Breakdown of Monthly Amenity Fees

[wlasowicz]

Hi I have owned a villa for over 5 year now. So for the most part I have a general idea what the monthly amenity fee pays for. My wife and I will be looking at new home to buy possibility in the future in Fl. There's no guarantee it will be in the villages. Its not cheap to live in the villages even though they provide a lot . My wife doesn't play golf and I do very occasionally. She feels the monthly amenity goes a lot toward golfing . So I was curious if the CDD a general percent breakdown of the monthly amenity fee of how much goes to support golf, how much to the pools , rec. centers, community watch, etc.
Thanks

[Garywt]

Hi I have owned a villa for over 5 year now. So for the most part I have a general idea what the monthly amenity fee pays for. My wife and I will be looking at new home to buy possibility in the future in Fl. There's no guarantee it will be in the villages. Its not cheap to live in the villages even though they provide a lot . My wife doesn't play golf and I do very occasionally. She feels the monthly amenity goes a lot toward golfing . So I was curious if the CDD a general percent breakdown of the monthly amenity fee of how much goes to support golf, how much to the pools , rec. centers, community watch, etc.
Thanks
I am sure there is a budget somewhere, no sure if it is online. We do not golf either but the fee is not bad and covers the pools and everything you mentioned. Some say it goes to a lot of the landscaping flowers etc but not sure. Sorry it is not working out for you.

[bandsdavis]

I don't know that there is an accurate breakdown anywhere. I suppose if you dig into the details of the district gov budget, and allocate parts of the income toward specific expenditures, you could come up with some ratio that would probably be inaccurate by some margin. But I do know that the only golf for which the amenity fees used are the executive courses. The championship courses (aka country clubs) are owned and operated by the developer and receive no support from amenity fees. Another major use of the fees is for the staffing, support, and maintenance of the recreation centers and Recreation Dept, which enable the existence of the thousands of clubs and organizations in The Villages. So even if you don't golf on the Execs, if you take advantage of any clubs, I believe you are getting your money's worth, in my opinion. I'm sure there are other things the amenity fees are used for (Community watch?) and perhaps others can clarify that point.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Hi I have owned a villa for over 5 year now. So for the most part I have a general idea what the monthly amenity fee pays for. My wife and I will be looking at new home to buy possibility in the future in Fl. There's no guarantee it will be in the villages. Its not cheap to live in the villages even though they provide a lot . My wife doesn't play golf and I do very occasionally. She feels the monthly amenity goes a lot toward golfing . So I was curious if the CDD a general percent breakdown of the monthly amenity fee of how much goes to support golf, how much to the pools , rec. centers, community watch, etc.
Thanks

It costs $159 a month for our amenity fee. We don't have any HOA fee at all. Compare with the nearest trailer park, where you own your house, you pay rent on the land, PLUS you pay an HOA of at least $200/month, and they have a single pool, no golf course at all, and you can't take a golf cart to get anywhere other than around the neighborhood.

If $159 a month is "not cheap" then you definitely can't afford to live in the Villages. Our utility bills are low, our taxes are low (compared with other states), if you choose to work there's no state income tax at all.

What's not cheap? Dining out every night, and the costs of alcoholic drinks at the bars. Shopping only at Publix and Fresh Market, and never at Winn Dixie or Aldi or Sam's or Walmart.

Oh and the price of milk everywhere -except- Aldi's and Walmart. I mean - what in the Sam Hill is up with that anyway? Are cows a rare commodity down here or something? Almost $3 for a half gallon of just normal ordinary store-brand 1% - but I can get it for $1.49 at Walmart, that's their regular price.

Anyway - it's not "cheap" but it is affordable to pretty much anyone who has a pension, or a 401k, or Social Security. You can buy a beautiful 1100-square-foot manufactured home in the Historic section for around $115k, and for another $30k you can update and make repairs, and enjoy retirement. And yes that would be a pre-owned home. But if you check every day and call a few realtors, you can probably find a clunker forclosure for under $70k, raze it to the ground, and build a small, but new home for another $120k.

[tophcfa]

I suspect anyone would be very hard pressed to find a retirement community anyplace in the world where one gets more for the very reasonable amenity fees charged in the Villages.

[Two Bills]

For all the things that are available, The Villages is as cheap as chips (Aldis not Publix!)

[Catalina36]

Pools, Golf Courses, Clubs, Beautiful Landscape, etc. etc. etc.

I Pay 162.00 per month, look around. Most Condo Communities collect $300 to $500 per month. You get a pool and some grass cut.

TV is a bargain if you are using some club activities.
Up north, my wife pays $80 to $90 a month for YOGA. In TV if you are a owner you pay Zero dollars for a 1 day a week Intermediate YOGA Class. In addition there are other YOGA classes available during the week for ZERO DOLLARS. A bargain. Look at the walking trails and the outdoor exercise equipment at the REC centers. A bargain.

[Dilligas]

The breakdown of TV amenity fees is not your answer…….you have to compare TV amenity fees (& amenities) to those other places ( include HOA & utilities). There is no place where you can pay fees for only what you’ll use.

[Maineguides]

I see everyone talking about a monthly amenity feeand that there’s no hoa fee. Where does the “bond” figure in

[Goldwingnut]

Here's information on the Amenity Fee

The Amenity Fee (part 1) and The Villages 7-26-2020 Construction Update - YouTube (https://youtu.be/RDjafwcRtQg)
The Amenity Fee (part 2) and The Villages 8/17/20 Construction Update - YouTube (https://youtu.be/OZ7y3LCmx8A)

Your wife's perception about golf's budget cost is very common, but wrong. Golf accounts for about 3% of the total expenditures of the combined amenity districts budgets.

[Goldwingnut]

I see everyone talking about a monthly amenity feeand that there’s no hoa fee. Where does the “bond” figure in

Bonds are explained in this video

Bond Information and The Villages 5-30-19 Construction update - YouTube (https://youtu.be/nGwf7AcmyEI)

[Goldwingnut]

While we're at it, here's the video about the Maintenance Assessment since that will probably be asked about next

Maintenance Assessment and The Villages 6-19-19 Construction Update - YouTube (https://youtu.be/Ufm_ycOnbto)

[NoMo50]

As always, Don (GoldWingNut) does an excellent job of explaining things in his videos. And yes...for all you receive in return, the amenity fee is a bargain.

[kidnerkim]

I think you will find the amenity fee is less than HOA fees in many other communities

[Yvetteperry]

I am always amazed at how much you know and how clearly you explain things. Thank you

[MandoMan]

Hi I have owned a villa for over 5 year now. So for the most part I have a general idea what the monthly amenity fee pays for. My wife and I will be looking at new home to buy possibility in the future in Fl. There's no guarantee it will be in the villages. Its not cheap to live in the villages even though they provide a lot . My wife doesn't play golf and I do very occasionally. She feels the monthly amenity goes a lot toward golfing . So I was curious if the CDD a general percent breakdown of the monthly amenity fee of how much goes to support golf, how much to the pools , rec. centers, community watch, etc.
Thanks

Once I settled in, I got involved with making music, and now it takes up most of my time. Most of this happens at various rec centers. I haven’t had time to play golf even once. I have my own pool, so I haven’t been to any other pools. What do I get for my money? I get miles of manicured beauty (most from the landscaping and flowers and trees and golf courses, but also plenty from everyone’s hard work keeping their places looking nice). I get the safety of living in The Villages (probably the safest city of its size in the country). A lot of employees and volunteers make that possible. I get about a hundred miles of cart paths where I can tool around if I want to. I get access to endless activities, which is why I’m having the time of my life, even though I only participate in a dozen of them. I don’t know anywhere else in the country where I could do that. If I want to go out dancing, I can do it every night of the week, for free, instead of paying to dance in some bar or ballroom or wherever other people dance. (And I can get free dance lessons if I want to get better at it.) I could go on, but I definitely consider my amenity fee money well spent.

[richs631]

Hi I have owned a villa for over 5 year now. So for the most part I have a general idea what the monthly amenity fee pays for. My wife and I will be looking at new home to buy possibility in the future in Fl. There's no guarantee it will be in the villages. Its not cheap to live in the villages even though they provide a lot . My wife doesn't play golf and I do very occasionally. She feels the monthly amenity goes a lot toward golfing . So I was curious if the CDD a general percent breakdown of the monthly amenity fee of how much goes to support golf, how much to the pools , rec. centers, community watch, etc.
Thanks

Some people will accuse me of drinking the kool aid but in general, once you add EVERYTHING together the costs are very similar (usually less than $100.00 per month} to other 55+ community’s and no other community even comes close to the amenities, friendliest and cleanliness of the villages. Please don’t tell me place X doesn’t have a bond because there is always another fee to replace it or the HOA is $350 per month. I’ve checked them all out, everyone is within $100 bucks a month

[J1ceasar]

Here is the other side of the coin, it's a both positive and a negative. If you bought your home 5 or 10 years ago, you definitely got a bargain. However if you're newly what in the last one or two years then your housing price is at least one or $200,000 more did any of the other communities within 20 miles of The villages. I live in a community that's very nice with over 1,000 homes mostly stick build but yes some are modulars and we paid much less than the villages and there's still 27 holes of golf for those who want it two pools hundreds of activities and mostly of all nice neighbors. So you can consider it's a positive and a negative housing prices are way up in The villages and it's pricing some people out if they still pay mortgages or don't have the assets to out right buy a home

[J1ceasar]

And also if I don't have a 100 mi of golf carts paths, I don't need to buy a golf cart and have an extra large garage to put it in also so yes that's a positive and a negative so I can tell you for a fact and more people moving to my community from The villages then move out of the community to The villages

[richs631]

It’s not mandatory to buy a golf cart and it’s not mandatory to get a house with a golf cart garage.

[Mistymom]

We are newcomers and have asked many people, including our real estate agent to explain the bond. You have finally made it clear to us why the bond was different in most of the houses that we looked at.
We currently live in a four year old house with a substantial bond and must consider whether to pay it off or not. Our agent advised us not to, but we feel that this is our forever home.

[bruce213]

There are cheeper overall communities. I think it's rather ignorant to say the average pensioner can live here. Remove the bond and the fact your in TV the same house could be 40-60 grand less. Most of us are here for the value we think we get. You can live cheeper but can you live as well. Good luck

[shirleyjerez]

You need to check at other places to see what it would cost you. You’ll see this is the best and least expensive. Also there are 2018 free clubs you can join

[4pocketz]

You get a nice clean hopefully crime free safe and quiet community to live in. This is paradise in my opinion. Well worth the fees established.

[Jayhawk]

And also if I don't have a 100 mi of golf carts paths, I don't need to buy a golf cart and have an extra large garage to put it in also so yes that's a positive and a negative so I can tell you for a fact and more people moving to my community from The villages then move out of the community to The villages

So, just curious, why are you posting on this website since you apparently like your community better?

[bobdeb]

The home owners (1200+) at Pennbrooke Fairways, off 44 in Leesburg, voted to secure a 5 year contract with Spectrum for high definition cable and 400 mbs wifi for $52 (taxes and fees included) a month. This is added to everyone's HOA monthly fee.

I'm tired of Comcast Xfinity here in TV and looking for viable alternatives. Oh how I wish.

[jedalton]

The home owners (1200+) at Pennbrooke Fairways, off 44 in Leesburg, voted to secure a 5 year contract with Spectrum for high definition cable and 400 mbs wifi for $52 (taxes and fees included) a month. This is added to everyone's HOA monthly fee.

I'm tired of Comcast Xfinity here in TV and looking for viable alternatives. Oh how I wish.
With a 4-k firestick a d $19/mth streaming service and get over 5000 channels. Including all local channels, all sports channels, all movie channels and much more. Ask me how.

[Bogie Shooter]

It’s not mandatory to buy a golf cart and it’s not mandatory to get a house with a golf cart garage.

and not mandatory that you live in TV.

[Bogie Shooter]

And also if I don't have a 100 mi of golf carts paths, I don't need to buy a golf cart and have an extra large garage to put it in also so yes that's a positive and a negative so I can tell you for a fact and more people moving to my community from The villages then move out of the community to The villages

If you don't live here, why should you care?

[UsuallyLurking]

Just a comment on comparing HOA fees to what you pay in The Villages. The HOA equivalent is the amenity fee PLUS the district assessment fee you pay on your property tax bill. Averaging the various district amounts plus the amenity fee runs to a little more than $350 a month.

[OhioBuckeye]

Hi I have owned a villa for over 5 year now. So for the most part I have a general idea what the monthly amenity fee pays for. My wife and I will be looking at new home to buy possibility in the future in Fl. There's no guarantee it will be in the villages. Its not cheap to live in the villages even though they provide a lot . My wife doesn't play golf and I do very occasionally. She feels the monthly amenity goes a lot toward golfing . So I was curious if the CDD a general percent breakdown of the monthly amenity fee of how much goes to support golf, how much to the pools , rec. centers, community watch, etc.
Thanks

I had an older gentleman that lives in the historic side, north side of 27/441 & he told me when he moved there 25/30 yrs. ago you could live like a millionaire, now you have to be a millionaire to live there. Yea, I know he was exaggerating but, I know exactly what he was trying say! As you get older & don’t use the amenities or 1 or 2 of them, $150. to $170. a month is month gets pretty expensive for some people when you’re on a fixed income.

[donnamayo]

With a 4-k firestick a d $19/mth streaming service and get over 5000 channels. Including all local channels, all sports channels, all movie channels and much more. Ask me how.

How?

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I see everyone talking about a monthly amenity feeand that there’s no hoa fee. Where does the “bond” figure in

The bond is a totally separate fee imposed on new construction. The buyer can choose to pay it off monthly, or they can pay it off in a lump sum. If they pay it off all at once, then whoever they sell that home to, some day, will have no bond fee to pay. If they pay it off monthly, then the -next- buyer will pay whatever balance is left, or nothing, if there's no balance left.

[Rodneysblue]

Here's information on the Amenity Fee

The Amenity Fee (part 1) and The Villages 7-26-2020 Construction Update - YouTube (https://youtu.be/RDjafwcRtQg)
The Amenity Fee (part 2) and The Villages 8/17/20 Construction Update - YouTube (https://youtu.be/OZ7y3LCmx8A)

Your wife's perception about golf's budget cost is very common, but wrong. Golf accounts for about 3% of the total expenditures of the combined amenity districts budgets.
Thank you, I knew someone had just done something on this. I just couldn’t remember who.

[Rodneysblue]

As always, Don (GoldWingNut) does an excellent job of explaining things in his videos. And yes...for all you receive in return, the amenity fee is a bargain.
He sure does.

[tuccillo]

Not exactly. You don't pay off the bond monthly. It is charged annually on your property tax bill send out around November each year, at least it is in my CDD.

The bond is a totally separate fee imposed on new construction. The buyer can choose to pay it off monthly, or they can pay it off in a lump sum. If they pay it off all at once, then whoever they sell that home to, some day, will have no bond fee to pay. If they pay it off monthly, then the -next- buyer will pay whatever balance is left, or nothing, if there's no balance left.

[Darield]

I suspect anyone would be very hard pressed to find a retirement community anyplace in the world where one gets more for the very reasonable amenity fees charged in the Villages.

I agree. When we were looking in the Charleston area, amenity fees were as high as $500 a month for one recreation center. We get so much at The Villages for these fees. The clean up after a major storm is fast. Streets are cleared quickly. So many recreation centers with so many choices. When our daughter and family were visiting in April, it was cold, so we played ping pong, shuffleboard, and darts. We also went dancing at the squares.

[Tmarkwald]

I suspect anyone would be very hard pressed to find a retirement community anyplace in the world where one gets more for the very reasonable amenity fees charged in the Villages.


$164 amenity fee vs $350 average HOA fee in Florida

[EdFNJ]

I suspect anyone would be very hard pressed to find a retirement community anyplace in the world where one gets more for the very reasonable amenity fees charged in the Villages. Yea, my father paid $580 "condo fees" per month for a small 3rd floor 1 bedroom condo in South FL. It got him 2 golf courses and 2 pools and a room to play cards and 2 treadmills and LOTS more civilization outside his bubble. But he did have a automated gate pass under the hood of his vehicle and That alone was worth the extra $400+. :D

In the world of HOA TYPE fees, if nothing else here is a bargain, the $160 is an absolute bargain.

Edit: Of course he didn't have to pay $50+ a month to have his lawn mowed but he was required to pay $200/year to buy a "prepaid card" to use it in the one and only restaurant on their property which was opened 4 days a week for breakfast and 5 days for dinner!

[stebooo]

We own a small 855sf condo in mpls. Fee is 352 we have a pool and hot tub. Grass cut, snow shoveled, water, and cable. I love the villages.

[bobdeb]

With a 4-k firestick a d $19/mth streaming service and get over 5000 channels. Including all local channels, all sports channels, all movie channels and much more. Ask me how.


Yes please how?

[newgirl]

You definitely can get a loan to pay it off much cheaper then the 6.5 interest they charge you monthly. If you don't pay it off and decide to move you can add it to the house in the price,or they can pay you direct on a separate bill of sale . It would save you lots of money .

[dewilson58]

If you don't pay it off and decide to move you can add it to the house in the price, or they can pay you direct on a separate bill of sale .

This is being Tee'd up for someone.

:popcorn:

[EdFNJ]

With a 4-k firestick a d $19/mth streaming service and get over 5000 channels. Including all local channels, all sports channels, all movie channels and much more. Ask me how.

How?

Yes please how?


Just don't ask him how LEGAL it is. ;) Obviously the chances of an end user getting "caught" are very very slim. It's the SELLER who is most at risk because he is selling illegally obtained content. Here is a local example: Undercover Cops Arrest Sellers of 'Pirate' Amazon Firesticks At Florida Flea Market * TorrentFreak (https://torrentfreak.com/undercover-cops-arrest-sellers-of-pirate-amazon-firesticks-at-florida-flea-market-201229/) You can also do it yourself for free in minutes. There are dozens of YouTube vids rather than paying someone $240 a year for what you can do for free if you follow directions.

Watching TV For Free With Kodi (or other apps) – Legal or Not?

However, Kodi or other such hacked Firestick devices may open up a plethora of free streaming content which may otherwise cost money or have a subscription fee such as Netflix or Hulu. This is where you start to break the law. You are not allowed to violate copyrighted material or receive paid services for free. Do you follow? That is stealing.

If you are caught streaming or violating copyrighted material, your ISP may even suspend your service permanently and you won’t have any way to access the internet at all ever again. You may be sued, fined, and more. Is it really worth it?

Legally, you can get in big trouble.
And people have been arrested.


This is one article of thousands if you search: Yes, Jailbreaking a Firestick is illegal. But you can "Protect" yourself/hide (https://stickystatic.com/tech/jailbroken-kodi-firestick) Actually, "jailbreaking" a Firestick is NOT illegal, what is illegal are the "extra" apps you download or devices purchased from sellers on the web, locally or at fleamarkets to steal paid content.

[jimjamuser]

Here is the other side of the coin, it's a both positive and a negative. If you bought your home 5 or 10 years ago, you definitely got a bargain. However if you're newly what in the last one or two years then your housing price is at least one or $200,000 more did any of the other communities within 20 miles of The villages. I live in a community that's very nice with over 1,000 homes mostly stick build but yes some are modulars and we paid much less than the villages and there's still 27 holes of golf for those who want it two pools hundreds of activities and mostly of all nice neighbors. So you can consider it's a positive and a negative housing prices are way up in The villages and it's pricing some people out if they still pay mortgages or don't have the assets to out right buy a home
Good, interesting post.

[jimjamuser]

You get a nice clean hopefully crime free safe and quiet community to live in. This is paradise in my opinion. Well worth the fees established.
I can honestly tell you that it is NOT crime-free. I had over $5,000 worth of tools stolen about 5 years ago. I suspect that some lawn maintenance employees act to inform others when residents are gone - and who has what desirable valuables. Be careful who you hire - get a security service - don't depend on the Community Watch - and DO lock your house up tightly!

[Gulfcoast]

I think you get a lot of bang for your buck in TV. I'm not a golf player (yet) but there is a wide variety of rec centers, swimming pools, clubs and other amenities to enjoy.

It seems like an affordable, good deal to me!

[Garywt]

We are newcomers and have asked many people, including our real estate agent to explain the bond. You have finally made it clear to us why the bond was different in most of the houses that we looked at.
We currently live in a four year old house with a substantial bond and must consider whether to pay it off or not. Our agent advised us not to, but we feel that this is our forever home.
We don’t think about our bond. I think it is about $120 a month and is collected by the bank as escrow. The bond, insurance and taxes are all part of the mortgage payment so we don’t even see it.

[Garywt]

Not exactly. You don't pay off the bond monthly. It is charged annually on your property tax bill send out around November each year, at least it is in my CDD.
If you have a mortgage you pay monthly.

[Bogie Shooter]

If you have a mortgage you pay monthly.

The monthly payment goes into escrow and then paid at tax time. Right?

[tuccillo]

Yep.

The monthly payment goes into escrow and then paid at tax time. Right?

[joansullivan]

I figure I am worth it. I enjoy much of what the Villages offers. Other things I do no take part in...but I could if I chose.

[Spsmith444]

With a 4-k firestick a d $19/mth streaming service and get over 5000 channels. Including all local channels, all sports channels, all movie channels and much more. Ask me how.

How?

[dgleason348]

In a condo in Orlando we paid $344 per month HOA fee. We had an 18 hole golf course and a country club restaurant/bar. I think $162 is very reasonable for what we have access to!!

[Red Rose]

TV is very affordable. It's just a beautiful place with lots of fun things to do. Another thought to keep in mind is that residents who do golf the executive golf courses pay an additional fee of about $145 per year and that is for you and your spouse, so that must go towards maintenance of the executive courses also. If you don't golf, you don't pay that yearly fee.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

TV is very affordable. It's just a beautiful place with lots of fun things to do. Another thought to keep in mind is that residents who do golf the executive golf courses pay an additional fee of about $145 per year and that is for you and your spouse, so that must go towards maintenance of the executive courses also. If you don't golf, you don't pay that yearly fee.

There is no extra fee to play the executive courses. They are free for life, just as advertised. Maybe you're thinking of a trail fee? You'd pay that only if you're taking a golf cart out. If you walk the course, you don't pay the trail fee. If you choose to take a golf cart, you can pay $4 per round for the trail fee, or $141/year for unlimited rounds.
But again, that is ONLY if you take your golf cart on the course. Walking the course costs nothing.

[Nucky]

I had an older gentleman that lives in the historic side, north side of 27/441 & he told me when he moved there 25/30 yrs. ago you could live like a millionaire, now you have to be a millionaire to live there. Yea, I know he was exaggerating but, I know exactly what he was trying say! As you get older & don’t use the amenities or 1 or 2 of them, $150. to $170. a month is month gets pretty expensive for some people when you’re on a fixed income.

We care for a gentleman that is a little over 90 years old. He also lives in the Historic Division. :1rotfl: So he bought his house for about $55,000 30 years ago, golfed and used the pool, and was a vibrant member of The Villages but the minute his mobility became an issue the first thing he thought about wasn't therapy it was about paying the monthly feel and having very limited use of the facilities.

When I averaged out what he paid over the years and included the years that he has been limited it seemed to calm his concern about paying for something he can't use.

We have it made in the shade. I for one am happy to pay for such a beautiful place to live at a very reasonable rate. :clap2:

[J1ceasar]

The amenity thing is quite reasonable but it's a big butt, the home prices are at least 50% higher per square foot than many other places in Central Florida.

[Tnbrewer]

Thank you for what you do.
Everyone should be required to watch your videos of how financial information works in TV.

[Tmarkwald]

If you have a mortgage you pay monthly.

It's not part of the mortgage unless you added it and had enough equity to do so.

You're the first person I've heard who did that.

[Tmarkwald]

The bond is a totally separate fee imposed on new construction. The buyer can choose to pay it off monthly, or they can pay it off in a lump sum. If they pay it off all at once, then whoever they sell that home to, some day, will have no bond fee to pay. If they pay it off monthly, then the -next- buyer will pay whatever balance is left, or nothing, if there's no balance left.

My bond is annual, added to the tax bill. Until it's paid off. 2 more years...

But yes, you could say it is paid monthly, as it does go into the escrow.

[Jayhawk]

The amenity thing is quite reasonable but it's a big butt, the home prices are at least 50% higher per square foot than many other places in Central Florida.

Prove it or it's FAKE NEWS.

Apples to apples. At least 50%higher.

Can't be proven because there is no place like The Villages.

You don't even live here. WHY DO YOU CARE?

[Tmarkwald]

Prove it or it's FAKE NEWS.

Apples to apples. At least 50%higher.

Can't be proven because there is no place like The Villages.

You don't even live here. WHY DO YOU CARE?

Well, it's people like that who make documentaries bashing TV because they aren't enjoying everything we have.

I don't care. We don't care. We love our bubble...

Just jealousy...

[KYtoTV2021]

A house for $155K? No way.
We just bought a 1,500 sq ft house in TV for over $300K. Also, although you theoretically have "free golf for life" on the executive courses, you basically can only play twice a week because TV mgmt continues to build more and move houses but not enough infrastructure, such as executive golf courses, to support the growing number of residences and golfers.





It costs $159 a month for our amenity fee. We don't have any HOA fee at all. Compare with the nearest trailer park, where you own your house, you pay rent on the land, PLUS you pay an HOA of at least $200/month, and they have a single pool, no golf course at all, and you can't take a golf cart to get anywhere other than around the neighborhood.

If $159 a month is "not cheap" then you definitely can't afford to live in the Villages. Our utility bills are low, our taxes are low (compared with other states), if you choose to work there's no state income tax at all.

What's not cheap? Dining out every night, and the costs of alcoholic drinks at the bars. Shopping only at Publix and Fresh Market, and never at Winn Dixie or Aldi or Sam's or Walmart.

Oh and the price of milk everywhere -except- Aldi's and Walmart. I mean - what in the Sam Hill is up with that anyway? Are cows a rare commodity down here or something? Almost $3 for a half gallon of just normal ordinary store-brand 1% - but I can get it for $1.49 at Walmart, that's their regular price.

Anyway - it's not "cheap" but it is affordable to pretty much anyone who has a pension, or a 401k, or Social Security. You can buy a beautiful 1100-square-foot manufactured home in the Historic section for around $115k, and for another $30k you can update and make repairs, and enjoy retirement. And yes that would be a pre-owned home. But if you check every day and call a few realtors, you can probably find a clunker forclosure for under $70k, raze it to the ground, and build a small, but new home for another $120k.

[Tmarkwald]

It costs $159 a month for our amenity fee. We don't have any HOA fee at all. Compare with the nearest trailer park, where you own your house, you pay rent on the land, PLUS you pay an HOA of at least $200/month, and they have a single pool, no golf course at all, and you can't take a golf cart to get anywhere other than around the neighborhood.

If $159 a month is "not cheap" then you definitely can't afford to live in the Villages. Our utility bills are low, our taxes are low (compared with other states), if you choose to work there's no state income tax at all.

What's not cheap? Dining out every night, and the costs of alcoholic drinks at the bars. Shopping only at Publix and Fresh Market, and never at Winn Dixie or Aldi or Sam's or Walmart.

Oh and the price of milk everywhere -except- Aldi's and Walmart. I mean - what in the Sam Hill is up with that anyway? Are cows a rare commodity down here or something? Almost $3 for a half gallon of just normal ordinary store-brand 1% - but I can get it for $1.49 at Walmart, that's their regular price.

Anyway - it's not "cheap" but it is affordable to pretty much anyone who has a pension, or a 401k, or Social Security. You can buy a beautiful 1100-square-foot manufactured home in the Historic section for around $115k, and for another $30k you can update and make repairs, and enjoy retirement. And yes that would be a pre-owned home. But if you check every day and call a few realtors, you can probably find a clunker forclosure for under $70k, raze it to the ground, and build a small, but new home for another $120k.


I haven't seen a home in TV for under 100k in forever.

I've been searching fur foreclosures here for a year or so. There have only been a couple, and they were in bad shape at 150k and 1500 feet maybe..

So, I'd love to find those 70k homes. I'll take 5 please....

[yankygrl]

I haven't seen a home in TV for under 100k in forever.

I've been searching fur foreclosures here for a year or so. There have only been a couple, and they were in bad shape at 150k and 1500 feet maybe..

So, I'd love to find those 70k homes. I'll take 5 please....
Also you can “buy” one of the manufactured homes on the historic side but what I’ve been told is they have to be removed as the no longer meet code requirements and then you have to build a new home, stick and vinyl or concrete and stucco. In any event it’s going to cost you. A while back TV was purchasing these homes and doing exactly that then selling them.

[tuccillo]

No, that is not correct. While you need to have some flexibility on time and courses, you can play every day if you wish. I have no problem playing 4 days a week.

A house for $155K? No way.
We just bought a 1,500 sq ft house in TV for over $300K. Also, although you theoretically have "free golf for life" on the executive courses, you basically can only play twice a week because TV mgmt continues to build more and move houses but not enough infrastructure, such as executive golf courses, to support the growing number of residences and golfers.

[Goldwingnut]

I haven't seen a home in TV for under 100k in forever.

I've been searching fur foreclosures here for a year or so. There have only been a couple, and they were in bad shape at 150k and 1500 feet maybe..

So, I'd love to find those 70k homes. I'll take 5 please....

I guess that just shows what the market is here in The Villages.
Many will argue that they can buy a home a lot cheaper in other communities, and this is undoubtedly a factual truth that cannot be argued. The other fact with real estate is that location is the key factor in real estate value. The better the location the greater the value. For a retirement home in central Florida, THE LOCATION, is The Villages, yes we pay more because the value is greater.

[rogerk]

While we're at it, here's the video about the Maintenance Assessment since that will probably be asked about next

Maintenance Assessment and The Villages 6-19-19 Construction Update - YouTube (https://youtu.be/Ufm_ycOnbto)

Thanks for the real facts. There is so much misinformation out there it is nice to see the real facts presented. https://d32rzbb554tqz0.cloudfront.net/forums/images/smilies/bow.gif

[joelfmi]

It costs $159 a month for our amenity fee. We don't have any HOA fee at all. Compare with the nearest trailer park, where you own your house, you pay rent on the land, PLUS you pay an HOA of at least $200/month, and they have a single pool, no golf course at all, and you can't take a golf cart to get anywhere other than around the neighborhood.

If $159 a month is "not cheap" then you definitely can't afford to live in the Villages. Our utility bills are low, our taxes are low (compared with other states), if you choose to work there's no state income tax at all.

What's not cheap? Dining out every night, and the costs of alcoholic drinks at the bars. Shopping only at Publix and Fresh Market, and never at Winn Dixie or Aldi or Sam's or Walmart.

Oh and the price of milk everywhere -except- Aldi's and Walmart. I mean - what in the Sam Hill is up with that anyway? Are cows a rare commodity down here or something? Almost $3 for a half gallon of just normal ordinary store-brand 1% - but I can get it for $1.49 at Walmart, that's their regular price.

Anyway - it's not "cheap" but it is affordable to pretty much anyone who has a pension, or a 401k, or Social Security. You can buy a beautiful 1100-square-foot manufactured home in the Historic section for around $115k, and for another $30k you can update and make repairs, and enjoy retirement. And yes that would be a pre-owned home. But if you check every day and call a few realtors, you can probably find a clunker forclosure for under $70k, raze it to the ground, and build a small, but new home for another $120k. To built a decent livable new home 3 bedrooms to baths, 3 car garage can start at of cost $250K to $400K. The cost of the fees is very high, but you get what you pay for and want.

[davem4616]

we don't play gold either....and we don't have any children in the school system

yet, we'd like to see more money for the school system and are happy that those of our neighbors that like to play golf at this advanced age are able to do so inexpensively

sounds like you're not really a good fit for The Villages....hope you find a place that you like and you don't feel like you're
being asked to pay money for other people.

Sad that you neve learned to share...

[Tmarkwald]

Also you can “buy” one of the manufactured homes on the historic side but what I’ve been told is they have to be removed as the no longer meet code requirements and then you have to build a new home, stick and vinyl or concrete and stucco. In any event it’s going to cost you. A while back TV was purchasing these homes and doing exactly that then selling them.

I had seen where TV was buying and rebuilding, They've stopped that now.

You do not have to remove them. You can purchase and live in them just like anywhere else in TV. Code requirements do not apply to pre-existing construction or manufactured homes of that age.

There were a couple for sale on TV website last month. It is a great way for people to get into TV and the area is nice as well.

[Tmarkwald]

I guess that just shows what the market is here in The Villages.
Many will argue that they can buy a home a lot cheaper in other communities, and this is undoubtedly a factual truth that cannot be argued. The other fact with real estate is that location is the key factor in real estate value. The better the location the greater the value. For a retirement home in central Florida, THE LOCATION, is The Villages, yes we pay more because the value is greater.

And it is very telling that many homes for sale within a reasonable distance actually quote how far TV is from the home, the same way some homes further south state how far they are from Disney.

TV is not just a collection of small villages, it is a location - and environment - yes, a bubble. A bubble where we feel safe, secure, and for most of us, quite happy to be here.

From personal experience, and this is very easy for anyone to do - in preparation for my move to TV, I rented a small apartment right in Oxford, barely outside of TV and transferred my cars down. When I changed my address to 1/4 mile away or so - my TV home - my auto insurance dropped by $1000 yearly. When I asked why, the agent said historically TV is the safest place in Florida. For anyone who cares, with was AAA insurance - ACG group South Florida.

[Challenger]

I see everyone talking about a monthly amenity feeand that there’s no hoa fee. Where does the “bond” figure in

The Bond has nothing to do with amenity fees . The Bond is part of the "total consideration" paid for the home.
.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I haven't seen a home in TV for under 100k in forever.

I've been searching fur foreclosures here for a year or so. There have only been a couple, and they were in bad shape at 150k and 1500 feet maybe..

So, I'd love to find those 70k homes. I'll take 5 please....

There were three, a year ago. I was looking on my sister's behalf. They were all manufactured homes, two of them were single-wides near Silver Lake. One was a blind auction listing. All three were definitely tear-downs.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Also you can “buy” one of the manufactured homes on the historic side but what I’ve been told is they have to be removed as the no longer meet code requirements and then you have to build a new home, stick and vinyl or concrete and stucco. In any event it’s going to cost you. A while back TV was purchasing these homes and doing exactly that then selling them.

That is all completely not true, except for the last sentence.

In fact, if you choose to buy a tear-down and replace it, you can replace it with another manufactured home. It's your choice; some people have replacements rolled in on flatbed trucks, some have them built on site.

What IS required, is that if you do a window replacement of an older manufactured home, the replacement must meet certain minimum hurricane standards. The original windows did not. If you're just replacing a broken glass you can replace that with a matching piece. But if you're buying a whole new frame, it has to meet those standards.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Here's information on the Amenity Fee

The Amenity Fee (part 1) and The Villages 7-26-2020 Construction Update - YouTube (https://youtu.be/RDjafwcRtQg)
The Amenity Fee (part 2) and The Villages 8/17/20 Construction Update - YouTube (https://youtu.be/OZ7y3LCmx8A)

Your wife's perception about golf's budget cost is very common, but wrong. Golf accounts for about 3% of the total expenditures of the combined amenity districts budgets.

I watched part one and didn't see any expenses for executive golf course maintenance.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

That is all completely not true, except for the last sentence.

In fact, if you choose to buy a tear-down and replace it, you can replace it with another manufactured home. It's your choice; some people have replacements rolled in on flatbed trucks, some have them built on site.

What IS required, is that if you do a window replacement of an older manufactured home, the replacement must meet certain minimum hurricane standards. The original windows did not. If you're just replacing a broken glass you can replace that with a matching piece. But if you're buying a whole new frame, it has to meet those standards.

I don't believe that the last sentence is true either. TV was buying them, removing them and building site built homes on the lots. They are now buying them and removing the old manufactured homes and selling the lots.

My understanding was that they were donating the manufactured homes that were in good shape to Habitat for Humanity. They are stored behind the Daily Sun building on Rolling Acres Road.

What is also true is that you don't have to use the Villages builder or build any of their models. Many people have chosen other builders and designed their own home.

[Goldwingnut]

I watched part one and didn't see any expenses for executive golf course maintenance.

It's $4.2M for the executive courses, it's listed as Golf Management Services. Here's links to 2 sections of the video that discuss it (each link goes to a different time marker).

The Amenity Fee (part 1) and The Villages 7-26-2020 Construction Update - YouTube (https://youtu.be/RDjafwcRtQg?t=816)

The Amenity Fee (part 1) and The Villages 7-26-2020 Construction Update - YouTube (https://youtu.be/RDjafwcRtQg?t=852)

[wlasowicz]

I see by the answers to my post about amenities that some people have been replying that HOA are higher at other retirement communities. I have done some research my self and yes they may be higher but from what I have seen they are not apples to apples. From what I read yes it may be a higher HOA but lawn service on your property and common area is included , trash pickup ( which is a separate bill item on your village CDD bill ) irrigation and other service depending where you look which you have to pay extra if you chose to your own in the villages.

[wlasowicz]

What I like to see is more greater breakdown of budget expenses for each general categories . I know CDD officials see this data. It would give residents more transpacery How as resident do we know if a particular contractor is receiving a lot of contracts which could be a conflict of interest because they be a family member or finical supporter of a board member or the builder and so forth. If that information is out there could someone point out where it could be found. The only thing I have found on CDD page is the budgets in general categories.

[dewilson58]

What I like to see is more greater breakdown of budget expenses for each general categories .

Have you asked for it?? :shocked:

[wlasowicz]

Why should I ask for it? The CDD is a public department. They should be posting it. The town government up north which is still my full time residents for good or bad. When the budget is made up it is available for review for the public comment before vote. Every department is listed in detail. Lets take the town clerk for example its lists total budget for the clerks office then it broken down where the money is coming from whether it from taxes or collect fees Then it list expenses Clerk's salary, total staff salary ,benefit cost for the department, office supplies, computers and etc. Any money moving in or out the town budget going to another government agency is listed. Whether I like how the money is spent is another question but it does show transpacery of your tax dollars
The tax dollars whether it called amenity fee or maintenance assessment its money in the villages is coming out your pocket to support public services

[dewilson58]

Why should I ask for it?

:cryin2:

[Goldwingnut]

Why should I ask for it? The CDD is a public department. They should be posting it. The town government up north which is still my full time residents for good or bad. When the budget is made up it is available for review for the public comment before vote. Every department is listed in detail. Lets take the town clerk for example its lists total budget for the clerks office then it broken down where the money is coming from whether it from taxes or collect fees Then it list expenses Clerk's salary, total staff salary ,benefit cost for the department, office supplies, computers and etc. Any money moving in or out the town budget going to another government agency is listed. Whether I like how the money is spent is another question but it does show transpacery of your tax dollars
The tax dollars whether it called amenity fee or maintenance assessment its money in the villages is coming out your pocket to support public services

Interesting comment. Different governmental bodies have different reporting and budgeting requirements. In the case of the CDDs we have an inter-local government agreement with the VCCDD to provide district staffing to support individual district operations, they are not direct employees of the individual CDDs so such breakouts are not required.

Every contract entered into by the CDDs is available for public review under Florida's Sunshine Laws. You can contact the District Clerk for this and most other any information on the budgeting process, costs, and expenditures.

Since you are so very interested in the budgets of the CDDs I have to ask you a question. Did you attend the budget workshop for your CDD? This is the first step in getting all your questions answered. So far this month these have occurred for all except for CDDs 1-4 and NSCUDD which happen next week?

In the last 2 weeks I presided over both the CDD10 and PWAC budget workshops. The PWAC workshop had 2 residents in attendance and CDD-10 had ZERO. Total number of resident questions, comments, or other input - ZERO. My guess, based on 7 years of doing these budgets in The Villages, most of the other CDDs had a similar turnout.

[wlasowicz]

Unfortunately I did not attend any work shops for the CDD. Not being a full time resident and only down at my home 1 to 2 weeks of the year . which the majority of my time I'm busy doing a top to bottom cleaning and repairs that can be done in the time frame I have. to try to keep my place in as new condition. So the only information I get is from TOV which you have to take with a grain of salt. Your video's Don which are well done and when I take the time to look at the district page. I would say I am looking at information more so now so i am a more informed consumer to make better decision for wife and myself when the time comes to purchase a new home whether it be in the villages or elsewhere. I agree the villages does offer a lot and from when I am down there does a good job of maintaining the public areas.