Need Advice Please!
 

Wife and I did a 4 night LV last October. Have to sell our home here in CA before we make the move to TV. Talk with our VLS often. Leaning towards a new home (South of 44) but also open to a “previously loved home” (PLH). If we go that option (PLH), and the sellers are working with a MLS, not a VLS, what are my options? Do I thank my VLS for all her help and contact a MLS?

Exactly. MLS listings cannot be purchased through the Villages sales people.

If you find an experienced and good Villages agent, they should be able to recommend an MLS agent. Then, you can shop for all pre-owned houses in The Vliiages at the same time, and you won't feel like you are being disloyal to anyone. You have the right to view and buy any house you want.

If you use MLS call this guy. We have purchased 3 homes from him in 8 years here in The Villages. Great person, extremely knowledgeable. No one either VLS or MLS knows The market better than him.

352-446-6001

Look at what The Villages has to offer thru their website. If nothing rings your bell, explain to TV Broker and move forward.

Thanks!
 

That was my plan, just didn’t know if I was under any obligation to our VLS.

Absolutely not. It is The Villages decision to not sell MLS listed houses. And, in any case, the real estate agent is always working for the seller, not the buyer.

We have used both at the same time, whoever came up with the best house won

you will find many more greater options with a loved and pre-owned home -- all the village realtors want to sell is new homes south of 44 == honestly don't do it -- your best homes are south of 466 and north of 466a -- between morse and buenavista -- the most available amenities and location location location -- say goodbye and good riddance to your villages VLS -- and call any MLS agent right away -- you will get much more for your money -- good luck

Bond
 

Are you aware of the bond? Previously loved homes may have little or no bond.

Moving to The Villages/How to manage Realtors
 

I would continue to work with both. An outside realtor brings something to the table that a Village Realtor Sales Rep cannot bring. So, my advice is to work with both before you make your decision to purchase.

Work with two agents from the start and don’t worry about it. Both Villages agents and MLS Realtors are used to it and have no hard feelings. It’s an odd way of doing things but that’s just the way it is here if you want to see everything that’s available.

Surely use both. New homes IN THE VILLAGES come from the VLS ONLY. I found that the villages generally asked for a higher price than the MLS services on resales. If you buy south of 466a be prepared for long rides in your golf cart to all the great amenities. Between 466 and 466a and between Buena Vista and Morse is very central. Between 44 and 466a is not bad but south of 44 has a long way to go. I’d be skeptical of purchasing there.

Rent for at least 3 months first. I rented for a year and it was very helpful in deciding where to live. I bought a turn key, pre-owned home in an area I knew I wanted. Ten years later I still like my location. I live near 466.

You need two realtors here in the villages. Since the villages does not co broke or cooperate with other realtors or the MLS. I am a realtor not working here but this is sad truth here.

I agree that the best homes are not the new ones. There are no stores for shopping and few amenities that the ones near 466A and up tp 466 have to offer!

FYI, in Florida they don't use acranims quite as much. We are just not in that big of a hurry.
PS, I'm from CA 2.
Either invest money in a new house to make it the way you want including the yard or buy one you like that is used.

Fenney
 

My wife & I have been in the Village of Fenney for almost 2 yrs, and highly recommend it. However, there are many new villages hat are being built in the Southern part that look to be outstanding. If you need a real estate person to help, let me know (ernest.mcaninch@gmail.com). The one we worked with was exceptional!

ADD the price of the BOND to every house you are considering. Obviously the selling price plus the BOND equals the True selling price of the house.

rent for a good 3 months and get to really know TV...there are plenty of homes both new and previously loved (as you put it) that will continue to come on the market

you may not be aware that many residents are on their 3rd home in TV....why? well some percentage has to be that they originally bought in an area that didn't work for them

No obligation. Since The Villages established the ground rules.....TV Brokers understand (may not like it, but understand).


Good Luck and enjoy the journey.

IMO, don’t look south of 44.

Well that isn’t good advice. We just bought new in Monarch Village. I would go new all the time. More modern options and colors. I love this area and it will grow. People have to look everywhere.

exactly

and

"your best homes are south of 466 and north of 466a -- between morse and buenavista"

best how?

We bought a pre-owned home just north of 466, almost exactly half the distance between Spanish Springs and Sumter.

My best Advice is not to ask for advice cause you will get twenty million answers. You have to look and buy where and what you like. This is my second 55 and older community and I signed up for this stuff and also a facebook one for my neighborhood and am getting off them both. Too negative I don’t take people’s opinion too serious cause you have to go with your gut feeling and just cause some people don’t like one thing doesn’t mean you won’t. Good Luck and just buy what you want and like.

Brokers
 

We had both VLS and MLS. Our VLS was able to show us MLS homes we found and liked she just contacted the other agent. Weird way of doing it but you need to see as many homes as possible. Location may not be everything if you like new. Lots of choices. Good luck.

VLS also sell previous own homes. They would rather sell new. TELL YOUR VLS to start sending you listings. Ther are two home for sale in my neighborhood right now. One with a VLS and the other. Multiple listing.

Buy a PLH
 

Go north, not south.

better think twice before you move here. It has lots of problems.

So if you want to see all the pre owned market you should look at pre owned homes with both your MLS realtor and listings with your real estate rep from The Villages. When it come to pre owned The Villages holds about 62% of the market. But if you find a pre owned listed with the MLS yes thank your Villages rep for everything and let them know that you would also refer any family and friends to them in the future. That’s if you liked them. I am a retired Villages sales rep and we know loosing customers to MLS is always a possibility But if you give them a chance to show you new as well as pre owned and you like the MLS better then they should be happy for you.

name please..

How to decide
 

The posters that offered the best advice or info is to rent before you buy. There are plenty of rentals, so that is easy. Then spend some time looking around and getting a feel for TV lifestyle and decide if it is for you and what area best fits your desires.

Everything that involves The Village owned companies or services will cost MORE than using outside--regular--companies. And Villages realtors are to be avoided to be shown all available homes.

Go resale with paid off bond. For the price of the bond they will shackle you with these days, you can re-do anything in a resale in the new colors or styles and still be money ahead. Also, location of the new is out in nowhere as far as stores, restaurants, etc.

We are from California and bought pre owned. Used Angie Taylor a Village agent now selling MLS. She is from California (San Diego) and gets the differences of what someone from California wants versus someone from the Midwest. She has worked both sides and can point out benefits of both. 352-446-5477 AngieT@usa.com

There is a California club that you can check out meets the first Thursday at the Hibiscus rec center at 6. You can pm me and would be happy to talk to you about your move here.

Other things to consider on new homes is the distance to the prison, turnpike (toll road to California’s) and connectivity by golf cart and distance to current amenities. 15 years from now the new area may be ok but you want them to be good now.

Good luck with your move.

name please of this awesome realtor

Just another note. Being a former Villages rep and a realtor from Pa forever consider this. In The Villages you will get a new home usually for less money than a pre owned. We’ve been here for ten years and are on our 4th new home. The profit made from the first three put me over the top to be able to retire. You usually will make more money buying new than pre owned if you are looking at it from a monetary point of view. Just don’t over improve and sell within 2-5 years. As far as commission. Your villages rep makes the same commission whether they sell you a new or pre owned home so it really doesn’t matter to them. The reason people have the impression that Villages reps only like to sell new is because there is so much more new inventory. For example if you are looking for an Iris. In pre owned there might be 3 -7 in new we could have 30. So when you see your 3 pre owned and 15 new it gives that appearance but it IS NOT true. My business was always 50/50 between new and pre owned.

Looking for home
 

If you see a home listed by the MLS, you will need to have an MLS agent show you that home. The VLS agents can sell new and preowned homes in the Villages listed by the Villages agents only. If you do find a home on the MLS and are interested in purchasing, then do so. Thank you VLS agent. They should understand, just an an MLS agent understands when you select a VLS Agent. If looking for an MLS Agent, I highly recommend Katy Kelly from RE/MAX Premier Realty 352-355-7982. Visit her website at katykellyhomes.com

I strongly suggest you have Two realtors. One MLS who holds different licenses and can show homes in T.V. that you otherwise will not see; plus your current Village realtor. We are very happy that we chose that path.

I did both and brought through a MLS. I also helped a friend and we did the same with him and he finally brought from the MLS. TV person were pushing new homes and not resale homes. I also found it go to go to Zillow.Com and there are 100's of homes for sale that you can look at with all the info you need to buy a home.