lot so the yard area is about as large as many designers, but the privacy fence allows it to be ONLY OUR yard. We've created a park-like setting so it essentially doubles our living space. We face a golf course, which increases the illusion of spaciousness, yet from any point in our yard, deck, pool or birdcage, we can only see the distant roof of one other house! The high fence, landscaping and the distance between lanais make it nearly impossible to hear any sounds from our one immediate neighbor. I do have a recollection of once hearing a couple of loud human sounds - a guy had a hole-in-one.

There is so much exciting interaction in TV that it is especially wonderful to be able to escape to our peaceful paradise anytime we want!

[SABRMnLgs]

We had some good points in the our CYV. It had upgraded appliances with marble countertops and the chunk of wall was removed making the kitchen a bit bigger. Number two, it did have the pull down stairs in the garage for more easy storage. Number three, I put a doggie door in our lanai, so she could do her business without bothering us. Number four, the lanai while not huge had vinyl windows for better heat exchange. But MOST OF ALL, it kept the yard nazis out so you could put anything in your back yard you wanted and noone to complain. We had two big sheds (I did our own yard work) for mowers, blowers, etc. Not once in two years did those folks running round with their little books find out anything.
Bad points, most of our neighbors were great, but the few "idiots" we had more than made up for the good ones. Number two, we really needed a two car garage or at least one big enough for our Lincoln and a golf cart. Another two feet would have been perfect. Also, there was no eat in kitchen which my wife and I prefer.
So, it seemed to kind of balance itself out

[Russ_Boston]

Thanks for the input thus far - keep it coming!


Note: I didn't mean to put down the CYV vs. other home styles. That's exactly what I'm looking for, the differences both positive and negative. The lack of garage space had us looking away from CYV for awhile but they have other advantages that require a good look. There are some new ones on the Kenya course that are big enough (1700 sq. ft) and back to the course with a nice north east golf view from the lanai. About $310K + bond. Not that I can purchase yet but...

[Barefoot]

A widow on our street sold her CYV last year because she wanted a larger garage for her second fridge! :shrug:

She bought a new designer home. She told me recently it is the biggest mistake she has ever made! She hates her new designer home and the lack of privacy. Plus now she has to get up early in the morning to walk her dog instead of just opening the patio door!

(She wishes she'd just turfed her fridge).

[Cassie325]

(She wishes she'd just turfed her fridge).


I don't mean to highjack but we have friends that are thinking of selling their CYV for a home with a bigger garage for this same reason.

Barefoot....what do you mean by "turfing" the fridge? Is there a way to have a fridge in a garage at a CYV during the summer months? They actually want more freezer room...

[rshoffer]

We had some good points in the our CYV. It had upgraded appliances with marble countertops and the chunk of wall was removed making the kitchen a bit bigger. Number two, it did have the pull down stairs in the garage for more easy storage. Number three, I put a doggie door in our lanai, so she could do her business without bothering us. Number four, the lanai while not huge had vinyl windows for better heat exchange. But MOST OF ALL, it kept the yard nazis out so you could put anything in your back yard you wanted and noone to complain. We had two big sheds (I did our own yard work) for mowers, blowers, etc. Not once in two years did those folks running round with their little books find out anything.
Bad points, most of our neighbors were great, but the few "idiots" we had more than made up for the good ones. Number two, we really needed a two car garage or at least one big enough for our Lincoln and a golf cart. Another two feet would have been perfect. Also, there was no eat in kitchen which my wife and I prefer.
So, it seemed to kind of balance itself outCan you elaborate on what behaviors or actions of some of your neighbors were disturbing? Troubling neighbors are certainly not confined to CYV's, in fact, because of the privacy may be LESS of a problem. I think the idea would be a corner CYV with a view.... you spooked me with the neighbor stuff.

[NJblue]

Russ, as I recall you were thinking of backing up to a golf course. If so, then the only neighbors that you need to be concerned about from a noise perspective would be the ones on either side. Note that some Designers have their lanais on one side of the house or the other or in some case right in the middle of the house with walls on either side (e.g., the Bridgeport). Hence, by being very selective in terms of which model you buy versus what your neighbors have, you can get a house whose lanai is quite private from your neighbors. Another option would be to be at the end of a cul de sac in which case your backyard is pie shaped and hence does not really have any direct views into neighbors' lanais. It does add another layer of complexity and limitation in your house hunt but may be worth considering.

I see what everyone says about the positives of the CYVs but what dissuaded us was the curb appeal and the garage limitation. (Plus, a secondary factor was its appeal to dog owners - I love dogs more than most, but having lived in a house where the people behind us leave their little yapper outside for hours on end, makes me to never want to live in area which invites this type of neighbor abuse.)

[Russ_Boston]

NJ - Good points to remember - Thanks!

All options are open at this point but lanai privacy is tops.

[Barefoot]

I love dogs more than most, but having lived in a house where the people behind us leave their little yapper outside for hours on end, makes me to never want to live in area which invites this type of neighbor abuse.)

NJBlue ... I agree. I wouldn't want yapping dogs around either.

However I think the point you're trying to make is that it is more likely to have yapping dogs in CYVs than in houses. If so, I don't agree.

CYVs are NOT the only houses in TV that have dogs. On the contrary, there are many, many dogs in designer homes! They just don't have fences! And I think a dog is more likely to bark if it is tied up outside, than confined in a fenced yard.

I live in a CYV and I've never heard dogs barking in the neighbourhood. And our dogs never bark when they're outside.

[NJblue]

barefoot,

It would be interesting to see if a tied dog is more likely to bark than a walled dog. I guess it is possible, but I'm not sure. However, it's a guess on my part, but my thinking is that people who have a CYV are more likely to leave their dogs out in the yard than are people in a designer who would tie their dogs. I'm guessing that most designer owners will walk their dogs versus tieing them in the yard. Afterall, as many here have indicated, having a walled in area for their dog was a primary reason for them buying a CYV.

As to your own dog not barking, I think that has a lot to do with the breed of dog. Some breeds are more prone to barking than others. Also, the barks of some breeds are considerably more annoying than others.

[collie1228]

I think it makes a big difference whether a dog is tied or walled. I can only speak for my dog, Bob the Beagle, and he never barks. He howls, and its a strong, deep howl that I wouldn't want to hear often if I were my neighbor, so I do my best to make sure his howls stop quickly when started. They generally start when he is in our picket-fenced yard in NY, where he can see the neighbors and takes exception to whatever they are doing. I'm hoping that the high walls of a CY would keep him from howling much, as they do a great job of creating privacy. If not for the walled options (CV and the new vinyl fenced ranch homes), I honestly don't think I would consider buying in TV. It's just not fair to expect neighbors, especially when they are so close together, to have to put up with a howling dog. Hey, even I don't like to hear it . . . . unless he's on the trail of a rabbit!

[NJblue]

Yes, there is nothing more melodious than a beagle on the trail of a rabbit and nothing more annoying than a beagle or other dog that has to bark/yap/bay/howl at every perceived disturbance - or for no reason at all.

I guess what I don't understand is the need (by some) to keep a dog outside for an extended period of time. If you have to put a dog that is prone to being a neighborhood disturbance out a few times a day to relieve himself, that is one thing. But to keep it outside (either chained or running free) for hours on end when the dog spends half the time being a disturbance is, to me, the height of being unneighborly and inconsiderate. That's what our current neighbor does and what I hope to avoid in TV. I used to have a fenced in backyard and had two dogs. However, I never left them out in it unattended for more than 5 minutes, and if they were to start barking, they would come in immediately.

Now watch, after saying this, I'll find out that both neighbors have yappers that leave them out on chains all day long.

[Barefoot]

Russ, I think I sidetracked the discussion a bit .. I apologize.

Unless you purchase a very expensive home, the lots are small for both houses and villas. Privacy and noise are always a concern. We back on open space and that helps greatly.

A plus of a CYV is that your neighbours may be seasonal or just use the unit for vacations. So it may be quieter in a CYV community, but not as social.
I don't think you'll have to worry about an active social life. Since you're a member of TOTV and you golf, you won't have a problem making lots of friends.

Whether you have a barking dog next door, someone deaf that keeps the TV cranked up high, or people that party late, I think the bottom line is that CYVs are better for containing noise because of the walls.

Ultimately it comes down to luck, and the good news is that most neighbours in TV are extremely thoughtful.

[Russ_Boston]

Russ, I think I sidetracked the discussion a bit .. I apologize.

I was getting ready to put the kibosh on the dog talk - thank you. But I do appreciate the ideas behind it. i.e. there may be more dogs in a CYV but maybe they'll be quieter - who knows.

I agree that it takes a little bit of research and a lot of luck with neighbors when it comes to quiet and privacy.

Not sure what generates more page views - Dog lovers vs. Dog non-lovers or POA vs. VHA:smiley:

[hunt9791]

Have a CYV and purchased it because of all the horror stories we had heard about noise and privacy with designers. The most noise we here is from the neighbors heat pump at night [it is about 25 feet from the bedroom wall.]

If you want to see a horror story cruise by Havana Trail in Hadly: Check out the new $75K pool and bird cage with a built in Plasma TV 20 feet from their neighbors Lanai! You can just see them in the pool/hot tub smoking a stogy with the volume up high....

[rshoffer]

Have a CYV and purchased it because of all the horror stories we had heard about noise and privacy with designers. The most noise we here is from the neighbors heat pump at night [it is about 25 feet from the bedroom wall.]

If you want to see a horror story cruise by Havana Trail in Hadly: Check out the new $75K pool and bird cage with a built in Plasma TV 20 feet from their neighbors Lanai! You can just see them in the pool/hot tub smoking a stogy with the volume up high....Can you imagine spending that much money on something like that with neighbors 20 feet away!?!?

[Russ_Boston]

Yeah but they knew what they were doing. I think i feel worse for the non-pool lanai who have a new noise 20 feet away.

It would be interesting to know the % of homes whose lanai is within 30 feet of each other.

[rshoffer]

Yeah but they knew what they were doing. I think i feel worse for the non-pool lanai who have a new noise 20 feet away.

It would be interesting to know the % of homes whose lanai is within 30 feet of each other.Our neighbors lanai is 5 paces behing ours. My wife came down and purchased our Camillia without me because I was too busy to get away. The home is beautiful and our neighbors are wonderful, however, when I first arrived here last June I walked out on the lanai I said, "you've got to be kidding me".... turns out they are wonderful people and it's not been an issue at all.

[Russ_Boston]

Any more comments?

How about those of you in a CYV that do NOT have any open space in the back, just a wall with other villas behind?

[MelZ]

I have a CYV which backs onto Odell, I was a little concerned about road noise. But I have not had an issue with noise.