owners of mfg home in historic area?

[LB]

Hello to all, We are still in West Palm, and trying all angels to get more time in the Villages.We have decided to look at Manufactured homes in the historic area. We would rent in the busy months and we could enjoy the rest of the year. This is all new as we have not spent too much time in thes villages. How does renting work for any owners? What are the pitfalls? Would appreciate any feed back.Now I will go back to the web cam and watch poeple having fun at the squares. Regards LB & LB

[eweissenbach]

I think you have a good plan there. I have a few friends who have bought manf. homes in various parts of Fla., not TV, and bragged about what a deal they got. When we explore their purchase further we find that while they may have paid 20-30K for the home, they don't own the land. Typically they pay anywhere from $400 to $800 a month for their "association fees", which include the lot rent, lawncare, and a few amenities. What strikes me is, they really don't own much, and they have no guarantee that the fees won't escalate in the future. It even occurs to me that the landowner could sell the land and the new owner evict everyone and build homes or commercial property on the land. For what they pay for their fees, you could mortgage a nice manufactured home in TV and actually own your property. The other part of your plan, renting it out, also seems sound, as the manufactured homes seem to rent well and bring almost 2/3 as much rent as stick built homes for much less than 2/3 the investment. In my humble opinion, you would do well to go for it.

[LovingLife]

Hello to all, We are still in West Palm, and trying all angels to get more time in the Villages.We have decided to look at Manufactured homes in the historic area. We would rent in the busy months and we could enjoy the rest of the year. This is all new as we have not spent too much time in thes villages. How does renting work for any owners? What are the pitfalls? Would appreciate any feed back.Now I will go back to the web cam and watch poeple having fun at the squares. Regards LB & LB
We rented a manufactured home on the historic side for 3 years (3-months at a time) and fell in love with the Village of Orange Blossom Gardens. Good friends of ours own and rent several manufactured homes in the Villages of Silver Lake and Country Club Hills, and rarely have any difficulty renting them short or long term, some yearly. One thing to keep in mind is that some original mfd homes are now older than some financial institutions care to grant mortgages and insurance (older than 1978). In these cases cash is king and you can get some great bargains while gaining income from rentals. If it were me, I'd look through each one with a fine toothed comb to assure structural integrity. Then MOVE IN!

[njbchbum]

coach ed offered you good info. you can check these two websites to see the rents that the manufactured homes typically bring in and out of season: http://thevillagesforrentbyowner.com/ and http://villages4rent.com/.

we own on the historic side and we love it there! i feel that the homes and neighborhoods are not as cookie-cutter as others and the mature landscaping adds so much to each homesite. and the maturity and productivity of the fruit trees lead many homeowners to offer their abundant crops gratis!

the paradise rec center is a beehive of activity, the golf courses are ultra-convenient and the adult pools are lovely - one even has a hot tub - an envy of many in the villages! the lack of hills in the area makes walking and bike riding a cinch. and the lack of traffic makes riding in the golf cart less of an adventure than is morse blvd, odell circle, canal street, etc! ;)

since this area is the original villages, the 'children' of many original residents are now taking ownership of the homes...so while other neighborhoods will enjoy an aging population - we are growing younger" ;) i have found that chatting with the original owners gives me a whole different perspective of living under the bubble!

i think the best kept secret of the historic side is the street named kelsea circle - and i will say no more except that it is lovely and we have friends who bought there! but we have lots with the golf course view, too; and there are lots of homes with rear privacy without having to look at a fence and some lots with a water view, too! as far as i am concerned, the historic side offers it all in three neat little villages!

[redjpang]

Curious as to how strick the rules are in the old part.

I see some places for sale that are under 60k. If I want to put a new manufactered home on the lot are there size restrictions? Can you put up Garages instead of carports?

Other places have mature landscaping in the pictures. If you want to mondernize it, do you have to seek permission?

[EdV]

Hello to all, We are still in West Palm, and trying all angels to get more time in the Villages....

Seeking help from high above certainly never hurts.

[njbchbum]

changes to our properties must be approved by an architectural committe just as in other villages. permits must also be obtained in lake county dependant on the scope of the project...my new screen enclosure - yes, my replacement lanai windows - no.

several original manufactured homes have been removed from homesies and replaced with new or replaced with stick built houses - both situations subject to approval - the purpose of which is to maintain a similarity of style in the neighborhood.

in riding around and noticing the variety of lawn ornamentation in neighborhoods and some individual properties, it appears that those things are considered the 'small stuff' and that any 'violation' would be handled on a complaint basis! but big stuff like overgrown lawns and replacement of houses without permission/approval will surely get noticed and attended to. i do know of one homeowner who was issued a stop work order when modifying an existing raised deck on their home!

you can read about deed restrictions/compliance at this website:
http://www.districtgov.org/departments/Community-Standards/community-standards.aspx

hth

[chuckinca]

Seeking help from high above certainly never hurts.


:a20:


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[LB]

Thanks to everyone that took the time to give us some really good advice. It has opened our eyes to what to look for and what we may want to do. We will be in the historic area all weekend looking at all kinds of sales, even for sale by owner. Regards LB&LB

[bkcunningham1]

coach ed offered you good info. you can check these two websites to see the rents that the manufactured homes typically bring in and out of season: http://thevillagesforrentbyowner.com/ and http://villages4rent.com/.

we own on the historic side and we love it there! i feel that the homes and neighborhoods are not as cookie-cutter as others and the mature landscaping adds so much to each homesite. and the maturity and productivity of the fruit trees lead many homeowners to offer their abundant crops gratis!

the paradise rec center is a beehive of activity, the golf courses are ultra-convenient and the adult pools are lovely - one even has a hot tub - an envy of many in the villages! the lack of hills in the area makes walking and bike riding a cinch. and the lack of traffic makes riding in the golf cart less of an adventure than is morse blvd, odell circle, canal street, etc! ;)

since this area is the original villages, the 'children' of many original residents are now taking ownership of the homes...so while other neighborhoods will enjoy an aging population - we are growing younger" ;) i have found that chatting with the original owners gives me a whole different perspective of living under the bubble!

i think the best kept secret of the historic side is the street named kelsea circle - and i will say no more except that it is lovely and we have friends who bought there! but we have lots with the golf course view, too; and there are lots of homes with rear privacy without having to look at a fence and some lots with a water view, too! as far as i am concerned, the historic side offers it all in three neat little villages!


We live on the historic side too, on the golf course with a cul-de-sac and park in front of our home. We just closed on a house we bought for my father-in-law on Hillcrest on the OB golf course. We looked for many, many months for a houise on Kelsea Circle. Besides my street, Kelsea Circle is one of my favorite places in TV. We actually were standing in a driveway at one house with a realtor on Kelsea Circle, made an offer, and when the realtor called to check on something with the listing agent, we were told an offer was accepted the day before! I wonder if that is where your friend lives?

[njbchbum]

We live on the historic side too, on the golf course with a cul-de-sac and park in front of our home. We just closed on a house we bought for my father-in-law on Hillcrest on the OB golf course. We looked for many, many months for a houise on Kelsea Circle. Besides my street, Kelsea Circle is one of my favorite places in TV. We actually were standing in a driveway at one house with a realtor on Kelsea Circle, made an offer, and when the realtor called to check on something with the listing agent, we were told an offer was accepted the day before! I wonder if that is where your friend lives?

such a small world! we looked at two homes on hillcrest before we bought! our friends bought two yrs ago - # 1042 kelsea circle. those park like settings are the best! but i also like aloha way - on the water!

[chuckinca]

My brother has a house on Hillcrest!


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[Schaumburger]

Thanks to everyone that took the time to give us some really good advice. It has opened our eyes to what to look for and what we may want to do. We will be in the historic area all weekend looking at all kinds of sales, even for sale by owner. Regards LB&LB

LB -- Good luck in your home search. Keep us posted on your results. :wave:

[Posh 08]

I'm leaning towards searching the historic side for a home. Want friendly neighbors that will socialize though. Living in rural area now with no social life to speak of with neighbors is no fun.

[bkcunningham1]

My brother has a house on Hillcrest!


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Is he near the house that does the big Christmas light display?

[bkcunningham1]

such a small world! we looked at two homes on hillcrest before we bought! our friends bought two yrs ago - # 1042 kelsea circle. those park like settings are the best! but i also like aloha way - on the water!

I really love the water views from Aloha Way too.

[njbchbum]

I'm leaning towards searching the historic side for a home. Want friendly neighbors that will socialize though. Living in rural area now with no social life to speak of with neighbors is no fun.

posh - may i suggest that when loking for a house on the historic side that you also spend time visiting the paradise rec center, as well as the adult pools and the club houses. as a snowbird living near the southside adult pool and club house as i do, i can assure you that the folks who use that area know how to party - i mean, socialize! ;)

[Posh 08]

posh - may i suggest that when loking for a house on the historic side that you also spend time visiting the paradise rec center, as well as the adult pools and the club houses. as a snowbird living near the southside adult pool and club house as i do, i can assure you that the folks who use that area know how to party - i mean, socialize! ;)

That's what I'm talkin about. Thank you. See you at the pool. :laugh:

[DENNIS G]

If you are looking to purchase, be sure and have it inspected by a reputable housing inspector, (any home whether manufactured or stick built)
Soft flooring is a problem with manufactured homes. I started out on the historic side, the home we bought the inspector missed three areas that had solf floor spots. They are more noticeable around the outside walls and bath room areas. I had to rip up three 4ft x 6ft areas. one being the bathroom, what a pain.

Good luck, and welcome to TV.

[chuckinca]

Is he near the house that does the big Christmas light display?


Yes, maybe fifteen houses away.


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[LB]

Thanks for all the good info you have shared. We spent the weekend in TV, and looked at 22 mgf homes. May have found "the one" on Schwartz Blvd. We really like the Historic side. We had never spent much time there until now. We are getting all costs together and will decide if to make an offer. Did not sleep well last night!! Can anyone tell us the cost of basic cable? Best Regards to all. LB &LB

[judylou]

We have lived in Silver Lake for six years now. You couldn't find a better neighborhood than ours. Our house is larger than most of the smaller ranches on the newer side and with our large double carport, it is the perfect place for parties. It is also very convenient to so many things. Right now we are in Michigan and I can't wait to get back to my little cottage in Silver Lake.

[champion6]

We are getting all costs together and will decide if to make an offer. Did not sleep well last night!! Can anyone tell us the cost of basic cable? Best Regards to all. LB &LB Check the Nuts and Bolts section at the bottom of the main forum. You will find messages with cost estimates for many monthly expenses.

[batman911]

Are manufactured homes village speak for trailer houses? If you purchased a manufactured home could you remove it and have the developer build one of the currently offered models on the lot?

[Schaumburger]

Thanks for all the good info you have shared. We spent the weekend in TV, and looked at 22 mgf homes. May have found "the one" on Schwartz Blvd. We really like the Historic side. We had never spent much time there until now. We are getting all costs together and will decide if to make an offer. Did not sleep well last night!! Can anyone tell us the cost of basic cable? Best Regards to all. LB &LB

LB & LB, Good luck to you -- hope it works out for you! :wave:

[DENNIS G]

Thanks for all the good info you have shared. We spent the weekend in TV, and looked at 22 mgf homes. May have found "the one" on Schwartz Blvd. We really like the Historic side. We had never spent much time there until now. We are getting all costs together and will decide if to make an offer. Did not sleep well last night!! Can anyone tell us the cost of basic cable? Best Regards to all. LB &LB

Depending on where your house is located some of the properties have or had grandfather right to free basic tv. My in-laws had free basic tv before they left last summer.

[njbchbum]

Depending on where your house is located some of the properties have or had grandfather right to free basic tv. My in-laws had free basic tv before they left last summer.

dennis g - i thought those 'rights' accrued to founding purchasers of the property and not to the property itself. a neighbor who was a founding resident returned north after her husband passed away and then decided she had to return to the villages...the people who bought her original home did not receive the courtesies that she had enjoyed...and when she returned to the villages whe was not extended the courtesies she originally enjoyed - lost them all!

now my neighbor who has comcast tv has a special low rate...but that is because he opted for comcast when it was first offered in the neighborhood. it is not available to us as newer residents. might your in-laws have had that same distinction from comcast? were your in-laws founding residents or early purchasers of comcast service?

the folks we bought from were founding residents and i would love to know if the property should be enjoying reduced rates for anything! ;)

[LB]

Yesterday we made an offer on a place on w Schwartz. Now the waiting! Should hear today. Thanks for all the help.LB & LB

[redwitch]

LB -- Hope you get your place! I love the historic side and its mature landscaping. Can't say I love all of the lawn ornaments but they are certainly fun to look at. I think purchasing on the historic side is really a great way to start. When you're ready to be a permanent resident, you can upgrade your home to a new manufactured or site built, keep it as a rental and move to another part of TV or sell and move. Regardless, you have a great place to hang your hat until you decide what you want to do as you grow young.

[2BNTV]

Yesterday we made an offer on a place on w Schwartz. Now the waiting! Should hear today. Thanks for all the help.LB & LB

I'm hoping it's accepted.

Best Wishes as you start living the dream.

[LB]

It is 6:00PM and the owner has not responded as yet either way. We under stand that he is older and relies on relatives to give him advise. We are trying to be patient. Our sales rep Bryan Thayer has called several times to say he does not have an answer. He is doing a "Great" job, if anyone is looking for a good and energetic sales person he is the one! Waiting by the phone. LB & LB

[Posh 08]

It is 6:00PM and the owner has not responded as yet either way. We under stand that he is older and relies on relatives to give him advise. We are trying to be patient. Our sales rep Bryan Thayer has called several times to say he does not have an answer. He is doing a "Great" job, if anyone is looking for a good and energetic sales person he is the one! Waiting by the phone. LB & LB

go out for dinner and relax, if it's meant to happen it will......

[mgjim]

LB - once you get through the process, I'll be bugging you for advice because I intend to do the exact same thing you're doing. Good luck!

[bkcunningham1]

It is 6:00PM and the owner has not responded as yet either way. We under stand that he is older and relies on relatives to give him advise. We are trying to be patient. Our sales rep Bryan Thayer has called several times to say he does not have an answer. He is doing a "Great" job, if anyone is looking for a good and energetic sales person he is the one! Waiting by the phone. LB & LB


Keep us updated. We are closing on our fourth house on the historic side Oct. 1. The seller depended on advise from out-of-state children and the deal has taken longer than expected. We really didn't mind one bit though. We wanted her to be satisfied and we wanted everyone to be happy with the transaction. Good luck!

[LB]

It is 8:00AM and we expect to hear this AM. And we cannot know they will accept our offer. We are not going to think about it and go to work to make money to pay for all this! Have a great day all. LB & LB

[chuckinca]

Keep us updated. We are closing on our fourth house on the historic side Oct. 1. The seller depended on advise from out-of-state children and the deal has taken longer than expected. We really didn't mind one bit though. We wanted her to be satisfied and we wanted everyone to be happy with the transaction. Good luck!


Four houses in the historic area - WOW!

How many in the other areas?


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[LB]

Finally got a call from Bryan and they countered with a sensible offer and we accepted. Still need the papers all signed but looks like we are Villagers! We are so pleased to be part of all the excitement where the poeple we have met are so glad to be there and have a great attidude (or better no attitude).We can now play croquet, archery and many other activities we will enjoy. Best to all. LB & LB

[champion6]

Congrats, LB... the best is yet to come!

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Congrats, LB!! Hope all the rest of the details work out for a successful closing!

Bill :)

[njbchbum]

congratulations! now you can stop holding your breath! what a great day! i can still remember when we made our offer in the morning and it was accepted in the afternoon - the day before we were going home!!! such a whirlwind it was! we were back in the villages 3 wks later to move in!! made house cleaning and cable/phone install dates before leaving jersey and then arrived there 3 days before closing, shopped/bought and arranged delivery of 4 rooms of furniture and moved in to a sparkly clean house that afternoon! then partied the nite away at both town squares! phew!

welcome to the villages!

boardsters - how long do ya think it will be before lb & lb more to the villages permanently and rent west palm? ;)

[quirky3]

That's soooo wonderful! Very best wishes to you as New Villagers!!
:a040::a040::a040:

[2BNTV]

LB

Congratulations!!!!!!!!

Best wishes as you start living the dream. I am soooooo happy for you.

[mgjim]

Finally got a call from Bryan and they countered with a sensible offer and we accepted. Still need the papers all signed but looks like we are Villagers! We are so pleased to be part of all the excitement where the poeple we have met are so glad to be there and have a great attidude (or better no attitude).We can now play croquet, archery and many other activities we will enjoy. Best to all. LB & LB

Congratulations! Now I'm jealous.

[Cynbod]

Congratulations. Hope everything goes through without a hitch. :a040: :a040:

[LB]

We did it! We have all signatures in place. We are Villagers. Need to do some financing, but should be no issue. We are wild with excitement! Thanks to all for your support and encouragement. So anxious to meet other Villagers. The next month will go so very slow. Maby in that time we will be walking solidly on the ground again. Have a great weekend all. Best Regards LB & LB

[duffysmom]

:a040: :a040:

You've made a wise choice, the historic community is beautiful.

[bkcunningham1]

We did it! We have all signatures in place. We are Villagers. Need to do some financing, but should be no issue. We are wild with excitement! Thanks to all for your support and encouragement. So anxious to meet other Villagers. The next month will go so very slow. Maby in that time we will be walking solidly on the ground again. Have a great weekend all. Best Regards LB & LB

Great news. Is your new house on West or East Schwartz?

[Schaumburger]

LB, Congratulations, hope your closing and move go smoothly :wave:

[LB]

Our new place is on W Schwartz just east of Lauren Lane. Regards LB