Due diligence before you buy

[spring_chicken]

Residents in Fenney (per the unnamed news source) are complaining about the blasting at a nearby limestone quarry. The business has been there for over 100 years and they blast 5 times a month.
Others complain about hearing the PA system at the nearby prison.
Wouldn't a simple google maps search have told them what was nearby?

[kstew43]

Residents in Fenney (per the unnamed news source) are complaining about the blasting at a nearby limestone quarry. The business has been there for over 100 years and they blast 5 times a month.
Others complain about hearing the PA system at the nearby prison.
Wouldn't a simple google maps search have told them what was nearby?

Sounds logical.....But, when we first came here years ago, having a limited time frame in which to be there, we were introduced to the squares, amazed at the golf cart access to stores and fooderies.....that everything else, including the style of home we purchased went to the back burner.

The sales agent was so exuberant, and excited, and never mentioned anything negative, that even me as a realtor, fell in to the spell.

So people, including myself, with a short window to purchase...thought with there hearts and not there heads.....and there you go.....boom...

Now I know better...... due diligence is everything....

PS.... TV sales agents are Single Agents, they are not required to tell you about, prisons, dumps and lime plants, sexual predators living next door, ect. They only represent the positives and are not required to mention the negatives.

[Sgroemm]

I always feel for those people who have homes close to a pickleball court....that constant "pop" must be annoying....I wonder if most knew that before they bought those homes.

[patfla06]

I always feel for those people who have homes close to a pickleball court....that constant "pop" must be annoying....I wonder if most knew that before they bought those homes.

The pickleball ball pop and a basketball thumping would
personally drive me nuts! 🤭

I wouldn’t even look at a house by either one.

[kstew43]

anyone else remember the line...you must be ready by 5:01 to buy, I can only hold the house for you for 2 hours, then, my fellow sales agent is going to sell it to his client. I need your decision NOW, what are you going to do.....?

That was high pressure...... and we fell for it....

[manaboutown]

Way back in 1994 when I was relatively new to the area I bought a home under the primary flight path for SNA. The selling agent, a Realtor, made it very clear we could be affected by the noise. The noise issue was written into and acknowledged in both the seller's disclosure form and in our purchase contract. I had lived a few blocks away from the home and of course had experienced the noise but those few blocks further under it made a huge difference and I was forced to discontinue telephone conversations at times.

It seems to me potential issues such as being near an airport, a prison, dump, sewage treatment plant, sink holes and noise should routinely be disclosed to potential buyers who are not familiar with an area.

Latent defect - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latent_defect)

Latent Defect | Nolo.com (https://www.nolo.com/dictionary/latent-defect-term.html)

Nuisance - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuisance)

Nuisance | Nolo.com (https://www.nolo.com/dictionary/nuisance-term.html)

[manaboutown]

anyone else remember the line...you must be ready by 5:01 to buy, I can only hold the house for you for 2 hours, then, my fellow sales agent is going to sell it to his client. I need your decision NOW, what are you going to do.....?

That was high pressure...... and we fell for it....

Now is this a high pressure situation! Of course it is probably true.

[kstew43]

Way back in 1994 when I was relatively new to the area I bought a home under the primary flight path for SNA. The selling agent, a Realtor, made it very clear we could be affected by the noise. The noise issue was written into and acknowledged in both the seller's disclosure form and in our purchase contract. I had lived a few blocks away from the home and of course had experienced the noise but those few blocks mad a huge difference and I had to discontinue telephone conversations at times.

It seems to me potential issues such as being near a prison, sink holes and noise should be disclosed to potential buyers who are not familiar with an area. Latent defect - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latent_defect)

you'd think so, wouldn't you. But a sink hole in your home must be disclosed, State law... but not your neighborhood.

[Abby10]

Sounds logical.....But, when we first came here years ago, having a limited time frame in which to be there, we were introduced to the squares, amazed at the golf cart access to stores and fooderies.....that everything else, including the style of home we purchased went to the back burner.

The sales agent was so exuberant, and excited, and never mentioned anything negative, that even me as a realtor, fell in to the spell.

So people, including myself, with a short window to purchase...thought with there hearts and not there heads.....and there you go.....boom...

Now I know better...... due diligence is everything....

PS.... TV sales agents are Single Agents, they are not required to tell you about, prisons, dumps and lime plants, sexual predators living next door, ect. They only represent the positives and are not required to mention the negatives.

Just curious about what you say is required. Aside from the disclosures that must be presented about the house in consideration, I don't remember any agent telling me about the things you mention. For example, I currently live very near a large county prison - I don't remember the agent saying a thing about it. Not that it's been an issue, but just using it as an example.

[graciegirl]

anyone else remember the line...you must be ready by 5:01 to buy, I can only hold the house for you for 2 hours, then, my fellow sales agent is going to sell it to his client. I need your decision NOW, what are you going to do.....?

That was high pressure...... and we fell for it....

OH STOP. It was the truth. We liked a house in Hadley on Havana Trail and we looked at it and then an hour later were told it wasn't available. We bought the house next door to it and found the nice people who bought it had indeed taken it off the market and had two hours to commit. We would have taken it if they didn't. She became my dear friend and has since moved to the Village of Heavenly. I miss you Ruthie.

[kstew43]

Just curious about what you say is required. Aside from the disclosures that must be presented about the house in consideration, I don't remember any agent telling me about the things you mention. For example, I currently live very near a large county prison - I don't remember the agent saying a thing about it. Not that it's been an issue, but just using it as an example.

when I was working, in Broward as a Realtor, it was my responsibility to inform my clients everything I knew about the home.

I was a Transaction Broker. If I knew something, relating to the home and held back information, I could be sued. It was not a written disclosure...in the contract. It was verbal.

[thetruth]

Way back in 1994 when I was relatively new to the area I bought a home under the primary flight path for SNA. The selling agent, a Realtor, made it very clear we could be affected by the noise. The noise issue was written into and acknowledged in both the seller's disclosure form and in our purchase contract. I had lived a few blocks away from the home and of course had experienced the noise but those few blocks further under it made a huge difference and I was forced to discontinue telephone conversations at times.

It seems to me potential issues such as being near an airport, a prison, dump, sewage treatment plant, sink holes and noise should routinely be disclosed to potential buyers who are not familiar with an area.

Latent defect - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latent_defect)

Latent Defect | Nolo.com (https://www.nolo.com/dictionary/latent-defect-term.html)

Nuisance - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuisance)

Nuisance | Nolo.com (https://www.nolo.com/dictionary/nuisance-term.html)

Supposedly there is a realtor code of ethics.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. many years ago we placed a written offer on a house. The market at the time was poor and our offer was several thousand below the asking price.
We later found the place was sold ON PAPER below our offer and below fair market value. I suspect there was CASH under the table.

I contacted the realtor board. They wanted me to come in and start my complaint. I asked what would happen and I was advised there might be financial penalties-NO LOSS OF LICENSE. I then asked who would get these penalties. I WAS ADVISED THE PENALTIES WOULD GO TO THE REALTOR BOARD. So they expected me to take time off from work to clean up their act and they would pocket any penaties.

THINK-you spend time with a broker-A SALES PERSON who PRETENDS TO BE YOUR FRIEND. Over time you and your wife drop your guard. Wow that seems to be a good deal.
Wow, we need to buy now. Wow we can afford to spend more.

We are happy here. According to Zillow and Realtor.com
after four years our home in the villages has gone up more than the house we sold in NY. SO IT WAS A GOOD DEAL.

[Goldwingnut]

OH STOP. It was the truth. We liked a house in Hadley on Havana Trail and we looked at it and then an hour later were told it wasn't available. We bought the house next door to it and found the nice people who bought it had indeed taken it off the market and had two hours to commit. We would have taken it if they didn't. She became my dear friend and has since moved to the Village of Heavenly. I miss you Ruthie.

How right you are Gracie, it a common story, when a desirable home/location comes on the market they go quick and the developer has no obligation to hold anything for anyone, MONEY TALKS.
The home we wanted, CYV on corner lot with room for a pool--very rare, went on the market at 5:00 OM on a Thursday at 5:03 our realtor called and told us the house was ours but needed the deposit immediately but if we changed our minds there were 4 others on the list waiting for the house.
On the morning we closed our realtor asked us if we still wanted the home (of course we did) and if we didn't we could back out without penalty and get a full refund of our deposit as he had a cash buyer waiting to take it that day and close.

We sit here now 4 years later and haven't regretted the purchase and are still appreciative of our realtors efforts, THANK YOU ROY ROBERTSON!

Again, the desirable lots and homes go quickly when they come on the market, the 2 hour window is no BS for these properties. It's not a high pressure sales tactic, the realtors are actually being very honest about the sales process here and how important it is to make a decision if the house you want is really the house you want.

[kstew43]

Think back.....just maybe 2 years ago, the same high pressure philosophy was being used..... remember the words

"Build Out"

just saying.....

[graciegirl]

Think back.....just maybe 2 years ago, the same high pressure philosophy was being used..... remember the words

"Build Out"

just saying.....

Had you thought, that the Morse family, who had already earned enough for themselves and their children to live independently for a great long time, may have considered retiring? And then maybe, JUST MAYBE, may have thought about all of the people who worked for them who would not have jobs, and the Morses might have decided to continue to enjoy this amazing success story going down in history, a little longer. Maybe the three siblings even argued about it, one or two may have wanted to continue and the other retire........who knows,. It would not surprise me.

Two of our friends, the women lived here for four or five years because their husbands had businesses up North that when closed would shut down jobs for long time employees. One owed an IT company and the other owned a dentist office. Both the guys live here now but anguished over closing their business for the reason I just stated.

Maybe the Morses are crumby, nasty, greedy souls and they have me fooled, but I look around me at all of the things that could have been less nice and someone kept the change, and I think they are good old Michigan folks.

Now I have to say...Go Bucks. Please don't tell anyone I praised Michigan folks.

THE ABOVE IS A JOKE. PLEASE DON'T Start on me.
:shrug:

[Bitsee]

Indeed...When we looked at our beautiful brand new 3 bed/2 bath corner CYV in Dunedin 3 yrs. ago we had 20 minutes to decide.
The representative stated to us lookers " folks, this is going to be the LAST set of courtyard villas to be built so they will be going fast ! "
Well the lady behind us looking had a fit, asking us REPEATEDLY if we were going to buy that home because she wanted it.... as she continued to follow us around the open house that day. Finally we caved in after 20 minutes and the rest is history. That representatIves was correct about one thing, all of these villas sold in less than 1 month.
I wish now that I had that ladies phone number so I could inform her that we will soon be selling this CYV and moving back towards the Spanish Springs area........ I got a feeling she would really love this place more now with all the trimmings added.

[graciegirl]

Indeed...When we looked at our beautiful brand new 3 bed/2 bath corner CYV in Dunedin 3 yrs. ago we had 20 minutes to decide.
The representative stated to us lookers " folks, this is going to be the LAST set of courtyard villas to be built so they will be going fast ! "
Well the lady behind us looking had a fit, asking us REPEATEDLY if we were going to buy that home because she wanted it.... as she continued to follow us around the open house that day. Finally we caved in after 20 minutes and the rest is history. That representatIves was correct about one thing, all of these villas sold in less than 1 month.
I wish now that I had that ladies phone number so I could inform her that we will soon be selling this CYV and moving back towards the Spanish Springs area........ I got a feeling she would really love this place more now with all the trimmings added.


Everyone who lives in our 53 home village likes to tell the rest of us at every gathering that....

THE VIEW LOTS SOLD in four hours as they live in their homes and enjoy the golf course or the swamp.

Makes me jealous, if I didn't like the folks so much who are enjoying the view.

[manaboutown]

Everyone who lives in our 53 home village likes to tell the rest of us at every gathering that....

THE VIEW LOTS SOLD in four hours as they live in their homes and enjoy the golf course or the swamp.

Makes me jealous, if I didn't like the folks so much who are enjoying the view.

So your house is not on a view lot?

View lots everywhere get snapped up. I was fortunate enough to grab one within a few hours after the sign went up. Sometimes one must act fast! Of course I knew the area and had been shopping it for a year so I knew what I had found. The situation is analogous at times in The Villages which has some very attractive view properties.

[vintageogauge]

Residents in Fenney (per the unnamed news source) are complaining about the blasting at a nearby limestone quarry. The business has been there for over 100 years and they blast 5 times a month.
Others complain about hearing the PA system at the nearby prison.
Wouldn't a simple google maps search have told them what was nearby?

Why don't you quote and actual resident rather than an unnamed fake news source. Until they built homes south of Fenney Way we were as close to the prison and quarry as anyone down here. I have never heard a siren, day or night, and I have heard or felt the blast only 4 times in 10 months, not a big deal. We don't hear trains down here, we don't smell garbage or sewage down here, we don't hear fire station alarms, have never seen a snake, rat, or mouse down here, we dried out rapidly after Irma, have never heard of a sink hole down here, etc. If the biggest complaint someone has is the blasting, they should feel fortunate and be glad they don't live near the sewage treatment plants or railroad crossings. The positives down here far outweigh any negative, the glass is more than half filled. Time to get back to enjoying it.

[Kahuna32162]

Again, as The Villages expands, it gets closer and closer to other outside elements that will affect the quality of life in the bubble. We recently (6 months ago) moved into our 2nd home in the Village of Chatham, which we love. One of the unique features to this area are the trains that run the length of 301 many times daily and nightly. I'd estimate that we are about 3 miles from the tracks and still hear the horns and the rumbling trains. We knew this before purchasing and it does not bother us at all.

Fast forward to the new Villas and Chatham Acres that are currently under construction, just to the west of the First Baptist Church on CR 42. These new home will be less than a mile from the tracks and there will be no muted sounds as those trains rumble through and sound their horns at every intersection day and night.

I guess I'm wondering what kind of spin The Villages sales agents are putting on this kind of a distraction.

[Brandy4]

Blasting @ nearby limestone quarry 5 times/month?

[manaboutown]

Again, as The Villages expands, it gets closer and closer to other outside elements that will affect the quality of life in the bubble. We recently (6 months ago) moved into our 2nd home in the Village of Chatham, which we love. One of the unique features to this area are the trains that run the length of 301 many times daily and nightly. I'd estimate that we are about 3 miles from the tracks and still hear the horns and the rumbling trains. We knew this before purchasing and it does not bother us at all.

Fast forward to the new Villas and Chatham Acres that are currently under construction, just to the west of the First Baptist Church on CR 42. These new home will be less than a mile from the tracks and there will be no muted sounds as those trains rumble through and sound their horns at every intersection day and night.

I guess I'm wondering what kind of spin The Villages sales agents are putting on this kind of a distraction.

Choo Choo Ch'boogie - Louis Jordan - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8uxrypkqv4)

[spring_chicken]

Why don't you quote and actual resident rather than an unnamed fake news source. Until they built homes south of Fenney Way we were as close to the prison and quarry as anyone down here. I have never heard a siren, day or night, and I have heard or felt the blast only 4 times in 10 months, not a big deal. We don't hear trains down here, we don't smell garbage or sewage down here, we don't hear fire station alarms, have never seen a snake, rat, or mouse down here, we dried out rapidly after Irma, have never heard of a sink hole down here, etc. If the biggest complaint someone has is the blasting, they should feel fortunate and be glad they don't live near the sewage treatment plants or railroad crossings. The positives down here far outweigh any negative, the glass is more than half filled. Time to get back to enjoying it.

If it bothers you so much that you need their names, why don't you just go to their fb page and you can even see their picture!

[jnieman]

I always feel for those people who have homes close to a pickleball court....that constant "pop" must be annoying....I wonder if most knew that before they bought those homes.

We almost did buy with the pickelball court right behind the house. It was our second choice. The realtor just said how fun it would be to be so close to all of the activities at the rec center

[retiredguy123]

I have stopped looking for another house because so many of them have noise from swimming pool pumps. And, even if you find a house without a noisy pump next door, you have no way to prevent your next door neighbor from building a pool or spa and putting the pump near your bedroom. There should be restrictions on these noisy pumps.

[EPutnam1863]

Sounds logical.....But, when we first came here years ago, having a limited time frame in which to be there, we were introduced to the squares, amazed at the golf cart access to stores and fooderies.....that everything else, including the style of home we purchased went to the back burner.

The sales agent was so exuberant, and excited, and never mentioned anything negative, that even me as a realtor, fell in to the spell.

So people, including myself, with a short window to purchase...thought with there hearts and not there heads.....and there you go.....boom...

Now I know better...... due diligence is everything....

PS.... TV sales agents are Single Agents, they are not required to tell you about, prisons, dumps and lime plants, sexual predators living next door, ect. They only represent the positives and are not required to mention the negatives.

Take a close look at the disclosure form the seller is required to sign. When we purchased our house in Melbourne, FL, the seller lied on the disclosure form about the garage not getting water during rain. We took him to court and won.

In most, if not all, states realtors are not required to disclose deaths, etc UNLESS (a big unless) she is asked about it. If she is asked about sexual predators, she is required to give you the online link to the site that gives their names and addresses.

In Calfironia, the seller is required to disclose there is a barking dog close by.

So take a good hard look at the disclosure you get from the seller.

[EPutnam1863]

when I was working, in Broward as a Realtor, it was my responsibility to inform my clients everything I knew about the home.

I was a Transaction Broker. If I knew something, relating to the home and held back information, I could be sued. It was not a written disclosure...in the contract. It was verbal.

Verbal is NOT acceptable and won't hold up in courts. Anything relating to real estate must be in writing to make it legal.

[CFrance]

OH STOP. It was the truth. We liked a house in Hadley on Havana Trail and we looked at it and then an hour later were told it wasn't available. We bought the house next door to it and found the nice people who bought it had indeed taken it off the market and had two hours to commit. We would have taken it if they didn't. She became my dear friend and has since moved to the Village of Heavenly. I miss you Ruthie.
It most certainly was the truth. When we chose our house in Tamarind Grove, it was put on hold by another sales agent while we were in our sales agent's office. We had so many hours to put down the deposit. He showed us the hold on his computer. I think it would have been pretty dishonest of TV to make that computer screen up. I mean why would they do that, anyway... the houses were selling like hot cakes.

We absolutely never felt any pressure from our sales agent.

I'm sorry for the people who moved here and found out it wasn't for them, and left. I hope they're not bitter.

[rustyp]

Take a close look at the disclosure form the seller is required to sign. When we purchased our house in Melbourne, FL, the seller lied on the disclosure form about the garage not getting water during rain. We took him to court and won.

In most, if not all, states realtors are not required to disclose deaths, etc UNLESS (a big unless) she is asked about it. If she is asked about sexual predators, she is required to give you the online link to the site that gives their names and addresses.

In Calfironia, the seller is required to disclose there is a barking dog close by.

So take a good hard look at the disclosure you get from the seller.

Of interest what did you win ? How much did it cost you to win ?

[manaboutown]

Why don't you quote and actual resident rather than an unnamed fake news source.

:boom:

The poster reported real news from a real news source, not from a fake news source.

[2newyorkers]

anyone else remember the line...you must be ready by 5:01 to buy, I can only hold the house for you for 2 hours, then, my fellow sales agent is going to sell it to his client. I need your decision NOW, what are you going to do.....?

That was high pressure...... and we fell for it....

We fell for it and never regretted it because we live in Tall Trees.

[EPutnam1863]

Again, as The Villages expands, it gets closer and closer to other outside elements that will affect the quality of life in the bubble. We recently (6 months ago) moved into our 2nd home in the Village of Chatham, which we love. One of the unique features to this area are the trains that run the length of 301 many times daily and nightly. I'd estimate that we are about 3 miles from the tracks and still hear the horns and the rumbling trains. We knew this before purchasing and it does not bother us at all.

Fast forward to the new Villas and Chatham Acres that are currently under construction, just to the west of the First Baptist Church on CR 42. These new home will be less than a mile from the tracks and there will be no muted sounds as those trains rumble through and sound their horns at every intersection day and night.

I guess I'm wondering what kind of spin The Villages sales agents are putting on this kind of a distraction.

The realtor is not required to make such disclosures unless asked and then she is not permitted to lie. Best to have it put in writing so it will hold up in court. Don't be suckered into believing the "everything is fine" mentality that TVers and realtors seem to have.

[graciegirl]

The realtor is not required to make such disclosures unless asked and then she is not permitted to lie. Best to have it put in writing so it will hold up in court. Don't be suckered into believing the "everything is fine" mentality that TVers and realtors seem to have.

Now wait a minute. It is one thing to get advice from owners of homes here and another to get advice from someone who doesn't live here in The Villages and has never lived here.

I am sure you would love it here Ms. Putnam,but the selling of homes here, this is a total different kind of thing than anyone has ever seen before. There are no offers on new homes. the price is the price and nothing is "thrown in" and no one is forced or coerced or "tricked" into buying anything here by anyone who works for THE VILLAGES. FHA and VA are not allowed on new homes, you must be able to put 20% down on new homes. THAT is one of the reasons why we liked it right away. AND There was NO pressure. Houses aren't hard to sell here. When we first came here, we had to call the agent to show us homes. She did for a couple of hours and we didn't hear from her again, she went on vacation. We found a home we liked by ourselves and then found Jim McLaughlin who ended up splitting the fee with the girl on vacation. Jim Mclaughlin wasn't pushy either and we bought our second new home through him. Nice, decent man, Jim.

[jnieman]

I have stopped looking for another house because so many of them have noise from swimming pool pumps. And, even if you find a house without a noisy pump next door, you have no way to prevent your next door neighbor from building a pool or spa and putting the pump near your bedroom. There should be restrictions on these noisy pumps.

Both neighbors behind us have pools. I asked if they could put the pool pump away from our window. The contractor said they always place it on the side where the garage is. This turned out not to be a problem for us but would be if it was near our window.

[jnieman]

It most certainly was the truth. When we chose our house in Tamarind Grove, it was put on hold by another sales agent while we were in our sales agent's office. We had so many hours to put down the deposit. He showed us the hold on his computer. I think it would have been pretty dishonest of TV to make that computer screen up. I mean why would they do that, anyway... the houses were selling like hot cakes.

We absolutely never felt any pressure from our sales agent.

I'm sorry for the people who moved here and found out it wasn't for them, and left. I hope they're not bitter.

When we were looking for a house we put a hold on a house then if we found one we liked better then took the hold off and put it on another house then we went to the next house and liked that better and took off the hold and put it on that house. We did that game for 2 days.

[manaboutown]

FHA and VA are not allowed on new homes, you must be able to put 20% down on new homes.

The developer's new homes do not qualify for VA or FHA financing. A builder must meet certain requirements to be able to sell new homes with VA and FHA loans. Apparently the developer is unwilling to meet and/or sees no need to meet those requirements. After all, as long as the developer can sell homes it builds why bother?

Warranties for Newly Built Homes | Consumer Information (https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0186-warranties-newly-built-homes)

FHA New Home Warranty Requirements | Home Guides | SF Gate (http://homeguides.sfgate.com/fha-new-home-warranty-requirements-87241.html)

[justjim]

Good or bad (depending on your opinion) Florida is first and foremost a “Business Oriented State”. By that I mean, generally speaking, the State laws lean toward the Business rather than the consumer. That said, with few exceptions, no matter where you purchase a home it’s buyer beware and up to you to do your due diligence. Being near a railroad track, pickleball courts, swimming pool, limestone mine, busy road or golf balls hitting your yard or occasionally even your house its up to you to do your due diligence.

[kstew43]

The developer's new homes do not qualify for VA or FHA financing. A builder must meet certain requirements to be able to sell new home with VA and FHA loans. Apparently the developer is unwilling to meet and/or sees no need to meet those requirements. After all, as long as the developer can sell homes it builds why bother?

Warranties for Newly Built Homes | Consumer Information (https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0186-warranties-newly-built-homes)

FHA New Home Warranty Requirements | Home Guides | SF Gate (http://homeguides.sfgate.com/fha-new-home-warranty-requirements-87241.html)

:agree:
once again...you are so correct..... only Conventional Loans with a mandatory 20% down on new development. TV does it because they can..... I also think it has something to do with the BOND?

Leaves many new home buyers in the dust. But resales is another story.

[manaboutown]

:agree:
once again...you are so correct..... only Conventional Loans with a mandatory 20% down on new development. TV does it because they can..... I also think it has something to do with the BOND?

Leaves many new home buyers in the dust. But resales is another story.

Basically people are buying the lifestyle. They are retired and want to get away from brutal winters and high taxes, decomplicate their lives, downsize, play golf, socialize, drive around in golf carts and enjoy the scenery and their remaining years as worry free as possible. I am at that point myself...

[kstew43]

Good or bad (depending on your opinion) Florida is first and foremost a “Business Oriented State”. By that I mean, generally speaking, the State laws lean toward the Business rather than the consumer. That said, with few exceptions, no matter where you purchase a home it’s buyer beware and up to you to do your due diligence. Being near a railroad track, pickleball courts, swimming pool, limestone mine, busy road or golf balls hitting your yard or occasionally even your house its up to you to do your due diligence.

you know, I always thought about the idea of being a Home buyers advocate/investigator......

this would work well with the villages home buyers who are usually only in Florida for a limited amount of time and don't get the chance to do all the due diligence necessary for $$$ home purchase.

The buyers could pick the homes they are most interested in and I would be a private investigator.... I could talk to the neighbors, find out all the ins and outs of the neighborhood, noises, smells, residents...and then report back to the buyers, before they make there decision. Then they will have information from a person not in the real estate deal. Kind of like a home inspector, but I would be a neighborhood inspector.

Small fee paid from buyer for being the buyers noisy person.

That might just be fun....


Hummm....

[JimC55]

I have stopped looking for another house because so many of them have noise from swimming pool pumps. And, even if you find a house without a noisy pump next door, you have no way to prevent your next door neighbor from building a pool or spa and putting the pump near your bedroom. There should be restrictions on these noisy pumps.



Pool pumps should only run during daylight hours.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[thelegges]

Long ago when we built our first home the tracks were directly behind the home across the street. All children slept without issues as well as us. Built our second home 4 miles from private airport. Only time we notice is when chopper on the way to the hospital flying near our neighborhood, flight path is far enough away we can hear the chopper, but rarely see it.

When we bought our first home in TV a two hour hold was put on it, while we looked at two others.

Same with our second home in TV 2 hour window, while we looked. When we went back to make sure, two couples were in the house with agents who were calling to see time frame of the two hour window. We chose the first house because the second house while had a larger garage, and expanded bedrooms, it was too close to the pickle ball courts.

Our third home was preowned, we put a bid in the day it was going on the market.

[GoodLife]

Again, as The Villages expands, it gets closer and closer to other outside elements that will affect the quality of life in the bubble. We recently (6 months ago) moved into our 2nd home in the Village of Chatham, which we love. One of the unique features to this area are the trains that run the length of 301 many times daily and nightly. I'd estimate that we are about 3 miles from the tracks and still hear the horns and the rumbling trains. We knew this before purchasing and it does not bother us at all.

Fast forward to the new Villas and Chatham Acres that are currently under construction, just to the west of the First Baptist Church on CR 42. These new home will be less than a mile from the tracks and there will be no muted sounds as those trains rumble through and sound their horns at every intersection day and night.

I guess I'm wondering what kind of spin The Villages sales agents are putting on this kind of a distraction.

If you look at google maps, there are quite a few homes in Chatham that are closer to the train tracks than the new Souilliere Villas and Chatham acres.

In April of 2017 there was an article in the online news saying that trains would no longer blow their horns where tracks cross 42, the closest to Chatham. I live in Woodbury and used to hear the horns faintly at night when out on the lanai. Not any more. Here is quote from article.

A “quiet zone” is now in effect at three railroad crossings near U.S. 301 in Marion County.
They are located at:
• County Road 42, 500 feet east of U.S. Highway 301
• Southeast 135th Street, 1700 feet east of U.S. Highway 301
• Southeast 147th Street, 4500 feet east of U.S. Highway 301
Quiet zones are established areas along railroad tracks where train horns are not routinely sounded. These newly approved quiet zones no longer require trains to sound their horns at intersections, unless deemed necessary for safety reasons.
The Marion County Office of the County Engineer, in conjunction with the Florida Department of Transportation and CSX Railroad, upgraded and updated crossing gate arms, medians, signage and warning devices.

[Fredster]

In reading some posts on this thread, I started thinking that when folks come down for a lifestyle tour and are looking.
There is a limited time that they have to check out homes, plus their in contact with others doing likewise.
That kind of situation adds some pressure to act fast,
and curtail some due diligence activity!
I bought a resale property remotely, but I did have friends
that lived in TV that filled me in on the lay of the land.
Did a lot of research myself, had prior house buying
experiences to draw upon.
Also had a great real estate agent, that gave me insight into benefits of particular areas!
Plus a lot of life experience and a mother who taught me “If I don’t catch one streetcar I’ll catch another!

[VillageIdiots]

The developer's new homes do not qualify for VA or FHA financing. A builder must meet certain requirements to be able to sell new homes with VA and FHA loans. Apparently the developer is unwilling to meet and/or sees no need to meet those requirements. After all, as long as the developer can sell homes it builds why bother?

Warranties for Newly Built Homes | Consumer Information (https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0186-warranties-newly-built-homes)

FHA New Home Warranty Requirements | Home Guides | SF Gate (http://homeguides.sfgate.com/fha-new-home-warranty-requirements-87241.html)

All true. But, with VA and probably some other loan types, there are closing costs associated that are the responsibility of the seller that might normally be put on the buyer with a conventional loan. I imagine that has something to do with it as well. When I put my current home on the market, we were told to make sure we took into consideration the type of loan being used, if any, and any seller responsible costs that went along with it before accepting an offer. Thank goodness when my buyer finally came along, they had cash.

[Bigben007]

Our realtor brought us in to look at our house 9:30 in the morning, there was already a couple with another realtor there, the woman was discussing how she was going to arrange the furniture should they buy the house. My realtor went out to her car, got on her computer and put our house on hold. We could have lost our house in minutes.

[Kahuna32162]

If you look at google maps, there are quite a few homes in Chatham that are closer to the train tracks than the new Souilliere Villas and Chatham acres.

In April of 2017 there was an article in the online news saying that trains would no longer blow their horns where tracks cross 42, the closest to Chatham. I live in Woodbury and used to hear the horns faintly at night when out on the lanai. Not any more. Here is quote from article.

A “quiet zone” is now in effect at three railroad crossings near U.S. 301 in Marion County.
They are located at:
• County Road 42, 500 feet east of U.S. Highway 301
• Southeast 135th Street, 1700 feet east of U.S. Highway 301
• Southeast 147th Street, 4500 feet east of U.S. Highway 301
Quiet zones are established areas along railroad tracks where train horns are not routinely sounded. These newly approved quiet zones no longer require trains to sound their horns at intersections, unless deemed necessary for safety reasons.
The Marion County Office of the County Engineer, in conjunction with the Florida Department of Transportation and CSX Railroad, upgraded and updated crossing gate arms, medians, signage and warning devices.



Well, that all sounds good in theory, but thems not the facts. Quiet zones are not adhered to by the train conductors. We hear the blaring train horns daily at all times of the day and night. And so will anyone buying in those new villas.

[GoodLife]

Well, that all sounds good in theory, but thems not the facts. Quiet zones are not adhered to by the train conductors. We hear the blaring train horns daily at all times of the day and night. And so will anyone buying in those new villas.


Nice! I'm sure that will help your property value.

It's not theory that lots of homes in Chatham are closer to the train tracks than new villas at Souilliere and Chatham Acres. Any fool can see this on a map.

[Airis2thick]

Made two live visits. Had plenty to read: You tube articles, the books advertised here, Skip Smith, TOTV itself. So much to read it was a little overwhelming.
On second visit got within an hour of signing while house on hold, then asked what was on the other side of the fence. Turned out to be a deal breaker.
That house sold to someone else in two weeks.

Real estate agent contacted us at end of January with a house he thought we'd like. Ended up buying over the internet, even though we knew about the
prison, and the trains, and no golf cart connection Yet (sounds like a country and western song).

Due diligence, there is plenty of information out there. It is what you make of it

[petsetc]

A few points,

First, the TV sales staff are real estate sales associates licensed by Florida, not Realtors. Realtor is a trademarked term available for use only by members of the National Association of REALTORS. TV agents and Realtors also have the same FL license.

Second, you must already be "old" to buy here (I got the 80% over 55 stuff). You have probably have lived/purchased/rented expensive stuff before - take some/all responsibility for committing a significant portion of your retirement to your purchase. Due diligence belongs to you, not some new benevolent benefactor you think you're adopting.

Finally, if you picked wrong, cut your loses right away. Either find a new place in TV, or move outside the bubble where your dollars will probably get you much more.

JMHO

[graciegirl]

Here are several negative facts about The Villages.

It is situated in the middle of Florida that has more lightning strikes than any other part of the U.S. Several homes have burned down in The Villages from lightning strikes in the last ten years.

Real alligators do live in the ponds and they will eat pets.

There are sinkholes in this area. We are tenth on the list of counties that have sinkholes in Western-Central Florida. They are unpredictable and scary. They are due to the geological underpinnings of this part of the earth.

There are many, many, many, older people who live here with a preponderance of one kind of voter. Some consider both a plus and others consider one or the other a minus.

It is hot as hell in the summer. It rains hard for ten minutes every day in the summer.

You can get killed riding in a golf cart. We have lost the lives of more than a dozen villagers in the last ten years in golf cart accidents.

Many people drink and drive who live here. Many people don't.

The bond, the cost of the infrastructure is not part of the price of the new home here as it is in other areas. It is separate. It costs from about 17K for smaller homes to 50K for premiere homes.

[VillageIdiots]

Here are several negative facts about The Villages.

It is situated in the middle of Florida that has more lightning strikes than any other part of the U.S. Several homes have burned down in The Villages from lightning strikes in the last ten years.

Real alligators do live in the ponds and they will eat pets.

There are sinkholes in this area. We are tenth on the list of counties that have sinkholes in Western-Central Florida. They are unpredictable and scary. They are due to the geological underpinnings of this part of the earth.

There are many, many, many, older people who live here with a preponderance of one kind of voter. Some consider both a plus and others consider one or the other a minus.

It is hot as hell in the summer. It rains hard for ten minutes every day in the summer.

You can get killed riding in a golf cart. We have lost the lives of more than a dozen villagers in the last ten years in golf cart accidents.

Many people drink and drive who live here. Many people don't.

Good info. Almost anyone could swap out their own negative facts for each one of the above with respect to where they came from as well. For example, chances are, if you don't live somewhere that a sink hole can destroy your house, a tornado, hurricane, wildfire, or earthquake can. All the more reason to do due diligence. If you live somewhere and don't like it, move somewhere else or be proactive about bringing about positive change. Simply complaining about it gets you nowhere.

Ms. GracieGirl, I'm new here but it appears obvious that you are the Queen Mum of TOTV. I look forward to learning a lot from reading your posts here.

[retiredguy123]

I went to an open house today for a new house in Pine Ridge. There was music playing throughout the house, which is always a red flag for me. The house was located on a busy street. If you are interested in the house, always ask the agent to turn off the music. I went to an open house last week for a pre-owned house in Pinellas. The online photos showed a beautiful pond view, but it did not show the part of the view that showed the truck loading area on the back side of Pinellas Plaza, which was also noisy. I think it is unethical for real estate agents to try to hide defects in their houses.

[eweissenbach]

There are ethical and scrupulous real estate sales people and there are the opposite, just like in everything. Structural issues or major repairs should always be disclosed. Something like a loading dock nearby is readily observable and may or may not be a negative for prospective buyers, so probably would not be disclosed. Lying or covering up for defects is a huge no-no, and should never be tolerated. The biggest problem I have observed in TV is misinformation. Two examples: 1. Have heard more than one salesperson tell prospects at an open house that they "guaranteed" the people would be able to sell for a profit anytime they wished to move. Seriously? Would you mind putting that in writing? 2. I was at an open house once and told a friend that I just added the bond into the price of the house to figure out the gross price. The salesperson overheard me and aggressively responded that "you can't do that - the bond is paid with the taxes and you won't even notice it!" Really? I won't notice that extra $1500 or so when I pay my taxes and that, according to my CPA, isn't deductible and is at a higher rate of interest than a mortgage? That is an insult to my intelligence and IMO a blatant falsehood. Would NEVER use the services of any of those salespeople! BTW, the bond payable in TV would simply be part of the sales price in almost any other area of the country. The Villages is a wonderful place and the homes are mostly fairly priced, but do your research and be informed.

[manaboutown]

I agree with the above post.

One needs to add the amount of the bond to its price to arrive at the actual cost of a home. That is simple arithmetic. As an aside the fact that the interest on the bond is not tax deductible and is higher than normally available mortgage interest adds even more to the cost of the home. I would factor that in as well.

[EPutnam1863]

The pickleball ball pop and a basketball thumping would
personally drive me nuts! 🤭

I wouldn’t even look at a house by either one.

One house we bought had its own tennis court, and the neighbors were thrilled when we took it down.

[EPutnam1863]

I agree with the above post.

One needs to add the amount of the bond to its price to arrive at the actual cost of a home. That is simple arithmetic. As an aside the fact that the interest on the bond is not tax deductible and is higher than normally available mortgage interest adds even more to the cost of the home. I would factor that in as well.

I amy be wrong but I thought on some of the resales, the bond has already been paid and needs not to be paid again.

[Dan9871]

I amy be wrong but I thought on some of the resales, the bond has already been paid and needs not to be paid again.

Yes, on some resale home the bond has already been paid and need not be paid again. But the sellers will probably be trying to recoup what they paid on the bond just as they would try to recoup what they paid for any upgrades they put into the home.

[EPutnam1863]

I went to an open house today for a new house in Pine Ridge. There was music playing throughout the house, which is always a red flag for me. The house was located on a busy street. If you are interested in the house, always ask the agent to turn off the music. I went to an open house last week for a pre-owned house in Pinellas. The online photos showed a beautiful pond view, but it did not show the part of the view that showed the truck loading area on the back side of Pinellas Plaza, which was also noisy. I think it is unethical for real estate agents to try to hide defects in their houses.

If you want to be sure about the location of the house, do a Google search. It is a Godsend, and we rejected a beautiful house listing because Good Earth showed it be next door to a huge parking lot for a huge hospital.

[manaboutown]

I amy be wrong but I thought on some of the resales, the bond has already been paid and needs not to be paid again.

That is true. So if there is no bond on a resale the price (plus closing costs as in any home purchase) is the cost of the home.

[Topspinmo]

why don't you quote and actual resident rather than an unnamed fake news source. Until they built homes south of fenney way we were as close to the prison and quarry as anyone down here. I have never heard a siren, day or night, and i have heard or felt the blast only 4 times in 10 months, not a big deal. We don't hear trains down here, we don't smell garbage or sewage down here, we don't hear fire station alarms, have never seen a snake, rat, or mouse down here, we dried out rapidly after irma, have never heard of a sink hole down here, etc. If the biggest complaint someone has is the blasting, they should feel fortunate and be glad they don't live near the sewage treatment plants or railroad crossings. The positives down here far outweigh any negative, the glass is more than half filled. Time to get back to enjoying it.


yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[eweissenbach]

I amy be wrong but I thought on some of the resales, the bond has already been paid and needs not to be paid again.
Absolutely! We bought a CYV on a FSBO with the bond paid. Took that into consideration in what we were willing to pay.

[Abby10]

anyone else remember the line...you must be ready by 5:01 to buy, I can only hold the house for you for 2 hours, then, my fellow sales agent is going to sell it to his client. I need your decision NOW, what are you going to do.....?

That was high pressure...... and we fell for it....

I wish we would have fallen for it because we would have been $250,000+ richer if we had. The first time we were going to buy was exactly this situation. We decided not to go for it and it went down the line to the next person. That house has since resold for close to double the price we would have paid. At the time, I believe all of those properties sold within a week or two. When an area is "hot", or the demand is more than the supply in TV, this becomes a real situation not one made up by the agents. Too many of us have experienced this first hand to know sometimes this is how it goes down.

The property we ended up purchasing went on the market at 5pm and we made contact with our agent and put a deposit on it by 5:05pm. That entire neighborhood also sold very quickly.

[kstew43]

I agree with the above post.

One needs to add the amount of the bond to its price to arrive at the actual cost of a home. That is simple arithmetic. As an aside the fact that the interest on the bond is not tax deductible and is higher than normally available mortgage interest adds even more to the cost of the home. I would factor that in as well.

Also factor in the neighborhood maintenance fee that you pay on your taxes as well as the bond payment. That can be from $200 to $900 a year on top of your regular taxes. non-advolerums...

[kcrazorbackfan]

We came for our LSV in Aug. of 2014; looked at many houses that week and was interested in a home but the home backed up to big acreage; no one could tell us what was that land was going to be used for, so we crossed that house off the list. Turns out, the land turned into Trailwinds Development; our hesitation and intuition paid off and we're so glad we didn't have to put up with all that noise and dust.

Bottom line, trust your gut and if it doesn't feel right, don't do it.

[Barefoot]

Absolutely! We bought a CYV on a FSBO with the bond paid. Took that into consideration in what we were willing to pay.We bought a CYV through MLS with the bond paid. We also took that into consideration in what we were willing to pay.

[CFrance]

We came for our LSV in Aug. of 2014; looked at many houses that week and was interested in a home but the home backed up to big acreage; no one could tell us what was that land was going to be used for, so we crossed that house off the list. Turns out, the land turned into Trailwinds Development; our hesitation and intuition paid off and we're so glad we didn't have to put up with all that noise and dust.

Bottom line, trust your gut and if it doesn't feel right, don't do it.
You must have been on the same street we were on in 2011, same deal. It was a lovely view, but that land is now Trailwinds. Our sales agent was honest enough to say he didn't know what would happen to that land. We didn't buy there either.

[FenneyGuy]

Everyone who lives in our 53 home village likes to tell the rest of us at every gathering that....

THE VIEW LOTS SOLD in four hours as they live in their homes and enjoy the golf course or the swamp.

Makes me jealous, if I didn't like the folks so much who are enjoying the view.

Our sales agent called us last October about a lot he had found in Fenney which met our requirements perfectly - deep enough for both a forward extended garage and a rear extended lanai, with a water view and greenspace behind it. No view of neighbors' lanais!

He needed a deposit immediately. I trusted him and put a deposit down immediately.

Look at hos quickly Fenney is selling and tell me that I did not make the right decision.

Thanks, Gracie!

[FenneyGuy]

I checked the availability of homesites in Fenney on TheVillages.com. There are no lots listed for sale. Interesting, isn't it? There are lots available in Desoto, ranging in price from 29K to 99K. There is no lot that is as deep with a water view offered at the price we paid. The lowest price water view lot os 3K more than we paid last October.

If your sales rep finds something that meets your requirements, buy it immediately is my advice.

You snooze, you lose.

[skip0358]

Before moving to TV in 2009 we did research of the area and asked questions on TOTV before moving. Graciegirl was one of our early contacts and gave us a lot of info. Our first visit we stayed off property and checked out SEVERAL other locations in and around the ares.Even purchased a piece of property in another development. Then we came to TV and everything changed we couldn't find anyplace else with what was available in and around here. We researched the area both online & looking. WE knew we'd be somewhere in Sumter County so we checked that out online. We met a lovely couple in Spanish Springs Square and boy did they fill us in about taxes, utilities, rules, expenses etc. They should have been sales agents. We had studied the floor plans etc. before we came for our purchase trip. Our sales agent PJ Martin listened took us to 4 areas in Bonita where they were building at the time and picked our lot, met with the design team made a few changes went home and sold our existing home in 9 days. Closed on our home here and everything we had researched online prior to our move was spot on. My taxes which we also researched were spot on. I look at all the resales in new areas already and say didn't do their homework. Didn't know about City Taxes or this expense etc. DO YOUR HOMEWORK there's a ton of information online and ask people who have been here for a while. Sorry for the long rant.

[graciegirl]

Before moving to TV in 2009 we did research of the area and asked questions on TOTV before moving. Graciegirl was one of our early contacts and gave us a lot of info. Our first visit we stayed off property and checked out SEVERAL other locations in and around the ares.Even purchased a piece of property in another development. Then we came to TV and everything changed we couldn't find anyplace else with what was available in and around here. We researched the area both online & looking. WE knew we'd be somewhere in Sumter County so we checked that out online. We met a lovely couple in Spanish Springs Square and boy did they fill us in about taxes, utilities, rules, expenses etc. They should have been sales agents. We had studied the floor plans etc. before we came for our purchase trip. Our sales agent PJ Martin listened took us to 4 areas in Bonita where they were building at the time and picked our lot, met with the design team made a few changes went home and sold our existing home in 9 days. Closed on our home here and everything we had researched online prior to our move was spot on. My taxes which we also researched were spot on. I look at all the resales in new areas already and say didn't do their homework. Didn't know about City Taxes or this expense etc. DO YOUR HOMEWORK there's a ton of information online and ask people who have been here for a while. Sorry for the long rant.

Skip. You have continued to give good, factual information on this forum. You avoid rumors and have a positive take on most things. You are calm and helpful like the firefighter you were.

Thank you for your service, sir. I am glad you two are Villagers!

[wisbad1]

I love my house,noise is never a problem. Our sales person was honest and up front about everything. Thank you Cindy Coffee your are the BEST!!!

[kcrazorbackfan]

You must have been on the same street we were on in 2011, same deal. It was a lovely view, but that land is now Trailwinds. Our sales agent was honest enough to say he didn't know what would happen to that land. We didn't buy there either.

We found the same house, a Seabreeze Cottage, a couple of weeks later across the street from Southern Star. It had been stretched 4' and also had a golf cart garage; found it online, asked our LSV realtor to look at it and bought it (with a high recommendation from her) and the furniture without ever setting foot in it.

[kaseydog]

i went on life style visit on 2013. much talk about buildout, the villages learning college & the villages health centers. -buildout???
-villages learning college -closed
-the villages health centers -if on medicare you must have medicare advantage. my supplimental insurance does not accept medicare advantage.
-if i only knew then what i know now

[graciegirl]

i went on life style visit on 2013. much talk about buildout, the villages learning college & the villages health centers. -buildout???
-villages learning college -closed
-the villages health centers -if on medicare you must have medicare advantage. my supplimental insurance does not accept medicare advantage.
-if i only knew then what i know now

The Learning College was closed because of a nuisance law suit, in my opinion. The Morses must have really considered ceasing building, because they sold Southern Lifestyles and told their own staff they were going to stop. The Villages Health Centers did not/does not take a lot of insurance that many people have, but it is still an excellent try to give us good health care.

If you feel duped and wish to live somewhere else, most everyone I know has sold their homes at a decent profit after a couple of years. Paying for moving in Florida is far cheaper than it is in Northern States.

[EPutnam1863]

Absolutely! We bought a CYV on a FSBO with the bond paid. Took that into consideration in what we were willing to pay.

Does this mean that the seller might have raised the asking price in order to recoup the cost he paid for the bond?

[EPutnam1863]

Also factor in the neighborhood maintenance fee that you pay on your taxes as well as the bond payment. That can be from $200 to $900 a year on top of your regular taxes. non-advolerums...

In some places we lived in, the developer added the bond to the price of the lot. This way the amount the lender lends includes the bond, so the borrower need not pay for it separately.

[EPutnam1863]

I went to an open house today for a new house in Pine Ridge. There was music playing throughout the house, which is always a red flag for me. The house was located on a busy street. If you are interested in the house, always ask the agent to turn off the music. I went to an open house last week for a pre-owned house in Pinellas. The online photos showed a beautiful pond view, but it did not show the part of the view that showed the truck loading area on the back side of Pinellas Plaza, which was also noisy. I think it is unethical for real estate agents to try to hide defects in their houses.

Also online interior photos may show rooms to be bigger than they actually are. This practice is unethical too.

[eweissenbach]

Does this mean that the seller might have raised the asking price in order to recoup the cost he paid for the bond?

They took it into consideration, but the price was very attractive. They told me what a Villages real estate salesperson said they should ask, which made sense and we paid that amount less the 6% which would otherwise go to commission. Worked through local title company - easy squeezy. BTW, almost totally furnished with American Drew off-white furniture.

[2BNTV]

Absolutely! We bought a CYV on a FSBO with the bond paid. Took that into consideration in what we were willing to pay.

Congrats. can't wait until you get here.!!!

[2BNTV]

Here are several negative facts about The Villages.

It is situated in the middle of Florida that has more lightning strikes than any other part of the U.S. Several homes have burned down in The Villages from lightning strikes in the last ten years.

Real alligators do live in the ponds and they will eat pets.

There are sinkholes in this area. We are tenth on the list of counties that have sinkholes in Western-Central Florida. They are unpredictable and scary. They are due to the geological underpinnings of this part of the earth.

There are many, many, many, older people who live here with a preponderance of one kind of voter. Some consider both a plus and others consider one or the other a minus.

It is hot as hell in the summer. It rains hard for ten minutes every day in the summer.

You can get killed riding in a golf cart. We have lost the lives of more than a dozen villagers in the last ten years in golf cart accidents.

Many people drink and drive who live here. Many people don't.

The bond, the cost of the infrastructure is not part of the price of the new home here as it is in other areas. It is separate. It costs from about 17K for smaller homes to 50K for premiere homes.

And yet, just like you, I love it here and wouldn't live anywhere else. :smiley:

[Packer Fan]

Here are several negative facts about The Villages.

It is situated in the middle of Florida that has more lightning strikes than any other part of the U.S. Several homes have burned down in The Villages from lightning strikes in the last ten years.

Real alligators do live in the ponds and they will eat pets.

There are sinkholes in this area. We are tenth on the list of counties that have sinkholes in Western-Central Florida. They are unpredictable and scary. They are due to the geological underpinnings of this part of the earth.

There are many, many, many, older people who live here with a preponderance of one kind of voter. Some consider both a plus and others consider one or the other a minus.

It is hot as hell in the summer. It rains hard for ten minutes every day in the summer.

You can get killed riding in a golf cart. We have lost the lives of more than a dozen villagers in the last ten years in golf cart accidents.

Many people drink and drive who live here. Many people don't.

The bond, the cost of the infrastructure is not part of the price of the new home here as it is in other areas. It is separate. It costs from about 17K for smaller homes to 50K for premiere homes.

Good list Gracie, as usual - Just a few Caveats to it -
1. You live in Florida - there are alligators everywhere.
2. The fact that there are a lot of voters of the correct political persuasion is a huge plus. Sick and tired of living in rundown cities with the wrong type of voters.
3. Golf Cart Accidents - if 12 people have died over the past 2 years, that is 1.2 per year on a population of about 120000. This is 0.001%. Roughly 40,000 people die in Car accidents in the USA a year out of 300 Million people for a rate of .013%. This means you are 13 times safer in a golf cart in the villages than in a Car in the USA. BTW, you are much safer in an Airplane than either one - where there were ZERO deaths last year in the USA.
4. The sinkhole thing does stink, but the odds are very small also.

[ColdNoMore]

:boom:

The poster reported real news from a real news source, not from a fake news source.

Exactly. :oops:

[queasy27]

The developer's new homes do not qualify for VA or FHA financing. A builder must meet certain requirements to be able to sell new homes with VA and FHA loans. Apparently the developer is unwilling to meet and/or sees no need to meet those requirements.

I'd be curious to see a breakdown of how many buyers pay cash. My guess is more than half?

[Chi-Town]

Good list Gracie, as usual - Just a few Caveats to it -
1. You live in Florida - there are alligators everywhere.
2. The fact that there are a lot of voters of the correct political persuasion is a huge plus. Sick and tired of living in rundown cities with the wrong type of voters.
3. Golf Cart Accidents - if 12 people have died over the past 2 years, that is 1.2 per year on a population of about 120000. This is 0.001%. Roughly 40,000 people die in Car accidents in the USA a year out of 300 Million people for a rate of .013%. This means you are 13 times safer in a golf cart in the villages than in a Car in the USA. BTW, you are much safer in an Airplane than either one - where there were ZERO deaths last year in the USA.
4. The sinkhole thing does stink, but the odds are very small also.

Wow, didn't realize that Oak Creek was that run down. Was pretty nice the last time I saw it (1981)

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

[dillywho]

Why don't you quote and actual resident rather than an unnamed fake news source. Until they built homes south of Fenney Way we were as close to the prison and quarry as anyone down here. I have never heard a siren, day or night, and I have heard or felt the blast only 4 times in 10 months, not a big deal. We don't hear trains down here, we don't smell garbage or sewage down here, we don't hear fire station alarms, have never seen a snake, rat, or mouse down here, we dried out rapidly after Irma, have never heard of a sink hole down here, etc. If the biggest complaint someone has is the blasting, they should feel fortunate and be glad they don't live near the sewage treatment plants or railroad crossings. The positives down here far outweigh any negative, the glass is more than half filled. Time to get back to enjoying it.

If you will pm me, I will give you the name of the "fake" news source, and you can read it for yourself. It was a letter to the editor written by a real person. TOTV does not allow naming of other sites on here, but maybe the pm will be ok.

[Just the facts, please]

kstew43;
Just the facts, please............ All real estate agents working for Properties of The Villages are Florida state licensed real estate agents just like any other real estate professional in the State of Florida. The have the same continuing education requirements through the Dept of Professional Regulation and are governed by The Florida Real Estate Commission. They are required by law to Disclosure any facts that may effect the value of residential real property that are not be readily observable to the buyer or seller. The only difference is they do not need to join the Board of Realtors because they don't need to access MLS.

[Just the facts, please]

Just the facts, Please..... The SLOW PROCESS is probably why they don't want to be approved for VA or FHA funding as their own choice in new construction. (Many builders in Florida just do not have the time to wait on VA or FHA inspectors to come and approve what the county building department already approved) The day after a new home closes it will easily qualify for VA or FHA loan because of the quality of the home construction. Many Pre-owned homes all over The Villages have VA or FHA Loans and they were All built by the same builders. Just the facts.........

[Just the facts, please]

kstew43;
Just the facts, please............ All real estate agents working for Properties of The Villages are Florida state licensed real estate agents just like any other real estate professional in the State of Florida. The have the same continuing education requirements through the Dept of Professional Regulation and are governed by The Florida Real Estate Commission. They are required by law to Disclosure any facts that may effect the value of residential real property that are not be readily observable to the buyer or seller. The only difference is they do not need to join the Board of Realtors because they don't need to access MLS.

[ColdNoMore]

:popcorn: :popcorn:

[graciegirl]

Just the facts, Please..... The SLOW PROCESS is probably why they don't want to be approved for VA or FHA funding as their own choice in new construction. (Many builders in Florida just do not have the time to wait on VA or FHA inspectors to come and approve what the county building department already approved) The day after a new home closes it will easily qualify for VA or FHA loan because of the quality of the home construction. Many Pre-owned homes all over The Villages have VA or FHA Loans and they were All built by the same builders. Just the facts.........

Welcome to this Forum. Yesterday I was insulted by someone saying I "shilled" for the developer. I had to look it up.

I love this place and I admire the folks who thought it up and built it and their sisters and their cousins and their aunts and their heirs and their assigns.

I love it for a lot of reasons. I feel safe and at home and accepted and understood when it is a little hard to get out of the chair. I feel like a kid with a new set of crayons when I go to Art Class. I sometimes hit a shot so nicely on the course that I look around to see if I am being scouted. I love that people take pride in their homes and are like the dependable people who lived on my street when I was a child. I love the bunch of people who make me laugh and those that move me to tears. This is home. It fits nicely. I am so grateful to live here.

My admiration for The Villages is genuine and heart felt.

[villagerjack]

Now is this a high pressure situation! Of course it is probably true.

Yes it was TRUE.

[NotGolfer]

Welcome to this Forum. Yesterday I was insulted by someone saying I "shilled" for the developer. I had to look it up.

I love this place and I admire the folks who thought it up and built it and their sisters and their cousins and their aunts and their heirs and their assigns.

I love it for a lot of reasons. I feel safe and at home and accepted and understood when it is a little hard to get out of the chair. I feel like a kid with a new set of crayons when I go to Art Class. I sometimes hit a shot so nicely on the course that I look around to see if I am being scouted. I love that people take pride in their homes and are like the dependable people who lived on my street when I was a child. I love the bunch of people who make me laugh and those that move me to tears. This is home. It fits nicely. I am so grateful to live here.

My admiration for The Villages is genuine and heart felt.

....and I concur!!!!

[Emmakrock@yahoo.com]

We had that happen a couple of years ago. They called us on the golf course and got that! We said just forget it and went to the office and picked up our check

[VApeople]

my supplimental insurance does not accept medicare advantage.

What does that statement mean?

If you are on Medicare, I thought you were eligible for a number of Medicare Advantage Supplemental Insurance policies.

If you choose the United Healthcare Supplemental Insurance, I thought The Villages Health Care would accept it. Is that not true?

[VillageIdiots]

Blasting @ nearby limestone quarry 5 times/month?

What I read is their permit allows for blasting "up to 5 times per month". That doesn't mean they will blast 5 times per month. And I've since read here that people aren't feeling it more than once or twice a month if they feel it at all. I suppose there could be a few homes on the right edge of the village that might hear a PA somewhere but doesn't sound like it's most residents.

[Spikearoni]

Sounds logical.....But, when we first came here years ago, having a limited time frame in which to be there, we were introduced to the squares, amazed at the golf cart access to stores and fooderies.....that everything else, including the style of home we purchased went to the back burner.

The sales agent was so exuberant, and excited, and never mentioned anything negative, that even me as a realtor, fell in to the spell.

So people, including myself, with a short window to purchase...thought with there hearts and not there heads.....and there you go.....boom...

Now I know better...... due diligence is everything....


PS.... TV sales agents are Single Agents, they are not required to tell you about, prisons, dumps and lime plants, sexual predators living next door, ect. They only represent the positives and are not required to mention the negatives.

What does "single agent" mean?

[Mrs. Robinson]

I have stopped looking for another house because so many of them have noise from swimming pool pumps. And, even if you find a house without a noisy pump next door, you have no way to prevent your next door neighbor from building a pool or spa and putting the pump near your bedroom. There should be restrictions on these noisy pumps.

And let's not forget to mention how ugly and what an eye sore they are!

[Mrs. Robinson]

You must have been on the same street we were on in 2011, same deal. It was a lovely view, but that land is now Trailwinds. Our sales agent was honest enough to say he didn't know what would happen to that land. We didn't buy there either.

I don't believe your sales agent "didn't know what would happen to that land."
I don't believe he was honest; he knew the property was zoned commercial.

Anyone can check with the county to find out how a property is zoned.
If it is zoned commercial, as a for instance, you can pretty much bet your bottom dollar that won't change.

I never feel sorry for people whose house ends up backing up to a commercial piece of land.
They had every opportunity to check out what possibly could be going in there before they made the decision to buy.

[Mrs. Robinson]

kstew43;
Just the facts, please............ All real estate agents working for Properties of The Villages are Florida state licensed real estate agents just like any other real estate professional in the State of Florida. The have the same continuing education requirements through the Dept of Professional Regulation and are governed by The Florida Real Estate Commission. They are required by law to Disclosure any facts that may effect the value of residential real property that are not be readily observable to the buyer or seller. The only difference is they do not need to join the Board of Realtors because they don't need to access MLS.

Well . . . some of your facts are correct but you've missed some.

Yes, all licensed Florida agents and Realtors must renew their license every other year and do the continuing ed. This "continuing education" is at best, minimal (mostly done with an open book exam), and is the only requirement for continued licensure. Most TV agents have never worked in general real estate and have never taken any additional related courses. They do not have to abide by the Code of Ethics that Realtors must abide to.

Only Realtors have the advantage of continuing their education even farther, by taking courses offered by their local board and/or the National Assn. of Realtors. They are able to add additional designations to any existing credentials which indicates their commitment to their profession. TV agents cannot take any of these courses! There is a big difference in the education of TV agents and Realtors.

Disclosures are mostly the responsibility of a seller to a potential buyer. What disclosures must the agent disclose to his client? Off the top of my head, the only one I can think of is that he is a Transaction Broker, Buyers' Agent, Single Agent, etc. He does not have to disclose the adjoining property is commercial, that someone was shot in the house, that the owner had AIDS, blah, blah, blah -- unless asked.

The "only difference between TV agents and Realtors is that they do not need to join their local board" . . . . the ONLY difference? You have to be joking!

[Mrs. Robinson]

What does "single agent" mean?

Within The Villages, a Single Agent is working for the developer -- not the seller or buyer.

It is the developer with whom he has a relationship and with whom his allegiance is toward.

[Just the facts, please]

Thanks

[Just the facts, please]

Mrs. Robinson,
Just the facts, please..... The licensed agents For Properties of the Villages when selling the NEW homes are obviously working for the seller, the developer. However, When they are selling PRE-OWNED homes their Single Agent status means they are still representing the seller, the private home owner. They never become transaction brokers.

[Just the facts, please]

Mrs. Robinson,
Just the facts, please...... My understanding is the Licensed Real Estate Agents for Properties of the Villages have a minimum of weekly training, along with special other training throughout a year with Nationally Recognized people like David Knox & Jon Gordon, in person or via video and recently Mark Sanborn in person. I have an active Florida license and was a Realtor in Citrus County before moving to the Villages. The minimal training required to be a Realtor pales in comparison. I was a Realtor, how about you?
Just the Facts

[manaboutown]

Mrs. Robinson,
Just the facts, please...... My understanding is the Licensed Real Estate Agents for Properties of the Villages have a minimum of weekly training, along with special other training throughout a year with Nationally Recognized people like David Knox & Jon Gordon, in person or via video and recently Mark Sanborn in person. I have an active Florida license and was a Realtor in Citrus County before moving to the Villages. The minimal training required to be a Realtor pales in comparison. I was a Realtor, how about you?
Just the Facts

I had never heard of these guys so I looked them up.

David Knox is a real estate sales trainer. He teaches agents how to move the product inspiring licensed agents to become "producers" as they are known in real estate broker jargon.

Online Training - David Knox Productions, Inc. (https://www.davidknox.com/training/)

Jon Gordon appears to be a motivational speaker. Companies may hire him to keep their sales people's mental attitude positive so they continue performing.

Jon Gordon | Bestselling Author and Keynote Speaker (http://www.jongordon.com)

Mark Sanborn is another motivational speaker.

Mark Sanborn - Keynote Leadership Speaker & Best-Selling Author (https://marksanborn.com)

IMHO the developer is wise to regularly bring in folks like these to keep their sales staff well trained, fired up and positive. Every successful business of which I am aware tries to keep its sales staff incentivized and productive

[Marathon Man]

I think I know why people houses are shaking.

[Topspinmo]

you'd think so, wouldn't you. But a sink hole in your home must be disclosed, State law... but not your neighborhood.

And what's development installed running under your home 10 to 20 feet down? Like pressurized transfer tubes?

[Barefoot]

I never feel sorry for people whose house ends up backing up to a commercial piece of land.

I agree. I would never buy a house backing to commercial land, expecting that it would stay undeveloped forever.
As a matter of fact, I would never buy a house backing to a large residential acreage in case it is rezoned to commercial.
Commercial land will eventually be developed, no surprise there.

[CFrance]

I don't believe your sales agent "didn't know what would happen to that land."
I don't believe he was honest; he knew the property was zoned commercial.

Anyone can check with the county to find out how a property is zoned.
If it is zoned commercial, as a for instance, you can pretty much bet your bottom dollar that won't change.

I never feel sorry for people whose house ends up backing up to a commercial piece of land.
They had every opportunity to check out what possibly could be going in there before they made the decision to buy.
At the time, it was grazing land with a gazillion cows, not just empty land or land with a cow or two to avoid property taxes. What our sales agent was telling us was that there was no guarantee that it would remain pasture land, and he didn't know what it might become. Of course, it's now Trailwinds.


He wasn't trying to pull the wool over our eyes. Or maybe the leather...:shrug:

[ColdNoMore]

Mrs. Robinson,
Just the facts, please...... My understanding is the Licensed Real Estate Agents for Properties of the Villages have a minimum of weekly training, along with special other training throughout a year with Nationally Recognized people like David Knox & Jon Gordon, in person or via video and recently Mark Sanborn in person. I have an active Florida license and was a Realtor in Citrus County before moving to the Villages. The minimal training required to be a Realtor pales in comparison. I was a Realtor, how about you?
Just the Facts

I had never heard of these guys so I looked them up.

David Knox is a real estate sales trainer. He teaches agents how to move the product inspiring licensed agents to become "producers" as they are known in real estate broker jargon.

Online Training - David Knox Productions, Inc. (https://www.davidknox.com/training/)

Jon Gordon appears to be a motivational speaker. Companies may hire him to keep their sales people's mental attitude positive so they continue performing.

Jon Gordon | Bestselling Author and Keynote Speaker (http://www.jongordon.com)

Mark Sanborn is another motivational speaker.

Mark Sanborn - Keynote Leadership Speaker & Best-Selling Author (https://marksanborn.com)

IMHO the developer is wise to regularly bring in folks like these to keep their sales staff well trained, fired up and positive. Every successful business of which I am aware tries to keep its sales staff incentivized and productive

So the facts are, that the "additional training' is 'Rah-Rah, get out there and sell'...type training?

There's certainly nothing wrong with that, as long as one isn't trying to conflate it with 'professional required continuing education or certification'...within one's field. :shrug:


FACTS...do matter. :ho:

[kstew43]

And what's development installed running under your home 10 to 20 feet down? Like pressurized transfer tubes?

I'm sorry....what?

[Abby10]

So the facts are, that the "additional training' is 'Rah-Rah, get out there and sell'...type training?

There's certainly nothing wrong with that, as long as one isn't trying to conflate it with 'professional required continuing education or certification'...within one's field. :shrug:


FACTS...do matter. :ho:

In reading justthefacts,please posts, I don't think he was conflating anything. I thought it was clearly stated that the TV agents had to do the required CE to maintain their licenses, plus the additional training which he said included what you refer to as "rah-rah" training. I'm sure if TV is like any company (large or small) with licensed professionals, some of their additional training also involves keeping their licensed employees on top of new developments in the industry as well as changes in the law, new standards, etc.

However, maybe I just misunderstood who you thought was conflating.....

[ColdNoMore]

In reading justthefacts,please posts, I don't think he was conflating anything. I thought it was clearly stated that the TV agents had to do the required CE to maintain their licenses, plus the additional training which he said included what you refer to as "rah-rah" training. I'm sure if TV is like any company (large or small) with licensed professionals, some of their additional training also involves keeping their licensed employees on top of new developments in the industry as well as changes in the law, new standards, etc.

However, maybe I just misunderstood who you thought was conflating.....

I believe the brand new member's 'Just the facts, please' posts (and presumptive user name)...speak for themselves. :ho:

It would be analogous to someone new signing up, to address a single subject/issue with the user name of...'Never Wrong.' :shrug:

[Mrs. Robinson]

Mrs. Robinson,
Just the facts, please..... The licensed agents For Properties of the Villages when selling the NEW homes are obviously working for the seller, the developer. However, When they are selling PRE-OWNED homes their Single Agent status means they are still representing the seller, the private home owner. They never become transaction brokers.

Yes, that is true.

[Mrs. Robinson]

Mrs. Robinson,
Just the facts, please...... My understanding is the Licensed Real Estate Agents for Properties of the Villages have a minimum of weekly training, along with special other training throughout a year with Nationally Recognized people like David Knox & Jon Gordon, in person or via video and recently Mark Sanborn in person. I have an active Florida license and was a Realtor in Citrus County before moving to the Villages. The minimal training required to be a Realtor pales in comparison. I was a Realtor, how about you?
Just the Facts

I am not aware TV has "live" seminars such as you mentioned and truthfully, find showing videos almost laughable. I also doubt that weekly training is given, but have nothing to back up my "doubt" other than what I have gleaned from sellers and potential buyers.

I don't know what kind of additional training your board in Citrus County had. Judging from your statement, you didn't get any.

I was a Realtor in Broward and Palm Beach Counties. I also made a commitment to my profession and went on to get my GRI and CRS designations. In both counties we had required courses which were given by the Board of Realtors. We had weekly sales meetings and always had a speaker who gave an informative talk on a related real estate topic.

There is no question in my mind that the educational level of TV agents pales compared to Realtors.

I have been a Realtor and have been licensed since 1984 and have been to many rodeos during that time span. What I find reprehensible -- yes, I said reprehensible -- is that TV agents are not permitted to show any properties that are not listed by TV. That Realtors cannot show/sell any TV properties. Because of this kind of attitude and method of doing business, it is the mostly the seller who is paying the price because he is not getting the full service he deserves. In addition, if the buyer wants the fair service he deserves, he must use two agents (a Realtor and a TV agent) to see all the qualifying properties he is interested in.

Some years back TV did cooperate with all brokers, but as you know, that doesn't exist any longer. The developer decided why give others a piece of the pie when he can have it all, regardless of the residents he is hurting. He wants it all when you buy and wants it all when you sell . . . the ultimate greed!

[Mrs. Robinson]

In reading justthefacts,please posts, I don't think he was conflating anything. I thought it was clearly stated that the TV agents had to do the required CE to maintain their licenses, plus the additional training which he said included what you refer to as "rah-rah" training. I'm sure if TV is like any company (large or small) with licensed professionals, some of their additional training also involves keeping their licensed employees on top of new developments in the industry as well as changes in the law, new standards, etc.

However, maybe I just misunderstood who you thought was conflating.....

TV agents are not concerned with new developments within the industry because they only work "within the bubble."

[PennBF]

I have a sister who is a Real Estate Broker in both Florida and North Carolina. She said the Florida buyers have to be real diligent as the disclosure rules in Florida are pretty lose as compared to a state like NC.:bowdown:

[PennBF]

It is true that when buying a house you have to be willing to wait and have patience. We rented for a couple of months over a couple of years and picked out the area we wanted and watched it for 2 years before a house came on the market in that area that had only been used for 3 months. We bought it and have been here for over 10 years and always grateful for the home and location. We can be at the bank(s) within a couple of minutes, the drug store in a couple of minutes, the market in 5 minuted, etc etc. We have great neighbors a beautiful home with large yard, and many etc's. Were we lucky NO. We worked hard and waited for the right home. We see people buying in the Villages and wonder what the heck are they thinking. They must not have done any research, or have patience. It is unfortunate as you never want to see someone disappointed and surely there are some that are going to be!!:shrug:

[graciegirl]

We decided to buy here and found the model we wanted, just where we wanted it. Unfortunately we waited a half an hour too long and it was purchased by someone else. We bought the brand new already built home in Hadley next to it. The folks in our wanted home next door became cherished friends, and when we decided to move to The Villages full time and sell that house, sold it quickly.

It is easy to sell a home here, it is far cheaper to move your belongings here, and many Villagers are on their third home.

I don't sell homes, never been a realtor, but enjoy watching this amazing market here.

[eweissenbach]

We decided to buy here and found the model we wanted, just where we wanted it. Unfortunately we waited a half an hour too long and it was purchased by someone else. We bought the brand new already built home in Hadley next to it. The folks in our wanted home next door became cherished friends, and when we decided to move to The Villages full time and sell that house, sold it quickly.

It is easy to sell a home here, it is far cheaper to move your belongings here, and many Villagers are on their third home.

I don't sell homes, never been a realtor, but enjoy watching this amazing market here.

Grace is right, as usual, this is truly an amazing and unique market. I continue to be amazed that in 2011, in the midst of the housing recession, one percent of all new homes sold in the U.S., were sold in The Villages. Consider that statistic for a moment - one of every 100 homes in a country of more than 300 million, was sold in a town of, at that time, less than 100 thousand. If that doesn't imply the perceived value offered in this community I don't know what would.

[manaboutown]

I wonder what the average days on the market number for preowned homes in The Villages is for both the VLS and the MLS...

[graciegirl]

I wonder what the average days on the market number for preowned homes in The Villages is for both the VLS and the MLS systems...

One of our excellent neighbors who is a realtor, her name is Mary Grant, sold five homes in our neighborhood in less than thirty days. The Villages sold three rather quickly here too. This was a couple of months ago.

[manaboutown]

One of our excellent neighbors who is a realtor, her name is Mary Grant, sold five homes in our neighborhood in less than thirty days. The Villages sold three rather quickly here too. This was a couple of months ago.

Now that is what I call a HOT market!

[graciegirl]

Now that is what I call a HOT market!

They may all be moving because I am annoying.

Just thought I'd say it first.

[Abby10]

They may all be moving because I am annoying.

Just thought I'd say it first.

Funny! But I doubt it......;)

[graciegirl]

An old thread. Few months back.

Watching all those new homes selling and only Villages sales reps able to sell them must make a lot of MLS folks feel left out.

We have a wonderful MLS realtor living in our Village and she is a very good at selling homes. Her name is Mary Grant. She sold five in our village this summer.

Our favorite Villages rep is Jim McLaughlin.

Our next door neighbor bought a lovely home in Fenney. I can see why. It is beautiful there.

[B-flat]

We recently were in the market for a CYV in the north end. We picked out 3 properties over the course of 3 days A, B, C our first choice was A, when we wanted to make an offer we found A was sold then the same situation for B and C. finally property D which we had not considered before losing A, B or C was the one we decided to make an offer.............too late that was under under contract with the contingency the buyers had to sell their current home first. I was told I could make an offer when I arrived in Florida and the other buyer would have 24 hours to respond. WE did not have to sell any othe property to make the buy. Fortunately for us the other party could not complete the deal and we got a CYV we love in the area that was our first choice.

[blueeagle65]

Caveat emptor.....

[rjm1cc]

It is up to the buyer to due as much investigation as they want and to actually read all the documents before buying.
I know a woman who was buying a lot on a golf course. She spent a couple of hours sitting in the back yard to see what it would be like to live there. She bought one block in from the golf course.

[BK001]

Choo Choo Ch'boogie - Louis Jordan - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8uxrypkqv4)

Thanks for posting. Reminds me of music too.

I live in Lynnhaven and we can hear the train horns, toots and whistles. To me the sounds are lovely. When I hear them, invariably my mind hears Johnny Cash singing the lyrics “I hear the train a comin', it's rolling round the bend “. And it’s a very pleasant experience. In fact, I wish it sounded a little more frequently since I rarely hear the trains anymore. I must be used to them. Or could it be my hearing?

Other times it reminds me of the lyrics

One toke over the line sweet Jesus
One toke over the line
Sittin' downtown in a railway station
One toke over the line

Waitin' for the train that goes home, sweet Mary
Hopin' that the train is on time
Sittin' downtown in a railway station
One toke over the line


Here is a nice rendition – I especially enjoy the oxymoronic justapositional nature of this song choice-to-performance venue. Really Lawrence? LOL Holy Smokes!


One Toke Over The Line - Lawrence Welk - WTF! (1971) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8tdmaEhMHE)


Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did.

[asianthree]

I wonder what the average days on the market number for preowned homes in The Villages is for both the VLS and the MLS...

We sold house #1 in 3 days, we bought house #3 first 3 hours on the market

[Gpsma]

We sold house #1 in 3 days, we bought house #3 first 3 hours on the market

Asian..just curiois..why did you move?

[Villageswimmer]

Thanks for posting. Reminds me of music too.

I live in Lynnhaven and we can hear the train horns, toots and whistles. To me the sounds are lovely. When I hear them, invariably my mind hears Johnny Cash singing the lyrics “I hear the train a comin', it's rolling round the bend “. And it’s a very pleasant experience. In fact, I wish it sounded a little more frequently since I rarely hear the trains anymore. I must be used to them. Or could it be my hearing?

Other times it reminds me of the lyrics

One toke over the line sweet Jesus
One toke over the line
Sittin' downtown in a railway station
One toke over the line

Waitin' for the train that goes home, sweet Mary
Hopin' that the train is on time
Sittin' downtown in a railway station
One toke over the line


Here is a nice rendition – I especially enjoy the oxymoronic justapositional nature of this song choice-to-performance venue. Really Lawrence? LOL Holy Smokes!


One Toke Over The Line - Lawrence Welk - WTF! (1971) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8tdmaEhMHE)


Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did.


Loved the Welk video. Also love the sound of trains.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

The Villages salespeople must be doing a great job at pushing Fenney. I had a friend that I've known for years come down and visit and decide that they wanted to live here. They asked me all kinds of questions and I took them all over TV.

They asked about Fenney and I pointed out several reasons why I would never buy there. I got a call from him a few days later telling me that they bought in Fenney.

He told me how they explained how bridges would be built and the timetable for building them. They explained that plans were in the works for a new town square. He loved the view from the back of this particular house and he bought.

[Abby10]

The Villages salespeople must be doing a great job at pushing Fenney. I had a friend that I've known for years come down and visit and decide that they wanted to live here. They asked me all kinds of questions and I took them all over TV.

They asked about Fenney and I pointed out several reasons why I would never buy there. I got a call from him a few days later telling me that they bought in Fenney.

He told me how they explained how bridges would be built and the timetable for building them. They explained that plans were in the works for a new town square. He loved the view from the back of this particular house and he bought.

I never thought I would consider it either. In fact, when we bought in Dunedin that felt too far south to me. But it is really beautiful in the Fenney area and you get a lot of nice features in the new homes down there, especially for the price. I'm anxious to see in a year or so what the actual tax difference will be compared to the other parts of Sumter County.

I think in time that area of TV will be very desirable once the new town square is in place and the commercial area around it is built up. Heck, it's pretty hot right now - I can't believe how quickly it is moving along and how fast the houses are selling.

Best wishes to your friend. I'm sure you are happy he decided to become a Villager.

[graciegirl]

The Villages salespeople must be doing a great job at pushing Fenney. I had a friend that I've known for years come down and visit and decide that they wanted to live here. They asked me all kinds of questions and I took them all over TV.

They asked about Fenney and I pointed out several reasons why I would never buy there. I got a call from him a few days later telling me that they bought in Fenney.

He told me how they explained how bridges would be built and the timetable for building them. They explained that plans were in the works for a new town square. He loved the view from the back of this particular house and he bought.

Jim. Our neighbor moved to Fenney. Have you been there for lunch or dinner? It is lovely. I think the villages reps have an easy job.