Why I chose the home I chose in The Villages.

[graciegirl]

We had studied all of the different models on Thevillages.com site, before coming down for a life style visit. Henry wanted a villa because he thought they had less yard maintainance and would be easier to " button up" when we would leave it. I liked the designers because of the bigger garage, the big closets, and places around them to plant flowers. We chose a Camellia in Hadley and loved it. I loved the pillars and the space in the kitchen. (After we moved in...We loved the neighbors!!!)


What is your favorite model and what do you like about it the best?

[angiefox10]

We had studied all of the different models on Thevillages.com site, before coming down for a life style visit. Henry wanted a villa because he thought they had less yard maintainance and would be easier to " button up" when we would leave it. I liked the designers because of the bigger garage, the big closets, and places around them to plant flowers. We chose a Camellia in Hadley and loved it. I loved the pillars and the space in the kitchen. (After we moved in...We loved the neighbors!!!)


What is your favorite model and what do you like about it the best?

We chose the Begonia... sister to the Camellia.

His and her closets!
Nice big kitchen
Nook in the front
Slider to the lanai from the Bedroom
Open floor plan
Golf Cart Garage
Large sliders off the living area!
We vacillated on the pillars and decided to opt out. With our dark woods, we weren't sure how the white pillars would fit in.

[Cynbod]

I too had been interested in a villa for the same reasons "Sweetie" had. I figured it would be less to maintain while we were gone. My husband wanted the grass and yard look, so we began looking at the designer models. I loved the open kitchens and bigs closets and ended up with a Lilac in Buttonwood and couldn't be happier.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

We bought a resale Patio Villa - Cabot Cove model. It works PERFECTLY for our current situation as snowflakes. Lower initial cost when compared to other homes, lower on-going costs for utilities/maintenance/taxes, etc. Sandy liked the idea of the laundry being inside (even though this particular washing machine is LOUD!), the 'volume ceilings' throughout (not all are built with that option), the fact we back up to a wall (lends itself to some privacy plus it helps reduce any neighborhood noise), and we're not staring directly into anyone else's home across from us since we're facing (with a bit of offset) a street that T's into ours. The openness of the floor plan, the size of the bedrooms, the HUGE master BR closet.......all pluses. The smaller kitchen vs. the Colony model wasn't an issue for us as we don't do a whole lot of cooking while we're there.

All in all, it works for us!!

Bill :)

[Trish Crocker]

I'm not even there but I have already chosen (then discarded) a lot of different models! I know we want a designer..initially I wanted a Gardenia, then decided that we both like the look of the breakfast area in the back so maybe the Lily, now, possibly the Zinnia because it has three bathrooms...but then, maybe the third bathroom takes away from some of the living space..hmmmm....it's all so confusing. The reality is, I'd live in a camper just to be down there!! (ok, maybe not because then I'd have to decide..do I want a 15 foot camper? a 20 foot?...decisions, decisions...........)

[Bettiboop]

I'm not even there but I have already chosen (then discarded) a lot of different models! I know we want a designer..initially I wanted a Gardenia, then decided that we both like the look of the breakfast area in the back so maybe the Lily, now, possibly the Zinnia because it has three bathrooms...but then, maybe the third bathroom takes away from some of the living space..hmmmm....it's all so confusing. The reality is, I'd live in a camper just to be down there!! (ok, maybe not because then I'd have to decide..do I want a 15 foot camper? a 20 foot?...decisions, decisions...........)

Trish, I can relate! I've been trying to decide for 3+ years now and really am not any closer to a decision now than I was when I first started looking. There are days that I think I have it narrowed down and then I think of something else which changes the equation...or a few days pass and I change my mind:ohdear: Sometimes I just have to give it a rest to keep from going bonkers!:loco:

[Trish Crocker]

Trish, I can relate! I've been trying to decide for 3+ years now and really am not any closer to a decision now than I was when I first started looking. There are days that I think I have it narrowed down and then I think of something else which changes the equation...or a few days pass and I change my mind:ohdear: Sometimes I just have to give it a rest to keep from going bonkers!:loco:

I know, but it sure is fun! My poor husband...he loves it when he walks in the door and I look at him and say "I think the Zinnia is perfect"...he says "Huh"..cause he has absolutely NO idea what I'm talking about..eventually he figures it out (hey, keeping up with me and my thought processes keeps him on his toes!)

[RichieB]

I know, but it sure is fun! My poor husband...he loves it when he walks in the door and I look at him and say "I think the Zinnia is perfect"...he says "Huh"..cause he has absolutely NO idea what I'm talking about..eventually he figures it out (hey, keeping up with me and my thought processes keeps him on his toes!)

My wife does the same thing to me, and it has nothing to do with home selection in TV !

[Trish Crocker]

My wife does the same thing to me, and it has nothing to do with home selection in TV !

Richie...it's an art...women have been perfecting it for years.

[RichieB]

I know - I wasn't born yesterday, or married yesterday either ! :laugh:

[getdul981]

My wife does the same thing to me, and it has nothing to do with home selection in TV !

Yuuuuuuppppp!!

Now back to the OP. We originally thought we had everything figured out. We purchased a lot and had a Begonia built. Everything was hunky dory until we tried to fit all our "stuff" and never could figure out how to do it. We tried for nearly a year and finally started looking at other houses and stumbled upon this, already built, Lily. This house just seems to "fit" us better and it sits on a corner, so we have a larger lot in addition to having a slightly larger house. We're through moving!!!!

[njbchbum]

our favorite house was the one we could afford! we had been visiting friends for a couple of years and always did the open houses and frequent drive-bys while visiting. there were few houses that we saw thru the years that we didn't like or knew that they just didn't fit us. and then came the recession with the retirement nest-egg collapsing every day. we happened to be in the villages at the time and our drive-bys kept taking us back to this one particular house. so when hubs said, "call the realtor" - i did and we were under contract in less than 24 hrs and closed 3 days later with a cash sale. it required a hit from the tax standpoint, but despite the sluggish economy the value of our snowbird retreat is serving us well.

with each of the homes we have purchased we have never bought new and had to select a model, finishes, upgrades, etc. as long as the inspection report is good and we don't have to do much more than paint, we are good to go. i read the posts about having to make so many decisions with new builds - i hafta give you folks credit...i just don't know if i could do that! and then i think that it is much better to have the chance to make those decisions than it is not too! good luck to each of you so involved! when it comes to living in the villages - can there ever be a bad choice?

[Happinow]

Like Trish, we are not there yet...in about 4 weeks we will be. We'll have to decide on house color, flooring, cabinets, counter tops, stretch this stretch that, another outlet here another there....but, I have to say it will be one of the most exciting times of my life. As stated before, I'm already losing sleep about planning everything. To me, it's like Christmas! Right now, I can't decide on any of it. Here's what I do know, our sights were set on the Gardenia and like most of you who are building, we are continuously looking at the model homes on line and....you guessed it, we are also looking at the Lily, the Elm and the Lantana. I guess in the end, it will come down to what fits on the lot with all that we want to do. We love the his/hers closets in the Gardenia, the wonderful full wall of sliders to the lanai, the nook in the front (we like to see both ends of the home), and the kitchen seems to be a nice size. Like the other poster, I'd be very happy with what ever we built! It will seem like home once we put our touches on it. It's not right to wish your life away but I certainly hope the next 3 months zoom by so we can get settled in our new surroundings with new people. Good luck to all of you and let's have the time of our lives!!

[Yankee Quilter]

In September I came home positive it would be the Arlingoton Villa, wanted the privacy, lower maintanence... then looked at the Hammock on the cottage plans but found the Alamanda (2 mbr closets - heaven) and a Florida room. So we went down a couple of weeks ago and looked both and decided on the latter with lots of push outs. However, then our rep showed us the Sunflower (the Gardena's twin) and that was it - we both found everyhing (except the FL room ) we wanted! The breakfast nook and the golf cart garage were the best parts! We reserved a lot that will allow us to bump the lanai and the den (to make 3rd bdrm) i am so excited - Now if thisone sells for higher than I think (hahahha) we may go block and change to the Gardenia....... Told the rep no more models - I am set!!!!!
No activity at our open house yesterday but the Falcons were in the playoffs and it poured so try again!!
Love reading all your comments - so very helpful!!!

[LvmyPug2]

We ended up with an At Ease with the open kitchen. We bought it because not only did we like the design, but we loved the lot (on a cul de sac) and the extended side lanai. DH fell in love with the garage, which had both a golf cart garage and had been extended for more storage. I'm not a fan of the cheap carpet and laminate counters, but we will replace them as we go along.

[Barefoot]

We bought our current home for the golf course view, which is hilly with no cart paths in sight. Also we have some puddles where beautiful birds gather during the day and frogs sing at night. Our thinking is that we can make changes or add an addition to the house, but we can't improve the location (unless we move of course, which we're never going to do again, at least until the next time).

[tainsley]

We knew from our first visit we wanted a CYV for it's privacy. When we came down back in July specifically to look for a house, we looked at pre-owned and new designer homes in what seemed like every Village. Our realtor took us to Tamarind Grove to look at new homes and I wanted to look at CYV. The very first one we looked at (Arlington model) was on a corner lot at the end of the street. We looked at each other and said THIS IS IT! Just retired 12/30 and became FROGS. We've been here about two weeks and we love our home...and everything we brought with us fits! But I would say it was the yard that said WELCOME HOME!

[jane032657]

We came to TV twice from Seattle. Both times we looked at a lot of houses and we also rented a premier in Bridgeport by LSL. Every house we looked at was very nice. A view was critical as was space for the the English and Irish Setters.

The last place we looked at was the Haciendas at Mission Hills. When we walked into the yard we were sold. It was large, fenced, corner, dead end, so only one wall and the view or the water, the marsh, the new Oak Park next door, the bridge, sold us. The villa itself is smaller than we wanted coming from a large farmhouse on a half acre in Seattle, but we decided to change the lanai to a Florida room and put in a 30 x 5o birdcage, still leaving a nice space for the dogs. We also are putting in two dog doors from the Florida Room to the birdcage and the birdcage to the yard.

We are begining to downsize in Seattle and sell and donate things. It is cathartic to get rid of things, it is very freeing to detach from things and look forward to a healthy lifestyle in a beautiful place with sunshine.

Cannot wait to get there. Good bye antiques and big furniture.

[Barefoot]

We came to TV twice from Seattle. Both times we looked at a lot of houses and we also rented a premier in Bridgeport by LSL. Every house we looked at was very nice. A view was critical as was space for the the English and Irish Setters.

The last place we looked at was the Haciendas at Mission Hills. When we walked into the yard we were sold. It was large, fenced, corner, dead end, so only one wall and the view or the water, the marsh, the new Oak Park next door, the bridge, sold us. The villa itself is smaller than we wanted coming from a large farmhouse on a half acre in Seattle, but we decided to change the lanai to a Florida room and put in a 30 x 5o birdcage, still leaving a nice space for the dogs. We also are putting in two dog doors from the Florida Room to the birdcage and the birdcage to the yard.

We are begining to downsize in Seattle and sell and donate things. It is cathartic to get rid of things, it is very freeing to detach from things and look forward to a healthy lifestyle in a beautiful place with sunshine.

Cannot wait to get there. Good bye antiques and big furniture.

Sounds like a million dollar view. I'd love to see some pictures when you have them.