New Homes vs Resales

[2 Oldcrabs]

We are retiring in 6 months. Will be down the month of Oct. to look for a home. New home prices have dropped considerably from our 1st visit in 2005.
Gardenia home including Bond works out to be $135 -$150 per sq ft. This is with Thermal Pane windows, High efficient A/C and other extras that were not included in 2005. Resale Designer homes appear to be selling for $150-$180 per sq ft plus the cost of the bond balance in some cases. ( Also wall paper to remove and repaint)
What am I missing here? Is there a reason to look at resales?

[Hawkwind]

Landscaping for one thing.

[villages07]

Location, for another; if you want to be real close to a town square or say, the softball, then a resale would be your only choice.

If you'll be here for a month, you'll have a chance to look at both. You should keep an open mind about new vs resale. You'll know what's right for you when you see it.

[BobKat1]

There is more room for negotiation on the sale price of the home with a resale vs. new construction.

[Taj44]

We have a gardenia that was built in 2006 that has the thermal pane windows, and has the upgraded air conditioner. As others have said, there is room for price negotiation, purchase of furniture package, and I personally think location is the biggest thing. We chose our house because it is much more central in the Villagews (relative to full buildout) than the homes in the villages where they are now trying to sell the new homes. I think a good location, for example on a cul de sac, or near a town square, more central rather than on the outskirts, can add at least $10K. Also, the re-sales will generally have less bond. As others have pointed out too, to do your own landscaping can be very expensive - with a resale you may have much more mature landscaping, curbing, etc. Lastly, with a resale, there are no suprises. You get to see who your neighbors are; if you do your homework, you'll know if the neighbor across the street has two barking dogs that drive everyone crazy; or the neighbor next door is hard of hearing and plays their television so loud you can hear it through the walls(I'm not making this stuff up!) When you buy new, you are taking your chances. Most of the time you'll turn out okay, but there are no guarantees.

[The Villages Specialist]

Costs of after market stuff makes a pre-owned home worth considering.. I know when we bought new it was like everyu other week a $1000 here a $1000 there....

Landscaping …………… $2,000 $10,000
Landscape Curbing …………… $500 $2,000
Enclosed Lanai …………… $4,000 $10,000
Bird Cage / Slab …………… $3,500 $8,000
Add on Florida Room…………… $15,000 $25,000
Painted Drive $1,000 $2,500
Pavers $3,000 $8,000
Sceened Garage Door $750 $4,000
Garage Lite Inserts $175 $225
Blinds $500 $2,500
Leaded Glass Front Door $750 $3,500
Solar Tubes $500 $1,500
Water Softner / TreatmentWater Treatment 750 $2500
Closet Organizers $250 $2,000
Fans $50 $350
Window Treatments $500 $5,500
Garage Pull Down Stairs $200 $400
Garage Storage Cabinets $200 $1,600
Gutters $300 $700
Storage Cabinets $100 $500

[paulandjean]

new homes you are locked into the villages price. pre-owned you are not. location important.some of the new villages being built are so far out of lake sumter landings.pre-owned only way to go.

[sschuler1]

We are having a new home built, and found that we got such a great price on the new home that there was no comparison. We are building in Hemingway, which will be almost in the middle between Lake Sumter and the new town square Brownwood when it is built. We don't feel that we are building too far away from anything. There is a brand new regional rec center being built near us, there is a grocery store right near us on 466a, and Lake Sumter is maybe 5 minutes further by golf cart than any of the areas that the others are talking about. Also the big plus that no one has mentioned: everything is new. Your roof is new, furnace and a/c is new, appliances are new. You won't have to sink money into those repairs for many years. Sure you might need to put some of the little extras into the house, but at least they are your choices and you might have to change those things out anyway in a used home because you don't like what the previous owner picked. There was no question for us. We couldn't find a used home that we could just move into without sinking some money into it, and we ended up spending less on the new with everything we wanted.

[2 Oldcrabs]

I have seen a few resales on various websites that may be interest us.
But they are listed for $20-$50k more than than a new designer home. Many have Bonds of 5-15k. I think no matter what home we purchase we will be putting money into it, to "make it our own". Many of the resales have much wall paper to remove. That can be easy or very labor intensive to do.
Location Location Location is always important. We are trying to keep an open mind and will look at resales.

[Bryan]

One thing to consider - only a temporary problem though - is that a new home may be in an area that is very actively under construction. Lots of transiets and trucks through the area until it is "built out". Noise - very early and/or very late and/or on weekends - can be an issue. Some have reported tire problems as there is so much construction debris (roof nails, for example) around on the streets. Then, during construction, there can be dust or mud problems (depending on the season) and some lots will be only bare dirt until they are sodded. Of course, this all goes away eventually but it can be a consideration for some.

Someone mentioned that everything will be new - and that is true. But like any complicated thing, some of your new stuff will break down right away and need replacement. Yes, it will be under warranty - warranty does not cover hassles and inconvenience. With a pre-owned home, bugs have been worked out already so you have less concerns in this arena.

Personally, location and mature landscaping for prime concerns for us so we purchased a resale. We have been very pleased but probably would have been pleased no matter which way we went.

You gotta look, consider everything, and make the decision that is right for you.

[skip0358]

wife and I looked at resales and new. Having never owned new we went new. Also by going new your sort of a pioneer.You move into a new or newer area,with possibly more new people in the same boat as you are.Yeah you want solar tubes,driveway and patio coating, more or better landscaping. But you put in what you want,where you want and what style or color you want. it's your new life we felt we should make your own choices or mistakes. just an opinion.

[Army Guy]

We bought new, and yes to date we have spent $20,000 on upgrades we wanted since CYVs can only be bought "spec". BUT as mentioned the cost of new was so much cheaper then pre-owned. Even with the $20,000 our total price for a 2/2 concrete CYV is well below $200,000, and everything is new.

Army Guy

[paulandjean]

remember the day you move in to a new home,it is now a pre-owned

[Whalen]

One thing to consider - only a temporary problem though - is that a new home may be in an area that is very actively under construction. Lots of transiets and trucks through the area until it is "built out". Noise - very early and/or very late and/or on weekends - can be an issue. Some have reported tire problems as there is so much construction debris (roof nails, for example) around on the streets. Then, during construction, there can be dust or mud problems (depending on the season) and some lots will be only bare dirt until they are sodded. Of course, this all goes away eventually but it can be a consideration for some.

Someone mentioned that everything will be new - and that is true. But like any complicated thing, some of your new stuff will break down right away and need replacement. Yes, it will be under warranty - warranty does not cover hassles and inconvenience. With a pre-owned home, bugs have been worked out already so you have less concerns in this arena.

Personally, location and mature landscaping for prime concerns for us so we purchased a resale. We have been very pleased but probably would have been pleased no matter which way we went.

You gotta look, consider everything, and make the decision that is right for you.

Good point about construction area, living through it now. I know it will be over eventually, but in the mean time it is annoying. Construcion areas are not always well kept and yes flat tires abound.

[conn8757]

We liked the idea of everyone in the area being fairly new and enjoying the process of making friends with everyone on the same playing field so to speak. We also wanted to be in an area where most lived year round and not many rentals. I think we found that.

[nkrifats]

We bought a pre owned after comparing to what was on the market at the time. It was floor plan and in an area we were happy with. I think it depends on what you want. I know we are happy with what we have.

[interested]

We bought a spec home and love it. There are many upgrades that are available and our home has most of the ones we wanted. Not all spec homes have the same features. Our area is almost built out and it is great to be with all new neighbors and I can't say enough about how wonderful our neighbors are. You need to look at the area and the features of the specific house. Good luck - whatever your decision - you won't regret it.

[alemorkam]

Just be advised there are two ways to look at pre-owned houses in TV. The villages sales reps can show you only the pre-owned houses that they have listed. They cannot show you the pre-owned houses in the villages that are list in the MLS (multiple listing service). Real Estates agents show these houses. Real Estate agents cannot show you the pre-owned homes the villages have listed. So if you want to see ALL pre-owned homes in TV you must use both services.

[Enuff2]

Just be advised there are two ways to look at pre-owned houses in TV. The villages sales reps can show you only the pre-owned houses that they have listed. They cannot show you the pre-owned houses in the villages that are list in the MLS (multiple listing service). Real Estates agents show these houses. Real Estate agents cannot show you the pre-owned homes the villages have listed. So if you want to see ALL pre-owned homes in TV you must use both services.


Thanks for adding this Ale. I didn't know the MLS Real Estate agents couldn't show everything available.