Three Dogs
 

My husband and I are very impressed with the Villages and would like to become Villagers. The problem is that we have three dogs. One of the sales agents told us that you are allowed to move in with three as long as you downsize to two when one crosses the rainbow bridge. One of our dogs is near the end of his journey and won’t be with us much longer.

I would hate to buy a house, move in, then have to sell and move out because we were reported for not being in compliance with deed restrictions.

What are your experiences with this situation?

Maybe someone would like to “adopt” one of them with the understanding that we will dog sit them continuously and pay for all food, vet bills, and any other expenses? (“Adopt” in name only.😉)

Thank you.

Check the deed restrictions for the Villages you are considering. I know various people who moved here with three dogs and then lost some of them. Depends a lot on the neighbors though. You might get a Mr. Wilson to your Dennis the Menace so to speak or vice versa. Some neighbors complain about just about anything others do not.

You forgot to mention that we (I am her spousal unit) would be moving into a CYV and the deed restriction for the district says 2 dogs. The sales person did say it was not uncommon for people buying a CYV to move in with 3 and just not replace the first to pass. And browsing the forums here it seems this is a common issue.

Deed restrictions are two pets.

My husband and I really, really want to move to the Villages so I am trying to convince myself that it will not end badly.

The sales agent said it would be ok. Should we believe him?

Has anyone received an exception to the two pet deed restriction?

No. Depends on the neighbors. Some will complain to Community Standards if the bushes are too high, etc.

I'm not trying to be snarky, but why are you considering moving to a place that has restrictions you don't like? The wife and I moved here understanding the restrictions and are happy to live with them. Restrictions serve a very important purpose, they keep the neighborhoods clean, orderly and pleasant for your neighbors. The most important purpose of restrictions is to maintain the value of your home and the surrounding homes.
Once deed restrictions are waived it usually leads to further waivers. Your neighbor knows you got a waiver for 3 dogs. He wants 4 dogs and points out the fact that you got a waiver for 3, 4 dogs is only one more than 3 so what is the problem? Then all kinds of people will want other waivers for restrictions they don't like and then the neighborhood will start going down hill.

Sadly, that was snarky even if you didn't mean it to be.

We are NOT trying to move some place that has restrictions we don't like. We were told it was OKAY to move in with three and then when one died we could not replace it. That we are fine with.

We have been told this has happened thousands of times here in the Villages. If that is the FACT (which we are trying to determine) then we would be fine with agreeing to limit any future pets to two.

We also KNOW that deed restrictions are enforced on a complaint basis. So, assuming there was a complaint, then we would want to know what our recourse would be if any.

We are here asking questions so we can understand how this situation has been resolved in the past.

Also, if it turns out that the verbal contract between us and the employee of The Villages has no weight, then maybe we would not want to trust anything else The Villages told us. Or if it is common practice to grant a variance on this particular restriction, that would be good information.

So, asking questions of the people that live here and have lived through this seems to me to be a perfectly reasonable approach as opposed to just throwing our hands of and leaving.

You misunderstand. My situation is not that I want to live in the Villages and own three dogs. The situation is that
I want to move to the Villages and will own three dogs until one crosses the rainbow bridge. At that point, and going forward, I will own two dogs. The sales agent told me that many people do this and that it is unofficially tolerated. Before I take the step of buying a house and moving, I need to be confident that I will not have to immediately sell and move out.

I disagree Grumpy, it is an honest question. The deed restrictions are clearly stated. Just because someone has gotten away with it before doesn't make it right for someone else to do so. Integrity is doing what is right even when no one else is looking.

You wouldn't have to move out, if you moved in with 3 dogs and someone complained.

You would be required to give up one of the dogs. that would put you in compliance.

It isn't likely that anyone will complain. But on the offchance someone does, that would be the consequence.

In that case we would have to move out.

That's just how it is in any community, or even in apartment buildings, condos, restaurants, everywhere. If your landlord, or the owner, or the store policy says no pets, and you bring one in anyway, and you get caught, you have to decide - give up the pet, or give up the apartment, your dinner date, your visit to the store, your condo.

It's a risk you are choosing to take.

It is a risk, for sure. From what I have read and heard, no one has ever had to give up a pet or move out. Well, expect one case - I think the person had 5 pets and left.

The deed restrictions also state dogs shouldn’t be over 40 pounds. Has anyone been to the dog parks and looked in the “large dog” area? You will find some that are more than 40 pounds. My advice, which will not even get you free water, is if your dogs are not yappy, you pick up after them on walks and in the dog parks, and they do not attack people, you will be ok.

I believe you will be in compliance as a new residence. You can move in with three and eventually get to 2. If you are an existing resident you cannot move to three. I believe I saw this in writing somewhere or it was explained to us at the time we gave our deposit.

I believe having three dogs is an "inside the house" issue and not enforceable by community standards. I believe it would be up to the Developer to enforce this.

That is an excellent idea! Thank you, we can certainly look into that with a lawyer, to see how that would work.

The sales people will tell you what it takes to make a sale. Can you get the 3 dog allowance in writing from them? Then at least you have recourse.

In my deed even the maximum size of the 2 dogs is indicated. The deed restrictions are written in stone! Very hard to get an exemption, I’d make sure to get the variance first in writing.

Good luck, I’d love to see that woofie in real life that’s on your Avatar.

I recall an article in the Daily Sun a year or so ago about a couple who had three Great Danes. I can only assume this wasn't a problem for them.

Call Candy at the Community Standards office in LSL. She is the one person who can give you the correct answer. She's the Boss.

Thank you

Different districts have different deed restrictions. The Taylor Villas district does not restrict weight.

To be perfectly fair since one of our dogs is a Shih Zhu we only really have 2.15 dogs.

:doggie: :ohdear:

We moved here with 3 dogs with the understanding when 1 crossed the bridge we had to stay at 2. Never had a problem. WE do not allow then on anyone's lawn and walk the down the street 4 times per day. I have never heard complains about too many dogs. People complain about dogs using their lawn to potty or excessive barking. What made it easy for us was they were the same breed and walked them 2 at a time.

Thank you

Just get them service vest and ignore any rules like everyone else

Read and heed the deed restrictions. You legally agree to comply when you purchase and they are totally enforceable. If you choose to ignore them, don’t complain about the consequences. It is that simple.

99% right
 

Your sales Agent is right. At least right 99% of the time it would be no problem. If I had 3 dogs and was moving into TV - I like those odds... :bigbow:

I assume you read the restrictions. If so, you will recall that The Developer can change or add rules at their discretion. That would include variances, which people get all the time.

We are NOT looking to ignore the rules, we are trying to find out what the rules are and if there is anyway we can comply with the rules.

Thank you for your comment.

What your salesman is really saying is "you can get away with it". The restrictions say two pets. And, if I am not mistaken, some of the districts have a one pet limit.

So, is there a risk that you may receive the dredded knock on the door from Community Standards. Yes. But, as many have said, it is unlikely. One suggestion - don't walk all three at the same time.

And most importantly: Thank you for being concerned enough to ask.

Thank you, our sales person actually said we are allowed to, not that we can get away with it. This weekend we asked him to confirm that we are allowed to have 3 on move in (Taylor Villas allows 2 per the covenants, some only allow one) and he said he would research it and get back to us.

I have not heard of the knock on the door, I have heard of a letter. Whatever, it would not be a good thing and we certainly do not want to cause a problem.

While the Shih Zhu might fit in a large purse when we walk, the Great Pyrenees probably would be a little cramped, even in my back pack!


Here is a thought, question, if you have 2 dogs and the convenient for your village allows 2 dogs, and you neighbor has to run out of town and asks you to dog sit for them, can you? Is that a violation? Since you have 3 dogs in your house, but YOU personally only have 2 of them. The covenant specially says you can only HAVE 2 pets, it doesn't specify how many visitors can be on the property.

Just put a Little White Cross or some decorative Birds in your front yard then nobody will give the pups a second thought.

What Great Villagers you will be that you have taken the time to get a real answer to this concern before putting your money down. I applaud you and hope things work out in your favor. We have a friend who owned four ankle-biter (Small) dogs. They are concerned but have lived in their home for 4 plus years with No Beef From Anybody.

Getting the answer from the person in charge is your real answer not stories about others like our friends and skating on the rules. Please let us know how you do with the answer, we wish you luck. :doggie: :pray:

Best idea I heard so far.... no one could tell the difference.... hehehe

Ding Ding Ding! We have a winner: :bigbow:Nucky with: Just put a Little White Cross or some decorative Birds in your front yard then nobody will give the pups a second thought.:1rotfl:

.. and thanks for not making this another poop thread ...

Personally, we have found the people here to be VERY ACCOMMODATING and VERY FRIENDLY. I believe you will have no issues with your 2.15 dogs. I wish you two the very best.:pray:

In terms of friendliness, and accommodation, I have noticed a real difference between some Villages. Just saying.

Several new Villagers has run into problems due to sales agents answers. THINK SALES COMMISSION.
WHy start a new expensive life creating problems for yourself?

Yes, just ask about sinkholes.... also about using other peoples’ lawns as a litter box for your pet is really frowned upon by some people. I always had a sandpit in my yard for the dogs. In some places up north the question: “Do I shoot you or the dog first?” is thought of as being considerate because they asked first.

I will take GrumpyOldMan's fluffy white dog! Then we'll each have two...

We were told (District 8) that we could move in with all our pets and then not replace till we got down to two. We had a dog, a sanctuary foster dog (very old dog that we fostered permanently), and a Cockatiel for awhile. We didn't walk the Cockatiel or let him poop on anyone's yard, so he kind of "flew" under the radar, so to speak.

Seriously, you will find many different answers to your question. It seems nobody knows for sure, and if you ask a higher up, they may be forced to tell you no. I think you are just supposed to move in and then get down to and remain at two or fewer pets. We went with what our sales agent said. He was a TV sales agent, not a MLS realtor. The sales agents are supposed to be up on those things.

If your dogs are quiet and you don't walk them on other people's lawns, I doubt anyone would say anything. Unlike Tal, I have not heard of anyone having to get rid of a pet because they moved in with more than two.

Plus it looks like the one in your photo is about 1/8th the size of our one.


Hope you decide to come to TV!

I doubt you'd have a problem at all but I get that you're nervous about it. Most Villagers wouldn't have any problem with your 3 dogs but you just never know who your neighbors will be and we do have a few grumps. If you can get it in writing from the realtor all the better. Like someone else said, if your dogs aren't yapping endlessly or pooping all over people's lawns then you should be fine. If you do by chance run into problems, I'll "adopt" one of your dogs and then "pay" you to dog sit for me. Best wishes!