MLS realtors vs Villages realtors

[KatieRN]

My husband and I are coming for a lifestyle visit in October. I have 3 questions about realtors. 1)Why would someone list with MLS rather than a Villages realtor? 2)If I'm looking for a preowned home should I look at both? 3)Someone on this forum said a friend of theirs was paying 500.00 in amenity fees. Doesn't everyone pay the same? Thanks in advance for the info and advice. Excited to see all the Villages offers!

[Kenswing]

My husband and I are coming for a lifestyle visit in October. I have 3 questions about realtors. 1)Why would someone list with MLS rather than a Villages realtor? 2)If I'm looking for a preowned home should I look at both? 3)Someone on this forum said a friend of theirs was paying 500.00 in amenity fees. Doesn't everyone pay the same? Thanks in advance for the info and advice. Excited to see all the Villages offers!
1. Some people feel they have more visibility by listing with an MLS realtor. And some just don’t like the developer getting anymore of their money.

2. If looking at preowned homes it’s a good idea to have an MLS realtor and a Villages sales agent. They are used to people doing this. If one or the other has a problem find someone else.

3. The only way someone paid $500 in amenity fees is if it was their first bill. Remember, included in the bill with your amenity fee is also trash, water and sewer. Not everyone pays the same amenity fee. It’s close though. When you buy a house you get set at the prevailing rate. Then yearly you get an increase determined by the consumer price index. So depending on when you bought and what your increases were can put you off a little from everyone else.

[Altavia]

Good advise from Kenswing.

Visit open houses first is a good way to find realtor(s) you click with.

[manaboutown]

My husband and I are coming for a lifestyle visit in October. I have 3 questions about realtors. 1)Why would someone list with MLS rather than a Villages realtor? 2)If I'm looking for a preowned home should I look at both? 3)Someone on this forum said a friend of theirs was paying 500.00 in amenity fees. Doesn't everyone pay the same? Thanks in advance for the info and advice. Excited to see all the Villages offers!

Look at both MLS and VLS listings. You just never know. BTW, There is no such thing as a "Villages Realtor". Villages agents are licensed but are NOT Realtors.

[Stu from NYC]

Moved here three years ago.

Tried both and started with MLS. What MLS showed us did not work out so tried a village rep and liked one he showed us and the rest is history.

Best to try both.

[splashes]

the best village realtor is Beth Pope 352-552-1511 a real professional that will find your dream house new or resale remember location location

[MrChip72]

When we bought this past spring we were pretty much 90% set on pre-owned. We looked at several pre-owned and very quickly after checking out new homes after that we changed our minds to only want something new. The newer builds are generally better laid out, using more energy efficient everything, more modern kitchens and bathrooms, and seem to sell for around the same price as pre-owned. Not to mention, in the new areas the average age is closer to 60 than 80 like some of the original areas.

[BayLady57]

My husband and I are coming for a lifestyle visit in October. I have 3 questions about realtors. 1)Why would someone list with MLS rather than a Villages realtor? 2)If I'm looking for a preowned home should I look at both? 3)Someone on this forum said a friend of theirs was paying 500.00 in amenity fees. Doesn't everyone pay the same? Thanks in advance for the info and advice. Excited to see all the Villages offers!

My husband and I recently purchased a new 3 br courtyard villa in St. Johns. We wanted to purchase new construction so it was our Villages agent who found us and handled the sale of the home we purhased. If you are open to or only interested in pre-owned homes some will be listed by an MLS agent and others will be listed by the VLS which is The Villages listing services. An MLS agent can only show and sell MLS homes, and VLS homes are only shown and sold by Villages agents. That being said, you will need both an MLS and VLS agent. If you are not ready to buy now, spend your LSV time exploring the community and go to a few open houses on your own. We had two LSVs and did not purchase during either, but after the 2nd we knew the type of home we wanted and area we wanted to purchase in. With regards to amenity fees, that is included in a monthly bill along with trash, sewer, and water which is irrigation and potable. Our recent bill for these services I just paid was $317. The month previous was $357 attributed to more water use as we upgrade our landscaping during that time and had to water our new plantings more to make sure they survived. Although there is some variation in individual amenity frees depending on when one purchased their home, our amenity fee for our 4 month old new home is $179/month. Best of luck.

[Garywt]

Not everyone has their water and sewer as part of the amenities fee. Our fee is currently $177. It started at $159 when we bought 3+ Years ago. With trash fees our monthly bill is $199. We get a separate water and sewer bill that is generally $40-60 a month.

[Dilligas]

If you want to see every house for sale in TV, then you will need both MLS & TV. TV handle about twice the sales of resales and 100% of new. The “line” about TV agents are not realtors is spun by MLS agents, because TV can not sell MLS and vice versa……BOTH are licensed by the state of Florida. Some of TV agents get along with MLS and can work together. You can only see MLS homes on MLS, and only see TV homes on TV website. As with any transaction, get agents you like and trust, there are good & bad in both organizations.

[richardc1947]

Get on board with both realtors unless you just want to buy a new home. Approximately 1/3 of the pre owned homes are listed with mls agents.
If someone said their amenities fee was $500, they are mistaken. Most of the amenities fees are in the mid $150 range depending on where you live.
Be aware that there is a bond fee attached to all new homes to pay for the infrastructure for new homes. That fee is in the tens of thousands of dollars. Pre owned homes will have the bond partly or completely paid off. So be sure to ask and include any remaining bond in the cost of homes when comparing.

[bowlingal]

MLS realtors are NOT allowed to show new construction....only pre-owned. The villages team and MLS can both show pre-owned. Get the Daily Sun for listings for both or go to the villages website for listings with " the firm".

[Catalina36]

My husband and I are coming for a lifestyle visit in October. I have 3 questions about realtors. 1)Why would someone list with MLS rather than a Villages realtor? 2)If I'm looking for a preowned home should I look at both? 3)Someone on this forum said a friend of theirs was paying 500.00 in amenity fees. Doesn't everyone pay the same? Thanks in advance for the info and advice. Excited to see all the Villages offers!

Amenities FEE??? Does everyone pay the same???? Your amenity fee goes up every year. The amenity fee changes on the month the original owner purchased the home. I purchased / closed on my home in October of 2020 my amenity fee went up in August of 2021. Depending on who you talk to yes someone may pay less or more. Depends if someones home was originally purchased in February and someone else's home was originally purchased in October. It's about the time difference. But Yes everyone pays about the same. My home was built in 2004. The beginning of 2022 I was paying 168.74, now I am paying 182.68. No one is paying $500. You get a bill every month and the amenity fee, the water bill house and irrigation, sewer bill, etc. That will be much higher because of your individual usage.
Best of Luck

[talonip]

Get on board with both realtors unless you just want to buy a new home. Approximately 1/3 of the pre owned homes are listed with mls agents.
If someone said their amenities fee was $500, they are mistaken. Most of the amenities fees are in the mid $150 range depending on where you live.
Be aware that there is a bond fee attached to all new homes to pay for the infrastructure for new homes. That fee is in the tens of thousands of dollars. Pre owned homes will have the bond partly or completely paid off. So be sure to ask and include any remaining bond in the cost of homes when comparing.150 is only the amenity fee. The bill you get will include water sewer trash and the amenity and will most likely be about 300 or more. When we arrived here 8 years ago the bill was in the 240s.

[karenzeee]

Have fun on your lifestyle visit! That's how we started, then rented for a month to look for homes. We used both relators. TV for the new builds mostly, and the MLS for everything else. So much to see and learn in a week during you Lifestyle visit. If you don't find what your looking for, come back and rent to really find the area you want to live in. We thought we wanted a new home for sure, but ended up buying a preowned - turnkey with no bond in the Northern area.

If you don't find what your looking for on your visit this time, check out Rent From A Villager | Home Rentals in The Villages Florida | Advertise Your Village Rental (http://www.rentfromavillager.com) and rent a home directly from an owner for a few weeks or month. It's a fantastic way to really get to know your way around TV.

Best of luck and enjoy the process! Exciting times for sure.

[Papa_lecki]

When comparing price of new vs pre owned, you need to consider the after market upgrades the pre owned has. Things like painted/coated driveway.garage, water systems, screening, solar tubes, plantation shutters, etc.
That is one reason why pre owned are listed at a higher price.
Don’t forget to investigate the bond. New home are probably in the $30,000 ranges, pre owned may by in the 10,000 to 15,000 range or may be paid off.

[nancyre]

Villages agents are just that they work for the villages as a sales agent - not as a buyers agent. They only show Villages listed preowned and new
MLS agents are real estate agents - when you use them as a buyer they are your agent, not the sellers. They can only sell MLS listed preowned properties. They do not have rights to show the new properties. You can find MLS homes on Zillow, realtor.com, etc.
Do not forget for sale by owner too - that is what we ended up with. It just met our needs, price & timing was perfect.
Work with both (Villages & MLS) as they are separate pools of homes.

[RiderOnTheStorm]

My husband and I are coming for a lifestyle visit in October. I have 3 questions about realtors. 1)Why would someone list with MLS rather than a Villages realtor? 2)If I'm looking for a preowned home should I look at both? 3)Someone on this forum said a friend of theirs was paying 500.00 in amenity fees. Doesn't everyone pay the same? Thanks in advance for the info and advice. Excited to see all the Villages offers!

Regardless of which sales agent/source you use, be sure to have a home inspection done by an inspector who is NOT associated with the sales agent. Any inspector who is so aligned has a conflict of interest that motivates them to avoid reporting items that might adversely affect the sale. It happened to me.

[Sunny923!]

When we bought this past spring we were pretty much 90% set on pre-owned. We looked at several pre-owned and very quickly after checking out new homes after that we changed our minds to only want something new. The newer builds are generally better laid out, using more energy efficient everything, more modern kitchens and bathrooms, and seem to sell for around the same price as pre-owned. Not to mention, in the new areas the average age is closer to 60 than 80 like some of the original areas.

Same here!

[HeleneGB]

Amenity fees usually between 150 and 160 per month.

[Glowfromminnesota]

We actually went through Redfin and bought a pre owned home. We are in our 50s (early 60s). I wanted to be near my sisters and they are in the older sections. Our bond was paid off so that would be something to consider. I enjoy living on a pond, near Savannah, not too far from Sumter, Spanish Springs, and shopping. I also enjoy remodeling. Location matters of course. With that in mind, I enjoy going to the new sections catering to the younger retirees with trails, open air market, etc. and closer to the airport. They say the average Villager moves 3x… so who knows. Enjoy your stay!

[Susan1717]

Definitely look at both! Villages realtors work for the Villages, they are NOT realtors and will only show you their homes!! Only if you find a home snd insist will they show you others!! Beware!! Have both a licensed realtor and a villages realtor. Also, they won’t allow a licensed realtor to show their homes!!

[tvbound]

This summer we purchased a pre-owned home in the area we wanted. While we had both a MLS Realtor and TV sales person, we had to change the TV sales person because they simply refused to show us enough pre-owned houses and tried to push new houses way down south. The second TV person did a good job, but we found the house we wanted and bought through the MLS realtor.

[Donaz1]

In my experience working with both, I would never use VLS. You are not offered the protections that an MLS must adhered to. A friend recently bought an older home owned by the villages. They went ahead and hired their own inspector and gave her the report - unethical IMO.

[Dilligas]

If you want to see every house for sale in TV, then you will need both MLS & TV. TV handle about twice the sales of resales and 100% of new. The “line” about TV agents are not realtors is spun by MLS agents, because TV can not sell MLS and vice versa……BOTH are licensed by the state of Florida. Some of TV agents get along with MLS and can work together. You can only see MLS homes on MLS, and only see TV homes on TV website. As with any transaction, get agents you like and trust, there are good & bad in both organizations.

[joelfmi]

Very important location! Location! and community travel if you cannot drive.

[dwarmstrong]

My husband and I are coming for a lifestyle visit in October. I have 3 questions about realtors. 1)Why would someone list with MLS rather than a Villages realtor? 2)If I'm looking for a preowned home should I look at both? 3)Someone on this forum said a friend of theirs was paying 500.00 in amenity fees. Doesn't everyone pay the same? Thanks in advance for the info and advice. Excited to see all the Villages offers!

When my husband and I moved here, we had no idea that we had a choice between the Villages realtors and MLS realtors. In hindsight, I wish we had slowed down a little bit and looked at all our options for buying. We actually LOVE the home we chose to purchase from our Villages agent, but we didn’t realize The Villages agents couldn’t show homes listed by MLS agents and vice versa. Therefore, we limited our choices of homes to see and possibly purchase. So….my advice is to use both Villages and MLS agents. As far as amenity fees, to my understanding they are all different. We do not pay anything near to $500 a month.

[ThirdOfFive]

Look at both MLS and VLS listings. You just never know. BTW, There is no such thing as a "Villages Realtor". Villages agents are licensed but are NOT Realtors.
What are they licensed for?

[msilagy]

Remember you will have a BOND on new or newer construction. Paid with taxes. Many realtors never mention that important fact!

[ronwinger]

FYI, if you go onto YouTube, you will find some videos that share what the cost per year are for someone to live in The Villages. They will vary but, at least you will have some idea. Enjoy your adventure while visiting TV.

[ThirdOfFive]

My husband and I are coming for a lifestyle visit in October. I have 3 questions about realtors. 1)Why would someone list with MLS rather than a Villages realtor? 2)If I'm looking for a preowned home should I look at both? 3)Someone on this forum said a friend of theirs was paying 500.00 in amenity fees. Doesn't everyone pay the same? Thanks in advance for the info and advice. Excited to see all the Villages offers!
We took the double-barreled approach when buying: working both with a Villages guy and an outside realtor. Both were excellent. Lennie Berger (the Villages agent) was outstanding. We ended up not buying from him (opting instead to purchase a home listed by an outside realty company) but we had no issues with either. If you're looking at new, however, as other posts indicate, you'll have to work with a Villages agent.

We chose pre-owned, for several reasons. More established neighborhoods, generally quieter (our village has only one way in and out so very little traffic), no bond (a biggie), and a whole lot closer to essential businesses and services that the new construction in the South seems to be (we're maybe 10 minutes by golf cart from Lowe's, Wal-mart, Publix, Aldi, Doctor, Dentist, Spanish Springs Town square, a couple of strip malls, etc.).

Enjoy your lifestyle visit! But be prepared for the lily to be heavily gilded. Back in the world I enjoyed woodworking. When discussing hobbies with our Villages "guide" during our lifestyle visit I mentioned that fact. He took us to the woodshop (only one at the time) and proudly showed how it worked, what was expected of the people using it, etc. No mention however that the waiting list was years long (and with the huge influx of people recently, probably approaching a decade). A few other such gildings, but really minor in comparison to what The Villages is, and has to offer.

Enjoy your visit and best of luck buying

[crash]

MLS realtors are NOT allowed to show new construction....only pre-owned. The villages team and MLS can both show pre-owned. Get the Daily Sun for listings for both or go to the villages website for listings with " the firm".

MLS can not show Villages listed properties and Vice a versus. To see all preowned homes you need both.

[dewilson58]

Look online for houses listed by The Villages.

Look online for houses listed by MLS.

Look online for houses listed by owner.

Notice the theme????...............look online.


Realtor vs. Agent vs. Broker ......................Titles don't matter.
The individual matters.............not if you have taken a test and pay dues.
There are good and bad individuals no matter the title.
Same with attorneys, CPAs, doctors, lawn mowers, painters.

:mornincoffee:

[ron32162]

There are NO Village Realtors only village sales people "Realtor" is a trademark and only can be used by members belonging to the NAR. Village sales people, their principal is the builder who they represent. A mls Realtor their principal is the customer That would be You.

[sallyg]

Be sure to use an MLS realtor and a Villages realtor to get a better selection and better information. If you buy a new home you can only use a Villages realtor. Keep in mind new homes have a bond and maintenance fees which many older homes do not. Have fun looking.

[SusanStCatherine]

In my experience working with both, I would never use VLS. You are not offered the protections that an MLS must adhered to. A friend recently bought an older home owned by the villages. They went ahead and hired their own inspector and gave her the report - unethical IMO.

Find your own impartial Inspector. Find one who gives the report directly to only you.

Also make sure there is money in escrow so that can be used as leverage against problems found.

Good luck!

[ron32162]

179.00 everyone no one pays 500.00

[MSGirl]

Look at both MLS and VLS listings. You just never know. BTW, There is no such thing as a "Villages Realtor". Villages agents are licensed but are NOT Realtors.

To clarify between a REALTOR and a sales agent, all real estate agents are sales agents: includes both MLS and VLS agents.

The term REALTOR® has one, and only one, meaning: REALTOR® is a federally registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
A VLS agent cannot be a REALTOR. But they can and do sell Villages homes. Only a Villages agent can sell new in The Villages.

[mbene]

I thought I had read in a previous thread that there is a yearly assessment for infrastructure or something along that line that typically runs about $500-$600, could this be what they are taking about?

[Carol Fiore]

I moved from north of 44 to south of 44 new homes. North of 44 is in the county of Wildwood and your taxes will be lower. South of 44 you will pay an additional city tax. (Municipality - Wildwood). That cost me additional $778.00 a year. I don't know which property is in the county vs City. You will have to ask the Sumter property appraisers.

Sumter County has a unique way of calculating your market value in The Villages only. They do it by the model of your home.

Here are some of the model costs south of 44.

BASE RATE Code Model
137.00 DH64 Jasmine
148.00 DH70 Begonia, Indigo
156.00 DH71 Iris, Lily, Mossy Oak
164.00 DH72 Bridgeport, Lantana, Zinnia
162.00 DH73 Woodside, Laurel Oak, IVY
149.00 DH75 Gardenia
$82.76 R5 Outside of the Villages (Beaumont Village)

You can find this information on your property record card. They do not make this information public. You can call the Sumter County at 352-569-6800 to get your property record card and other property record card. That is how I got this information.

Florida has wonderful property tax savings for permanent residents. Be sure to apply for these savings.

1. Homestead - this will reduce your assessed value by $50,000
2. Portability - if you are a Florida resident this is your Save your home benefit. They cannot raise your taxes more than 3% per year. If you lived in a Fl home and bought another Fl home, you have 3 years to move the portability to the new home. I lived in Florida for over 50 years, and I have over $200,000 in portability.
3. Senior Discount - In Sumter it will reduce your assessed value by 15,000 saving you approx. $150 per year. Note: there is an income limit for this benefit.

I am saving approx. $4000 per year on my taxes.

[Karmanng]

Not everyone has their water and sewer as part of the amenities fee. Our fee is currently $177. It started at $159 when we bought 3+ Years ago. With trash fees our monthly bill is $199. We get a separate water and sewer bill that is generally $40-60 a month.


Can you get the senior discount if you are renting it out at all before moving?

[Karmanng]

How do you get the seperate water bill ?

[Karmanng]

I just bought and mine is $179.00

[Karmanng]

I would like to sell the homes in the villages do you know how you can?

[Karmanng]

Look at both MLS and VLS listings. You just never know. BTW, There is no such thing as a "Villages Realtor". Villages agents are licensed but are NOT Realtors.
do you know how to become a vls agent?

[Karmanng]

There are NO Village Realtors only village sales people "Realtor" is a trademark and only can be used by members belonging to the NAR. Village sales people, their principal is the builder who they represent. A mls Realtor their principal is the customer That would be You.
VLS dont give you uch information on the homes either when you start asking questions they seem to blow it off

[Karmanng]

When comparing price of new vs pre owned, you need to consider the after market upgrades the pre owned has. Things like painted/coated driveway.garage, water systems, screening, solar tubes, plantation shutters, etc.
That is one reason why pre owned are listed at a higher price.
Don’t forget to investigate the bond. New home are probably in the $30,000 ranges, pre owned may by in the 10,000 to 15,000 range or may be paid off.
Yes I think pre owned is better.......Everyone has the same landscaping when new and things are not established yet......did not like the new areas either such as Deluna its a swamp

[manaboutown]

VLS dont give you uch information on the homes either when you start asking questions they seem to blow it off

When I asked about the bond when my first Villages agent was showing me a new spec home he looked at me as if he had never heard of such a thing! Lol. He was disingenuous. I never really got much of an answer or even a ballpark figure on how much the bond would be.

Villages agents represent the seller of new homes, The Villages, not the buyer!

[sbedell]

Like most posts, there is a lot of good information but also a lot of misinformation. I'm an MLS Realtor so I'm going to address some of the comments.

Properties of The Villages: If you want a new home, they are the only choice. They can also buy/sell pre-owned but ONLY in The Villages. They do NOT work with MLS agents at all, there are not 'some' that will. They are not Realtors, but that does not make them evil. :) They currently sell all new properties and about 50% of the pre-owned properties in The Villages. Since they are not in MLS, they are also not listed in Zillow, Redfin, etc online, only in The Daily Sun, their website and radio station. They have about 300 agents.

MLS: MLS agents and POV agents do NOT cooperate with each other, so if you see a property listed on MLS, Zillow, etc, you CANNOT use a POV agent. There are about 1,000 MLS agents in the greater TV area. MLS agents can buy/sell anywhere in Florida. About 50% of pre-owned properties are sold by MLS Realtors.

As you can see by the above, things work a little bit differently in TV compared to other places. That's why many people choose both a POV agent and an MLS Realtor when looking to buy. I hope this clears things up for you! :22yikes:

[JMintzer]

When we bought this past spring we were pretty much 90% set on pre-owned. We looked at several pre-owned and very quickly after checking out new homes after that we changed our minds to only want something new. The newer builds are generally better laid out, using more energy efficient everything, more modern kitchens and bathrooms, and seem to sell for around the same price as pre-owned. Not to mention, in the new areas the average age is closer to 60 than 80 like some of the original areas.

One thing about The Villages... There is constant turnover, with younger people moving in as the older people move on...

This goes for ALL areas...

[JMintzer]

In my experience working with both, I would never use VLS. You are not offered the protections that an MLS must adhered to. A friend recently bought an older home owned by the villages. They went ahead and hired their own inspector and gave her the report - unethical IMO.

What "protection" would that be?

[JMintzer]

If you want to see every house for sale in TV, then you will need both MLS & TV. TV handle about twice the sales of resales and 100% of new. The “line” about TV agents are not realtors is spun by MLS agents, because TV can not sell MLS and vice versa……BOTH are licensed by the state of Florida. Some of TV agents get along with MLS and can work together. You can only see MLS homes on MLS, and only see TV homes on TV website. As with any transaction, get agents you like and trust, there are good & bad in both organizations.

Correct. Our "Villages" Agent took us where WE wanted to go, and contacted one of her friends, who was an MLS agent to show us the few homes that we wanted to see that were not listed on TV website. We found them on Zillow and Redfin...

She made sure WE were happy... She was referred to us by friends, who had used her 3 times. If we ever decide to move, I would not hesitate to use her again...

[JMintzer]

Very important location! Location! and community travel if you cannot drive.

If you cannot drive, I would think TV is not the place for you, unless you move close enough to walk to any shopping, Dr's offices etc...

[dewilson58]

................. member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.


Which means NOTHING.

[Darield]

My husband and I are coming for a lifestyle visit in October. I have 3 questions about realtors. 1)Why would someone list with MLS rather than a Villages realtor? 2)If I'm looking for a preowned home should I look at both? 3)Someone on this forum said a friend of theirs was paying 500.00 in amenity fees. Doesn't everyone pay the same? Thanks in advance for the info and advice. Excited to see all the Villages offers!
Village realtors do not have a realtors license.They are sales people for the Villages. Their focus is on new homes although they will show you homes that are listed with them. The best thing to do is use both. That way you have access to all homes for sale. As far as amenity fees, they go higher in the newer neighborhoods in the South. The bonds in the newer homes are also much higher. We bought an older home near the polo grounds and the bond had already been paid and we have one of the lower amenity fees. The homes and area have a very different feel South of 466A than the ones up North. Look at a variety of areas so you can determine what is best for you.

[Stu from NYC]

Village realtors do not have a realtors license.They are sales people for the Villages. Their focus is on new homes although they will show you homes that are listed with them. The best thing to do is use both. That way you have access to all homes for sale. As far as amenity fees, they go higher in the newer neighborhoods in the South. The bonds in the newer homes are also much higher. We bought an older home near the polo grounds and the bond had already been paid and we have one of the lower amenity fees. The homes and area have a very different feel South of 466A than the ones up North. Look at a variety of areas so you can determine what is best for you.

Very true. I will add a one week lifestyle visit is not nearly enough time to decide where you might want to live. We did a month and could easily have done longer

[JMintzer]

Remember you will have a BOND on new or newer construction. Paid with taxes. Many realtors never mention that important fact!

Well, considering it's listed on pretty much every single home posting, it's kind of hard to miss...

[JMintzer]

We took the double-barreled approach when buying: working both with a Villages guy and an outside realtor. Both were excellent. Lennie Berger (the Villages agent) was outstanding. We ended up not buying from him (opting instead to purchase a home listed by an outside realty company) but we had no issues with either. If you're looking at new, however, as other posts indicate, you'll have to work with a Villages agent.

We chose pre-owned, for several reasons. More established neighborhoods, generally quieter (our village has only one way in and out so very little traffic), no bond (a biggie), and a whole lot closer to essential businesses and services that the new construction in the South seems to be (we're maybe 10 minutes by golf cart from Lowe's, Wal-mart, Publix, Aldi, Doctor, Dentist, Spanish Springs Town square, a couple of strip malls, etc.).

Enjoy your lifestyle visit! But be prepared for the lily to be heavily gilded. Back in the world I enjoyed woodworking. When discussing hobbies with our Villages "guide" during our lifestyle visit I mentioned that fact. He took us to the woodshop (only one at the time) and proudly showed how it worked, what was expected of the people using it, etc. No mention however that the waiting list was years long (and with the huge influx of people recently, probably approaching a decade). A few other such gildings, but really minor in comparison to what The Villages is, and has to offer.

Enjoy your visit and best of luck buying

Someone just posted (who is a member of the woodshop) that the waiting list is NOT 'years long"...

[chrissy2231]

My husband and I are coming for a lifestyle visit in October. I have 3 questions about realtors. 1)Why would someone list with MLS rather than a Villages realtor? 2)If I'm looking for a preowned home should I look at both? 3)Someone on this forum said a friend of theirs was paying 500.00 in amenity fees. Doesn't everyone pay the same? Thanks in advance for the info and advice. Excited to see all the Villages offers!


Villages realtors only have access to the houses that home owners list with them. You would be limiting yourself if you don't use MLS. You're not the one paying the fee; the home owner is. $500 is untrue. I pay $173.50. When I first moved in 6 years ago, fee was $149. Extremely normal increase!

[JMintzer]

There are NO Village Realtors only village sales people "Realtor" is a trademark and only can be used by members belonging to the NAR. Village sales people, their principal is the builder who they represent. A mls Realtor their principal is the customer That would be You.

Or the seller, who would be someone else...

[JMintzer]

To clarify between a REALTOR and a sales agent, all real estate agents are sales agents: includes both MLS and VLS agents.

The term REALTOR® has one, and only one, meaning: REALTOR® is a federally registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
A VLS agent cannot be a REALTOR. But they can and do sell Villages homes. Only a Villages agent can sell new in The Villages.

Per the NAR, their "code of ethics" is simply a guideline...

[Remembergoldenrule]

You should look at both mls and the villages. You will only see half the homes otherwise. The villages also get more for pushing below 44.

For convenience you want above 44.

When looking at price, think how much you will have to pay to pay and the trouble you will go through to “save” money when in reality you will have to pay $30 -40k for repaint (6k) landscaping (10-20 k) , solar tubes with night lights ($800 each) plantation shutters (4-6k), cornices (700 each), epoxy garage (2k), enclosed lanai 10-20k., new floors (15 -20 k), insulation over attic (800) attic fans (800) you get the idea.

Neighbor just did all this then had to move due to family problem back home.

We live in Dunedin. Our fee is $177.

If you are quiet with no loud music or motorcycles come check us out great neighbors with occasional whole neighborhood block parties and our own quiet street get togethers. Ewing Ave
Their house is on Zillow or Realtor.com use realtor of choice.

3526 Ewing Ave, The Villages, FL 32163 | MLS #G5057350 | Zillow (https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3526-Ewing-Ave-The-Villages-FL-32163/123472875_zpid/)

[JMintzer]

When I asked about the bond when my first Villages agent was showing me a new spec home he looked at me as if he had never heard of such a thing! Lol. He was disingenuous. I never really got much of an answer or even a ballpark figure on how much the bond would be.

Villages agents represent the seller of new homes, The Villages, not the buyer!

Was your 2nd agent better? Sounds like you got a bad one. Just like there are bad realtors...

I had none of those issues with my agent...

[JMintzer]

Like most posts, there is a lot of good information but also a lot of misinformation. I'm an MLS Realtor so I'm going to address some of the comments.

Properties of The Villages: If you want a new home, they are the only choice. They can also buy/sell pre-owned but ONLY in The Villages. They do NOT work with MLS agents at all, there are not 'some' that will. They are not Realtors, but that does not make them evil. :) They currently sell all new properties and about 50% of the pre-owned properties in The Villages. Since they are not in MLS, they are also not listed in Zillow, Redfin, etc online, only in The Daily Sun, their website and radio station. They have about 300 agents.

MLS: MLS agents and POV agents do NOT cooperate with each other, so if you see a property listed on MLS, Zillow, etc, you CANNOT use a POV agent. There are about 1,000 MLS agents in the greater TV area. MLS agents can buy/sell anywhere in Florida. About 50% of pre-owned properties are sold by MLS Realtors.

As you can see by the above, things work a little bit differently in TV compared to other places. That's why many people choose both a POV agent and an MLS Realtor when looking to buy. I hope this clears things up for you! :22yikes:

Well, our agent took us to see several "MLS" listed homes, even though she knew she would not make a commission on the sale. She did everything she could do to make sure WE were happy. She now has a customer for life...

We already contacted her on a home we saw listed in Dunedin (it had an in-law suite with a kitchenette, making it a 4 BR, 3BA that would have been perfect as a media room/"man-cave"), but alas, the timing was wrong...

It's all about building relationships...

[Dburesh]

Glad to hear that you coming to The Villages for a visit! It will take you 1 day to know that this is where you want to live...it's Paradise! I'm NOT a realtor, but have sold homes on my own before, since we have been in 3 different ones since we moved here, so I'm very knowledgeable on what goes on around here. If you are going to purchase a pre-owned home, you need to pay attention to the balance on the bond initially so you are aware of your situation. My parents built here 22 years ago, so they have seen many changes take place, some good & some bad! There are many things to consider so feel free to give me a call @ 513-222-2981 @ your convenience. I can also tell you the positives & negatives of each area. Good Luck, Doreen

[Vegasvee]

We’re considering moving to The Villages, but have concerns regarding the weather there, primarily hurricanes and damage they can cause. We live in the desert and barely have rain, mosquitoes, flea. Any input is appreciated.

[Worldseries27]

my husband and i are coming for a lifestyle visit in october. I have 3 questions about realtors. 1)why would someone list with mls rather than a villages realtor? 2)if i'm looking for a preowned home should i look at both? 3)someone on this forum said a friend of theirs was paying 500.00 in amenity fees. Doesn't everyone pay the same? Thanks in advance for the info and advice. Excited to see all the villages offers!
straight from my financials
1 amenity. 172. 08
2 sanitation. 21.41
3 lawn irrigation. Large lot. 92.47 (3x wk)
4. Residental water 70.73
good luck

[MrChip72]

in reality you will have to pay $30 -40k for repaint (6k) landscaping (10-20 k) , solar tubes with night lights ($800 each) plantation shutters (4-6k), cornices (700 each), epoxy garage (2k), enclosed lanai 10-20k., new floors (15 -20 k), insulation over attic (800) attic fans (800)

You just listed many of the extras that I never plan to get done to my existing home in TV at least in the next forseeable 10+ years, and certainly not for those prices.

[Carol Fiore]

I think the Senior discount is for residence only. Call Sumter County.

[barbielusby]

My husband and I are coming for a lifestyle visit in October. I have 3 questions about realtors. 1)Why would someone list with MLS rather than a Villages realtor? 2)If I'm looking for a preowned home should I look at both? 3)Someone on this forum said a friend of theirs was paying 500.00 in amenity fees. Doesn't everyone pay the same? Thanks in advance for the info and advice. Excited to see all the Villages offers!

I have a great realtor Cindy Foster {Cindy Foster} 352-460-2260} she does all the work looking for homes for you. Barbara

[defrey12]

…or her daughter, Kelley. The best! Caveat to buying a “previously owned” home: it’s probably going to need work…least of all, a new roof. Get a GOOD inspection/inspector. We were in the “rehab” business for a long time…you can easily hit $50k in upgrades and rehab. We chose a NEW build. Just sayin’…

[merled]

Homefinder - The Villages(R) Homes and Villas for Sale (https://www.thevillages.com/homefinder/L17.5616?new&preowned&homesites&village=The%20Village%20Mira%20Mesa&status&lng=-81.99355979584547&lat=28.87421165371721&lvl=0)

My husband and I are coming for a lifestyle visit in October. I have 3 questions about realtors. 1)Why would someone list with MLS rather than a Villages realtor? 2)If I'm looking for a preowned home should I look at both? 3)Someone on this forum said a friend of theirs was paying 500.00 in amenity fees. Doesn't everyone pay the same? Thanks in advance for the info and advice. Excited to see all the Villages offers!

[merled]

Homefinder - The Villages(R) Homes and Villas for Sale (https://www.thevillages.com/homefinder/L17.5616?new&preowned&homesites&village=The%20Village%20Mira%20Mesa&status&lng=-81.99355979584547&lat=28.87421165371721&lvl=0)

[bimmertl]

The first thing our MLS agent did was pull out a map of the Villages and show us where the water treatment plants were and also where the train tracks were. Most likely don't want to be close to either one of them and the Villages agent we used never mentioned them.

Probably don't want to be close to pickleball courts either.

[Bellavita]

amenity fees are not $500 and yes all residents pay the same. Ours is like $160 as far as new vs existing. It depends on what you want to do and if you want to pay the bond? I am not sure what the bond is but I am assuming it is quite high. Be mindful of the Turnpike and get a good Villages person to show you around.

Its not rocket science if you have bought real estate before. Do you have a dog? Check out the neighbors first. I would not buy anywhere if I didn't meet the neighbors on either side. It can be a total nightmare if you get the wrong person.

We are so lucky with neighbors it is a blessing, There are horror stories about others so buyer beware.

My husband and I are coming for a lifestyle visit in October. I have 3 questions about realtors. 1)Why would someone list with MLS rather than a Villages realtor? 2)If I'm looking for a preowned home should I look at both? 3)Someone on this forum said a friend of theirs was paying 500.00 in amenity fees. Doesn't everyone pay the same? Thanks in advance for the info and advice. Excited to see all the Villages offers!

[TerryCamlin]

My husband and I are coming for a lifestyle visit in October. I have 3 questions about realtors. 1)Why would someone list with MLS rather than a Villages realtor? 2)If I'm looking for a preowned home should I look at both? 3)Someone on this forum said a friend of theirs was paying 500.00 in amenity fees. Doesn't everyone pay the same? Thanks in advance for the info and advice. Excited to see all the Villages offers!

Definitely get a MLS Realtor and a Village Realtor. Beware unless you ask the Village Realtor to see resales they will steer you to new homes. Do not discount For Sale by Owners also. You can use Zillow and the Sun (local paper). New homes come with hefty bonds (every home has one). The difference is instead of being new $40k you will see much lower bonds North of 44 and a lot of owners paid them off so you may have zero to pay extra. Also the taxes on the new homes are 4x's what I pay North of 44. My Designer Aspen is $2900 a year. Beware of turnpike noise, federal prisons and the quarry south of 44. People complain after they buy so do your homework. Not all homes are affected but some definitely are. You determine your level of comfort & what you can afford not anybody else. No matter where you buy the Villages is a great place to call home. If it's a preowned home meet your neighbors to ensure it's not a rental (there are lots of them out there) & that they are friendly. 95% are but we do have some grumps like every area. Also if there is a golf cart path next to your home expect to hear them starting about 6:00 am when they head out for their tee time. Some have radios blaring. I chose not to be on a golf cart path, not to be too close to the water basin (aka lakes-flooding), not to be too close to a major rec center (pickleball & volley ball noise) and to avoid main roads. Even though my neighbors are close it's very quiet and that is what I desired most. Good Luck!!!

[Papa_lecki]

Also the taxes on the new homes are 4x's what I pay North of 44. My Designer Aspen is $2900 a year.

YOu cant compare property taxes, dont assume what is on Realtor.com is what youll pay.
At the sale, the county reassesses. Also, you dont know about homestead exemptions.
So someone who bought their home 25 years ago with a homestead exemption will pay MUC less than their next door neighbor who bought this year.

[bark4me]

You'll probably get more homes to look at with a VLS agent. Very few MLS listing in TV. We had a VLS agent and an MLS agent. Never heard from the MLS agent.

[manaboutown]

You'll probably get more homes to look at with a VLS agent. Very few MLS listing in TV. We had a VLS agent and an MLS agent. Never heard from the MLS agent.

My original VLS agent steered me only to new homes and evaded showing me resales even after numerous requests. It appears VLS agents are incentivized to sell new homes to peddle whatever the developer is building.

[JMintzer]

My original VLS agent steered me only to new homes and evaded showing me resales even after numerous requests. It appears VLS agents are incentivized to sell new homes to peddle whatever the developer is building.

No, unfortunately, that was YOUR original agent. Mine showed me exactly what and where I wanted to buy...

Did your 2nd agent do the same thing?

[Marathon Man]

No, unfortunately, that was YOUR original agent. Mine showed me exactly what and where I wanted to buy...

Did your 2nd agent do the same thing?

Yep. I told our VLS agent that we had no interest in new construction. The subject never came up again. Found our home with her and purchased it.

[Babubhat]

Use the villages agent if you want to live here. Seen a recent bunch of homes relisted recently with them after owners tries non villages realtor. It doesn’t cost you anything