[revkev]

I am hoping that I have the correct forum. If I do not please let me know and I will post my question there.

My wife and are have established our timeline to move to the Villages. With the weather yesterday, and coming week, up here in Minnesnowta - we really can't wait.

One thing I am beginning to look into is the cost of buying a home and not renting it out. I know for some this does not make much sense, but if the budget allows we would like to try.

So my question is (other then guessing from my own experience), is there somewhere I can go to determine the monthly cost for a home (probably a Courtlyard Villa), that would be unused most of the time?

Thank you so much for whatever help you can provide. For the record it is 25 degrees out today. But hey, the sun is shining......

Kevin from Mpls.

[graciegirl]

We bought our first home, a designer, in Hadley and used it for snowbirding about six months out of the year.I didn't want to rent it out either.


We paid cash for it and so the expenses when we were not there were the amenity fee. (About $140) the property tax, heat and air utitility bill, we did NOT have anyone check on it the house for us. That was our decision, many would not agree. We turned off the water, set the thermostat on 83, cleared out the fridge, opened the dishwasher door and the closet doors and left for several months. Our neighbors had the key and once we had them shift the thermostat from air to heat since a cold spell was predicted. I think it wasn't necessary in retrospect, but we did.

I can't remember what the property taxes were for a designer but I think you can find that information on sumterpa.com. There is another general maintenance fee for the flowers in the common areas but I can't remember how much that is either.

Oh...fifty bucks a month for lawn cutting, trimming and weeding.

[cmj1210]

We also opted not to rent our new home. Everything that Gracie said is accurate. We did decide on a home watch person & hired a full service landscaper that takes care of all the landscaping plus pest control. So far we have not regretted our decision.

[rosygail]

We purchased our home for two years before we moved in. It was only rented for 3 months during Season for two years and we had a service take care of everything (Not Villages). We moved in Full-time in April this year. Renting went well for us. We had no damages to our home or furnishings whatever! That rental income sure helped with the expenses when we were not using our courtyard villa!

[llaran]

You will need lawn service 40 a month unless you take all grass out, still need weeding or you have to come down once in a while. Amenity fee about 140/150 a month, you need the air for summer, you can leave it about 83/85 and some people leave the fans on, if it a new home it will be all electric so a step down thermostat will be good to have it down to 60 or so in dec to feb. there is minimum charge for water and garbage - about $44 a month.you will have to keep the lawn sprinklers on at least once a week so i would plan on about $200 a month amenity, water, garbage, sewer, it will be paid monthly. Taxes will be higher because you won't have the homestead exemption, you'll pay on the full assessed value+maintence+fire+bond, that bill comes in Nov, if you buy new the first tax bill generally is low. I would plan on at least $2500 a year

[DruannB]

For those who rent their homes, can you tell me what an average rental fee would be for a summer week? I realize that it might be hard to rent your home during the summer, but I'm trying to plan for worst case scenario. It might be 3 years before we can move there permanently.

[obxgal]

If you go to this website The Villages 4 Rent, Rentals in The Villages you can pick the type of house your buying. Then click on several of the homes listed. Where it says "Click here for PHOTOS and FULL DETAILS" is where you will find the rates that are being charged throughout the year.

[anarick]

We bought our designer home in Aug 2013. We stay in it for a week or two every three to four months. Our neighbor keeps an eye on it and they communicate with us whenever they check on it. They also empty out our mailbox. We're very lucky we have wonderful neighbors. We use Deans to cut and fertilize the grass and bushes. They also regulate the sprinklers. The following is what we pay monthly:
Amenity fee $149
Trash $18
Sewer $17
Water $65
Electric. $50
Deans $75
Total. $374
The house is empty most of the year. When we stay, of course, the water & electric go up.
We plan on moving in late 2015.
Good luck
Ana & Rick

[grannymaggie]

You have my sympathy with the Minneapolis weather. My husband and I came to The Villages in January this year in the midst of a particularly brutal Chicago winter. There were three mornings when (with the wind chill factor) it was 65 degrees below zero! Fall and winter have always been my favorite seasons but those cold mornings did us both in and had us both crying UNCLE. As soon as we could find an available rental and a few days where the weather was relatively clear from Illinois to Florida, we came to The Villages for a week. We stayed in a lovely villa and after our time here we knew that The Villages was the place for us. We are snowbirds, like so many, and plan to spend about six months in each place for the time being. We ended up buying a new unfurnished villa and absolutely LOVE it and our location. We opted not to rent it out because we wanted to be sure our villa and our furnishings would look just like we left them when we came back. Whether you rent or keep your home just for yourselves, you will love it here. Just hang in there and look forward to the time when you can escape the awful cold. (I agree with the expenses/costs everyone has mentioned.) Good luck!

[alanmcdonald]

Our situation is close to graciegirl and anarick.

We bought our designer home in August 2013 and will move in full time in September 2015. Since we live in Georgia about an 8 hour drive we take our vacation and holiday breaks in TV and have 5 more trips scheduled before the move.

anarick's numbers are very close to ours, but remember the property taxes once a year in November.

[dbanks50]

Originally Posted by alanmcdonald

Our situation is close to graciegirl and anarick.

We bought our designer home in August 2013 and will move in full time in September 2015. Since we live in Georgia about an 8 hour drive we take our vacation and holiday breaks in TV and have 5 more trips scheduled before the move.

anarick's numbers are very close to ours, but remember the property taxes once a year in November.

We are doing the same thing. We live between Jasper and Canton, Georgia. Be there December and February for sure.

[Schaumburger]

Originally Posted by DruannB

For those who rent their homes, can you tell me what an average rental fee would be for a summer week? I realize that it might be hard to rent your home during the summer, but I'm trying to plan for worst case scenario. It might be 3 years before we can move there permanently.

I have rented in The Villages several times during the summer months since 2011. Each rental was either for a week or two weeks (I still work full time, so two weeks is the longest I can rent for). My rentals ranged from $300 per week for a beautiful 2 bdrm. manufactured home on the historical side to $400 per week for a two bdrm. ranch in the Village of Del Mar.

I would agree to check thevillages4rent.com as to what rentals are going for in the summer.