Buying vs. renting (for snowbirding)

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Here's the dilemma we're trying to resolve in our minds: Buy a home (new or resale) in TV or rent. This is initially anticipated to be for staying in TV for a 3-4 month timeframe during the winter months. It's also not something we're going to be doing right away - we're trying to think/plan ahead, maybe a couple of years out.

Given that we'd only be staying at TV for the winters - with perhaps a scattered stay or two throughout the year here and there - we can't seem to make (pure) financial sense out of buying a place. If we were anticipating selling out here at home and moving to TV full-time in the not-too-distant future, that would certainly put a different slant on things. But we just built the home we're presently in here around two years ago and just love it. And central OH ain't too bad a place to spend the non-winter months (at least to us!). :smiley:

The rationale: We can rent a modest house in TV for three months for about what the annual overhead (sans any mortgage cost/expense) would be to own a similar place there.

Assumptions:
a. I'm discounting any appreciation in the value of an owned home, at least looking out on, say, a 5-year time horizon - simply based on the state of the current home ownership marketplace (though we do realize the housing market in TV is certainly different than virtually any other place nowadays).
b. Granted, to us there is perceived value in owning a place versus renting (nice to have a place you can call your own!) but we're trying to focus on just the financial aspect of things at present.
c. We're also the types that would lose sleep owning and maintaining a home "long distance". Been there done that while trying to sell our old place after we'd moved in to the new house - and the old place was a 5 minute drive away! :shocked:
d. We also wouldn't have any real interest in renting the owned place in TV during the off-winter months when we weren't around.

Again, if we were to decide at some future point to bail out of OH and move to TV permanently, then the focus changes completely. But for the forseeable future, we don't see that happening.

So I'm looking for other's insights as perhaps we've missed something(s) in our thought processes. Any feedback/thoughts/questions/comments/help appreciated! Sorry to drone on - figured it was best to try to paint as complete a picture as possible.

Thanks -
Bill

[kentucky blue]

The rationale: We can rent a modest house in TV for three months for about what the annual overhead (sans any mortgage cost/expense) would be to own a similar place there.
c. We're also the types that would lose sleep owning and maintaining a home "long distance". Been there done that while trying to sell our old place after we'd moved in to the new house - and the old place was a 5 minute drive away! :shocked:


Thanks -
Bill

You need to rent ,soooooooooooooooooooooo you can sleep at night, plus it gives you time to find exactly what you want.Even though, i just purchased a home in TV,after looking for only 4 months, i would recommend most people rent first. That's the wise and prudent decision to make ,especially in the current real estate market.In my case, Sharon found THE house she had to have,and since i've lived on the edge most of my life,and have never been known as either wise or prudent.Plus, who can turn down the heartfelt wishes of a lovely woman, certainly not me, that gun she had pointed at the back of my head had NO influence on my decision!!!!!!!Good luck.

:22yikes::bowdown::22yikes:

[redwitch]

You do have to factor in the cost of high season rentals (frequently over $3,000 a month) vs. owning. Right now, the housing market is lower even in TV, so you can get a little more house than you might be able to get in 5 years. Also, I'm not sure there would be any new homes in 5 years -- the build out may be complete by then (not sure of the developer's timing, sorry). So, if new is important, that's another factor.

While it is an additional expense, hiring a good home watcher makes a huge difference in your piece of mind and there are several in TV (a couple of not-so-good, but many are good to excellent).

You really have to decide what is right for you. There is a distinct advantage to being able to come down whenever you want with no worries about having a place to stay, the place being in good condition, etc. I do believe this is a great time to buy but I also understand the maintenance on two homes, especially for a long period can be overwhelming.

Try renting for at least one season and then see how you feel. Renting may give you the push you need to go either way. Either way, I don't think that, ultimately, you'll regret your decision.

[JimJoe]

Excellent post. I am in the same situation. Here are few more thoughts.
1. You may be surprised how often during the summer you end up "visiting" your winter home, especially if you make close friends in TV.
2. Home prices will continue to drop for a year or so BUT they will go back up, and if you believe inflation is the only way the national debt can be handled, the increases could be huge.
3. There are no income taxes in Florida. If you live in TV more than half the year, you could make Ohio your summer home and be State tax free.
4. You cannot personalize a rental home. You cant have permanent things stored there. It wont be like home, it will be a rental home.
5. You never know what is going to happen to rental costs.
6. Would you rather invest money into a safe haven like gold or real estate. (Real estate has ongoing costs but you get to enjoy it. Gold has purchasing and sale costs and I do not get a thrill out of looking at gold shares or even a gold bar.)
7. You can always sell the home in TV if it does not work out. You MAY lose some of your investment by declining costs or sales costs, but yhou still had the enjoyment and will KNOW what was the best decision.

Now some negatives.
1. When you buy in TV, your winter home is always in the same place. If you rent, you can change to various locations each year or even during the same winter.
2. Do not forget that you not only have to have your TV home watched while you are gone, but you have to have your Ohio home watched while you are in TV.
3. There are more expenses in maintaining two homes than you have thought of.
4. The IRS issue (which is not a deal breaker for me but is a concern) MIGHT be decided, but it seems it might go on for years. Do you want to wait years?
5. There are complications with two homes, not just expenses... mail, doctors, weddings and funerals, voting. etc.
6. Are there things about Ohio you cannot live without, grandkids. friends, recreations, church activities, hometown feelings or connections.

Close your eyes and visualize yourself in your home in TV and thinking about your home in Ohio, and vice versa. How financially difficult will it be?

My bottom line has been very well stated by others here. It is a HUGE decision for me. Can you sleep at night owning two homes?

[rjm1cc]

I would rent until I was ready to move full time.

A great benefit to renting is that you could pick different Villages and types of home to get a feel for each. You could even move each month if you wanted to. I think the ability to learn about TV first hand before you buy is the key. Also, you do not know what may happen in your life to make that final move to TV unrealiztic and then you would have to sell the house.

I do not think the decision is a financial one for you, but rather a lifestyle decision. Forget the dollars when making up your mind.

[mokey]

I would rent, no question. You will get many opinions, but with no plans to move here in the future, this is what I would do.

[Pturner]

Bill-n-Brillo,

With the situation you described, and especially your concern about sleeping at night, I think I would rent.

We purchased a home in TV and are not full-time yet, but our situation is different from yours. We come down as often as we can for a few days to a week-- generally once a month except Jan.-March. We rent our house out during the Jan.-March snowbird (high rent) season. We don't need to "snowbird" as we live in Atlanta. We love having a place of our own there! We love bringing friends or relatives to visit.

However, if we were coming down for a few months stay at a time, and generally only once a year, we probably would have rented.

You can always decide to buy later.

[bkcunningham1]

I'd llike to know how Gracie knew what the post was about before it was posted last night. I'm impressed Gracie. Very impressed.

[buffy]

I have lurked a long time here, just learning. Been to TV once and loved it. This thread brings me out of the shadows because we have been wondering the same thing. You all bring out good, no, great! points.

But I am still wondering about how snowbirds fit in for 3 months at a time. When we come, we will be anxious to immerse ourselves in the community---get to know the neighbors, socialize, join clubs, etc. Is it realistic to do those things as a renter without feeling like an outsider?

[ijusluvit]

Excellent post. I am in the same situation. Here are few more thoughts.
1. You may be surprised how often during the summer you end up "visiting" your winter home, especially if you make close friends in TV.
2. Home prices will continue to drop for a year or so BUT they will go back up, and if you believe inflation is the only way the national debt can be handled, the increases could be huge.
3. There are no income taxes in Florida. If you live in TV more than half the year, you could make Ohio your summer home and be State tax free.
4. You cannot personalize a rental home. You cant have permanent things stored there. It wont be like home, it will be a rental home.
5. You never know what is going to happen to rental costs.
6. Would you rather invest money into a safe haven like gold or real estate. (Real estate has ongoing costs but you get to enjoy it. Gold has purchasing and sale costs and I do not get a thrill out of looking at gold shares or even a gold bar.)
7. You can always sell the home in TV if it does not work out. You MAY lose some of your investment by declining costs or sales costs, but yhou still had the enjoyment and will KNOW what was the best decision.

Now some negatives.
1. When you buy in TV, your winter home is always in the same place. If you rent, you can change to various locations each year or even during the same winter.
2. Do not forget that you not only have to have your TV home watched while you are gone, but you have to have your Ohio home watched while you are in TV.
3. There are more expenses in maintaining two homes than you have thought of.
4. The IRS issue (which is not a deal breaker for me but is a concern) MIGHT be decided, but it seems it might go on for years. Do you want to wait years?
5. There are complications with two homes, not just expenses... mail, doctors, weddings and funerals, voting. etc.
6. Are there things about Ohio you cannot live without, grandkids. friends, recreations, church activities, hometown feelings or connections.

Close your eyes and visualize yourself in your home in TV and thinking about your home in Ohio, and vice versa. How financially difficult will it be?

My bottom line has been very well stated by others here. It is a HUGE decision for me. Can you sleep at night owning two homes?

Wow, this is a terrific collection of ideas!! Especially some things folks don't always think about. VISUALIZING life here/there is so important.

Here's a couple of extra thoughts:

Of course dollars are important, but after all is said and done, if you can afford to own two houses then my thought is: DO IT!
But not this year. Rent this winter, more than one place would be better, because you can get the different flavor of what houses, neighborhoods and people are like and what you really prefer. Living here and at this time in your life IS DIFFERENT! You must experience it. If you wonder what a courtyard villa would be like, maybe one on a golf course, with a pool/spa, rent one for a month. (mine is available, but only in January). If you want to experience different areas, rent in the gorgeous, established northern villages. If you want to experience the excitement of brand new, go south. I'll bet my socks you will answer most if not all of your questions over a three month experience.

Your rationale about rent and ownership costs (without a mortgage) being about equal is correct. But I really believe that house prices in TV are going to accelerate from 2011 on. It's speculative that the housing segment of the economy will improve generally, but there's no denying the enormous number of boomers thinking the same thoughts you are. Word of mouth and the Developer's effective advertising have made TV far more widely known as a place with a very desirable lifestyle image (funny how the truth seems to get out).

Ordinarily I would say that if you are nervous about what's going on in the 'other' house, forget buying and keep resting easy. But we were in your shoes, bought here in 2004, and decided to go completely nuts. That is, we decorated our place exactly as we wanted it. Then we hired a terrific management company to take care of it AND rent it. It has been a perfect arrangement. The rental income has allowed us to do lots more than we thought we could afford. The guests have been fabulous. Nothing has ever been broken or disturbed. It's actually comforting to know that the house is lived in and cared for. Our management company folks are total 'detail nazis'. We wonder if we would notice as much as they do.

If you just can't handle someone in your house, there are excellent home watch services here. You got a post above from Redwitch, who said the same thing, but was too modest to say that she is famous for her home watch services. The good ones look at EVERYTHING while you're gone. I think the next thing they are going to do is contact clients monthly by computer and take you on a video tour to assure you that everything is just fine.

Because of our parent care obligations up north, we are only here for a month or two a year, in the winter. But we have snuck down (from upstate NY) other times for brief periods. The periods available for rent keep shrinking. We feel so fortunate to have our place in TV. Every time we go it is a wonderful reunion with our neighbors. We feel like kids at Christmas when we go through the gates to our village.

Send a private message if you have any specific questions. Good luck. You're on the right track!

[Pturner]

I have lurked a long time here, just learning. Been to TV once and loved it. This thread brings me out of the shadows because we have been wondering the same thing. You all bring out good, no, great! points.

But I am still wondering about how snowbirds fit in for 3 months at a time. When we come, we will be anxious to immerse ourselves in the community---get to know the neighbors, socialize, join clubs, etc. Is it realistic to do those things as a renter without feeling like an outsider?

Hi Buffy,
Welcome to TOTV! Some three-month visitors have posted before that it was hard, some have said they had no problems socializing and getting to know neighbors.

My guess is that whenever you are the outsider, you have to be more the one making the effort. If you are outgoing and friendly, start conversations, invite folks over for drinks or out to dinner, I bet you find that you can find things in common and make friends here. The weekly activity newspaper will list the activities, clubs and contacts. For clubs, I would call the club leader in advance and ask if they welcome guests. Most probably do. Introduce yourself to the club leader and others when you go. I bet you'll make friends!

Go to the 3rd Friday lunches at Krispers. It's a great place to meet newcomers and veterans.

I would also suggest that you stay connected here on TOTV, not just as a lurker, but as a contributor to the conversations. If you've lurked long enough you already know that you can meet many helpful, welcoming and friendly TVers right here on this board.

Come on down to TV and jump right in. You'll love it.

Best regards,
Pturner

[JimJoe]

Wow, this is a terrific collection of ideas!! Especially some things folks don't always think about. VISUALIZING life here/there is so important.

Here's a couple of extra thoughts:

Of course dollars are important, but after all is said and done, if you can afford to own two houses then my thought is: DO IT!
But not this year. Rent this winter, more than one place would be better, because you can get the different flavor of what houses, neighborhoods and people are like and what you really prefer. Living here and at this time in your life IS DIFFERENT! You must experience it. If you wonder what a courtyard villa would be like, maybe one on a golf course, with a pool/spa, rent one for a month. (mine is available, but only in January). If you want to experience different areas, rent in the gorgeous, established northern villages. If you want to experience the excitement of brand new, go south. I'll bet my socks you will answer most if not all of your questions over a three month experience.

Your rationale about rent and ownership costs (without a mortgage) being about equal is correct. But I really believe that house prices in TV are going to accelerate from 2011 on. It's speculative that the housing segment of the economy will improve generally, but there's no denying the enormous number of boomers thinking the same thoughts you are. Word of mouth and the Developer's effective advertising have made TV far more widely known as a place with a very desirable lifestyle image (funny how the truth seems to get out).

Ordinarily I would say that if you are nervous about what's going on in the 'other' house, forget buying and keep resting easy. But we were in your shoes, bought here in 2004, and decided to go completely nuts. That is, we decorated our place exactly as we wanted it. Then we hired a terrific management company to take care of it AND rent it. It has been a perfect arrangement. The rental income has allowed us to do lots more than we thought we could afford. The guests have been fabulous. Nothing has ever been broken or disturbed. It's actually comforting to know that the house is lived in and cared for. Our management company folks are total 'detail nazis'. We wonder if we would notice as much as they do.

If you just can't handle someone in your house, there are excellent home watch services here. You got a post above from Redwitch, who said the same thing, but was too modest to say that she is famous for her home watch services. The good ones look at EVERYTHING while you're gone. I think the next thing they are going to do is contact clients monthly by computer and take you on a video tour to assure you that everything is just fine.

Because of our parent care obligations up north, we are only here for a month or two a year, in the winter. But we have snuck down (from upstate NY) other times for brief periods. The periods available for rent keep shrinking. We feel so fortunate to have our place in TV. Every time we go it is a wonderful reunion with our neighbors. We feel like kids at Christmas when we go through the gates to our village.

Send a private message if you have any specific questions. Good luck. You're on the right track!

Thank you for your ideas.. they are very helpful. Here is my question.
I have stayed with relatives several times in both a CYV and an Amarillo ranch. One is north and one is south. I was not there long enough to make friends with neighbors but I did meet them. Do you think it is necessary to live in a home in TV for more than a week at a time to get a feel for what area of TV and what kind of home you would prefer, and most importantly, not change and look for a new home shortly after buying in TV. I think the CYO is the way to go for snowbirds or pet owners, and for people who want to use their back yards and patios. Does anyone disagree?
Thanks. JJ

[JimJoe]

Hi Buffy,
Welcome to TOTV! Some three-month visitors have posted before that it was hard, some have said they had no problems socializing and getting to know neighbors.

My guess is that whenever you are the outsider, you have to be more the one making the effort. If you are outgoing and friendly, start conversations, invite folks over for drinks or out to dinner, I bet you find that you can find things in common and make friends here. The weekly activity newspaper will list the activities, clubs and contacts. For clubs, I would call the club leader in advance and ask if they welcome guests. Most probably do. Introduce yourself to the club leader and others when you go. I bet you'll make friends!

Go to the 3rd Friday lunches at Krispers. It's a great place to meet newcomers and veterans.

I would also suggest that you stay connected here on TOTV, not just as a lurker, but as a contributor to the conversations. If you've lurked long enough you already know that you can meet many helpful, welcoming and friendly TVers right here on this board.

Come on down to TV and jump right in. You'll love it.

Best regards,
Pturner

Thanks. JJ

[Boomer]

Hi Bill-n-Brillo,

Thank you for starting this thread. We who are in the second-home (or snowbird/snowflake) market are in a different boat than those who are making the decision to live in TV full-time. I probably could write a whole book about how I have wrestled this decision.

We have rented in TV before but not for a long enough time, just for a month. We have never done the Lifestyle visit. We have never been there in winter. Twice, we have come close to making an offer, but each time something pulled me back and I have never regretted that. As it turned out, it really was not the right time.

Now, I consider a long rental to be money well-invested, in our case anyway. And if we do decide to buy after that, we will know where we want to be and what kind of house we want. We will know what’s there for us, and if we want to make that serious investment in owning two homes.

Heck. I know somebody who went to a party one night and ended up buying a house from somebody there. Things can happen once you are in there. I am willing to give it a good chance, but I just won’t jump right in now to buying a second home without really knowing that I want it bad enough to deal with all the stuff that goes with owning two.

I am a terrible golfer who cannot line-dance, but I know that TV has so much more to offer. Anyway, we are taking our time. For now, the decision to rent-and-see is the only one that makes sense for me personally.

This is a topic that needs discussing here on TOTV. And I probably will be back sometime to say some more stuff about it.

Boomer

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Thanks to EVERYBODY who has offered up their insights and thoughts so far. KEEP 'EM COMING!!! :coolsmiley:

Bill

[lightworker888]

We were renters for one month and had no intention of buying, but the CYV that we rented was for sale and a real turnkey situation. We decided that the rent that we could get for the winter months paid for our expenses and we were able to get renters before we left TV.

We have now been in TV twice and are looking forward to getting back in October and staying til December, the longest trip so far. Our neighbourhood is very friendly and social so we have found it easy to feel at home. I linedance and clog and the groups that I dance with are very welcoming even though I have only been there for a month at a time. We plan to go down again for April and May and we have had a neighbour watch our place and start our golf cart regularly.

We figure that this arrangement gives us some place that we can escape to for some R&R before and after our Canadian winter, and we don't have to keep trying to find a place to rent. As another poster mentioned, the CYV is a good choice for part timers as it is really easy to care for and we have pets so the set up works well for us.

TV has so much to offer that you will have a great time as an owner or a renter. We really feel fortunate that we found such a great place and had the opportunity to set up our life where we get the best of both our worlds.

All the best,
LW888

[dog friendly]

where in central Ohio do you live, I may have an idea.....

[ijusluvit]

Thank you for your ideas.. they are very helpful. Here is my question.
I have stayed with relatives several times in both a CYV and an Amarillo ranch. One is north and one is south. I was not there long enough to make friends with neighbors but I did meet them. Do you think it is necessary to live in a home in TV for more than a week at a time to get a feel for what area of TV and what kind of home you would prefer, and most importantly, not change and look for a new home shortly after buying in TV. I think the CYO is the way to go for snowbirds or pet owners, and for people who want to use their back yards and patios. Does anyone disagree?
Thanks. JJ

As I read your question about making friends I asked myself why anyone would relate positively to me, (warts and all), if I only saw them for a few weeks a year. The answer is that I belong. I'm a full-fledged owner-neighbor with the same stake in the place as my neighbors. As a renter I could go out of my way to invite folks to be friends, have lots of fun, but I think it's natural for owner-neighbors to see the "Temporary" sign on my forehead. Owners share lots more than golf and drinks.

Because life is different here, I think you have to live here for a few months to decide what you want in a house. I knew I wanted to look out on a golf course instead of into a neighbor's lanai, but I never realized how much I'd value the privacy of a courtyard villa, the larger yard and garage on a corner lot, and the close proximity to shopping and recreation. We lucked out and are living happily ever after.

As far as the neighbors are concerned, unless you are a hermit, I believe you will make lots of wonderful friends wherever you live in TV. It isn't like your neighborhood back home where everyone was so preoccupied with life details and often didn't take the time to even meet their neighbors. TVers are just itching to socialize. This is one of the big reasons why life is different there. Instead of extra work or bedroom space, TVers seem to want more PARTY space!

[NJblue]

I'm not so sure about home prices in TV being flat. The houses on our street are one to two years old. There have already been four houses that have been re-sold. In 3 of the 4, the resale price was greater than the original purchase price. In one case it was quite substantially more.

[mgm4444]

I linedance and clog and the groups that I dance with are very welcoming even though I have only been there for a month at a time.

What is "clog"?

[bkcunningham1]

What is "clog"?

I think they are really great. But they aren't really clogging. You have to go back to where I grew up to see real cloggers. PS Clog means time in Gaelic. The step is done to the downbeat in time to the music.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bw8wEYXPV4s

[l2ridehd]

If you have even the slightest doubt, rent until you're sure. You can always change your mind and buy, but once you buy hard to go back to a renter.

[getdul981]

What is "clog"?

I certainly can't do it, but my impression of clogging is it's like a Hillbilly Irish River Dance.

[Barefoot]

Here's the dilemma we're trying to resolve in our minds: Buy a home (new or resale) in TV or rent. This is initially anticipated to be for staying in TV for a 3-4 month timeframe during the winter months.

We're also the types that would lose sleep owning and maintaining a home "long distance".

Here is my two cents worth. Buy. If it's financially feasible.

You said you'd worry about owning a home "long distance". To me it would be more of a worry to try to find a decent rental each year during "high" season. I wouldn't want to live in a different Village each year. I love returning to the same neighbourhood.

We're seasonal residents, six months a year, and will never live in The Bubble full time. We don't worry about our Villages home when we're not there, not a bit. We have a great homewatch company and great neighbours.

We considered renting, but that just wouldn't have worked for us.

We want to have a "sense of community".
We want to know who our neighbours will be, year after year.
We want to feel that sense of "coming home" when we arrive in our driveway and hug our neighbours for the first time.
We want to have a comfortable king-size bed, and we want to be the only ones who sleep in it.
We want to be able to leave clothes in our closet.
We want to paint our walls the colours that we like, and buy comfortable furniture.
We want to be able to have our golf cart waiting in our garage, so we can jump in it immediately after we arrive and go to the pool.
We want to be in a specific area, perfect for us, a few minutes to shopping, the library, restaurants, a dog park. And we want to return there every fall.
We want to back on a golf course.
We want to back on a little water so there are lots of sand hill cranes, but not too much water because we don't want gators around.
We want to have a split-plan house so our guests are on one side of the house and the master bedroom is on the other side.
I could go on and on, but even I'm bored with this list.

There is an emotional component to owning a home, and to me, it's priceless. When I'm in Canada during the summer, I think about my Villages home and I smile. I have a picture of it on my desktop, so I see it every morning when I log on.

Maybe you're not picky and persnickedy, but I want to love the places where I live. I'm a worrier, but I don't worry one bit about owning more than one home!

[Bill-n-Brillo]

For 'dog friendly': We're in Granville, about 30 mi. east of Columbus.

Bill

[mgm4444]

Wow - thanks, BK --- how can you not LOVE this place????!!!

[Pturner]

Wow - thanks, BK --- how can you not LOVE this place????!!!

Good point mgm. If there's a way to not love this place, I haven't figured it out yet.
:thumbup:

[graciegirl]

For 'dog friendly': We're in Granville, about 30 mi. east of Columbus.

Bill

Ah yes. Near "Nerk".

[graciegirl]

Here is my two cents worth. Buy. If it's financially feasible.

You said you'd worry about owning a home "long distance". To me it would be more of a worry to try to find a decent rental each year during "high" season. I wouldn't want to live in a different Village each year. I love returning to the same neighbourhood.

We're seasonal residents, six months a year, and will never live in The Bubble full time. We don't worry about our Villages home when we're not there, not a bit. We have a great homewatch company and great neighbours.

We considered renting, but that just wouldn't have worked for us.

We want to have a "sense of community".
We want to know who our neighbours will be, year after year.
We want to feel that sense of "coming home" when we arrive in our driveway and hug our neighbours for the first time.
We want to have a comfortable king-size bed, and we want to be the only ones who sleep in it.
We want to be able to leave clothes in our closet.
We want to paint our walls the colours that we like, and buy comfortable furniture.
We want to be able to have our golf cart waiting in our garage, so we can jump in it immediately after we arrive and go to the pool.
We want to be in a specific area, perfect for us, a few minutes to shopping, the library, restaurants, a dog park. And we want to return there every fall.
We want to back on a golf course.
We want to back on a little water so there are lots of sand hill cranes, but not too much water because we don't want gators around.
We want to have a split-plan house so our guests are on one side of the house and the master bedroom is on the other side.
I could go on and on, but even I'm bored with this list.

There is an emotional component to owning a home, and to me, it's priceless. When I'm in Canada during the summer, I think about my Villages home and I smile. I have a picture of it on my desktop, so I see it every morning when I log on.

Maybe you're not picky and persnickedy, but I want to love the places where I live. I'm a worrier, but I don't worry one bit about owning more than one home!

What she said!:thumbup:

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Yup, you're right graciegirl - close to Nerk Ahia! :) Just a bit north and east of Outville.......................................... :confused:

Bill

[PR1234]

Bill-N-Brillo, our situation was a lot like yours only we live in Michigan. We rented in TV for a couple of years, but "I" (hubby could sleep anywhere:):) had a hard time being in someone else's place. I am the type of person who loves to decorate and really appreciate my own things.

How we compromised is we bot a REALLY INEXPENSIVE place on the historical side. Put a little money into it and made it just the way we wanted it. Yes we do have 2 homes to take care of now (well actually 3...but that is another story) but it really isn't bad at all. We have a terrific person watching over our place in TV for a nominal fee and we have the peace and comfort of having our own place to come to whenever we want.

It will be many more years b4 we are full-timers and I am sure at that time we will get a bigger place. We will either sell our place now, or use it as a rental. Either way....it will work out just fine! Good Luck with your decision.:wave:

[deano_hoosier]

Another view.. we rented first for 3 months, then second time for 4 months.. and maybe would have continued renting, but we found our home's owner sloooow to communicate each year if they would be renting the house out the next year. So each year I was having to spend gobs of time trying to find a suitable place for the next year "just in case".

Despite what people say about "trying out different areas", etc... it really is not that easy to find a new place to stay for next year after maybe Feb-Mar of the current year. Things pop up and maybe you get lucky, but we got tired of the waiting game. I also agree with the many good ideas people have offered about a "place to come home to" and knowing what you will have once there.

So I'm not anti-renting, far from it, but our own experience was one that caused an annual frustration period that got to us in the end. We like what we have now, a Amarillo style house in an older village N of 466 and we are fitting it up the way we'd like to see it.

Good luck which ever way to end up.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Thanks to everyone who posted replies. We really appreciate all the feedback and input. As most are indicating, it seems to wind up being whatever works best for each of us - there are no right or wrong answers.

Again, thank you for all of the insight - opened our eyes to a few things we hadn't thought much about to this point.

Bill

[Pturner]

Thanks to everyone who posted replies. We really appreciate all the feedback and input. As most are indicating, it seems to wind up being whatever works best for each of us - there are no right or wrong answers.

Again, thank you for all of the insight - opened our eyes to a few things we hadn't thought much about to this point.

Bill

Keep us posted on what you decide-- especially if you buy something. Are you coming down this winter?

[Bill-n-Brillo]

pturner: We're potentially going to be there in mid-Oct for about 10 days (hinges on our friends' plans). Definitely going to be there for around 10 days or so just prior to Christmas and then again for the latter half of February. It's about all we can squeeze in with current work situations.

Right or wrong, we believe we're going to hold off buying for a while ('famous last words'!!). The advice offered by some to rent for a full winter or two is probably the direction we'll take - at least that's where our thinking is evolving at present. The way our situation is right now, it'll be a couple more years before we get to that point. But then again..........who knows!! :laugh:

Bill