Why the design of Court Yard Villas
 

I’ve never been able to get an answer from anyone at least from my neighbors. Why did the Villages design CYVs so you have to walk thru your neighbors driveway to get to your courtyard? I’m going to guess the developer could get more villas built per acre had they not designed them that way. Anyone know why?

New Englander you’re on the same page I am with your thought.

Correct, not uncommon for Zero lot line properties elsewhere.
.

I had never heard of “zero lot lines.” I just read a little about it and now get the picture. Thank you Robbie.

I recently became aware some fenced Veranda properties in Southern Oaks have the neighbors grass on your side of the fence, and vice versa. Not sure why on that one, guessing maybe drainage or utility easements won't permit the fence on the property line.

While we like the idea of an enclosed back yard, which seems to be very popular, the OP's point of that design issue (plus the small garage, short driveway and awkward entrance) has taken those models off of our buy list.

Those are some of the reasons they started building designer veranda models and they are selling very well.

We love those models, but since we've decided we want to live between 466 & 466A (the closer to LSL the better), we just wish they had started building those sooner. I can certainly see why they are selling so well though.

That's one reason we bought a corner lot and do not have that issue.

You are correct, look from google earth and you will see how close CYV and Patio villa are. My particular villas has 88 units. If they had straight driveways and yard on both sides of house the figure would be cut nearly in half. At least in CYV you have privacy walls. IMO they made the drive ways too curvy and garage’s too small. But the sold so doing something right?

Technically, the courtyard villas in The Villages are not zero lot line built houses. Most courtyard villas are about 10 feet apart and there is a common property line between the houses, about 5 feet from each adjacent house, midway between the houses. This can be seen on your plat, which shows that you own 5 feet of property on both sides of your house. A zero lot line built house means that one house is built on the common property line, so you would have 10 feet of property on one side and zero property on the other side. However, in The Villages, you are restricted by easements that allow your next door neighbor to occupy and use, for certain purposes, the 5 foot strip of land that you own.

I don't know for sure, but I suspect that the architect placed the garages at a 90 degree angle mostly for aesthetics. With small lot frontages, having the garages face the street would not create an attractive curb appeal for the street, and would make it more difficult to have an attractive landscaping design.

My neighbor has their gate padlocked from inside. So I have to ring their doorbell, hope they are home and ask permission to walk on my own land.

Agree, I’m on corner also. Just wish I had straight drive way. At least I have privacy on three sides.

Thanks for the clarification.

Where are you that you have to walk on neighbor’s driveway to get to back yard? This is not the case for courtyard villas in our area, south of 44. Just curious.

The pricing of a home has several elements. Cost of property, cost of material, of course the going rate, and in the margin is the pay of the workers. Each time that The Villages buys land, that land cost goes up. I think they know their market and know the costs and that is why the lots are smaller in the newer areas.

Has anyone driven through The Village of Harmeswood in Bellaire, north of 466 and off of Buena Vista? Those homes have enormous lots. Many people do not want a large lot to take care of. Drive through there sometime to look. Lovely homes with designs like nowhere else in The Villages. We have a lot of homes here to choose from and I am very glad they are sought after. I want to pass down a valuable item to our kids and grandkids. But first we are enjoying the heck out of living here.

Courtyard Villas
 

Old design, common issue for those north of 44. They fixed the problem with the newer courtyard villas south of 44. My sister just bought one in Marsh Bend. She doesn't have to go anywhere near her neighbor's driveway to get to her back yard. The awkward old design of the courtyard villas north of 44 led to her decision to purchase south.

Almost all of the coutyard villas I have seen, where the garage is parallel to the street, between Rt 44 and Rt 466. The driveways are constructed partially on the next door neighbor's property. So, to get access to your gate, you need to walk across part of your neighbor's driveway.

If you live in one of these houses, you should read the deed restriction document that describes, in great detail, the "driveway" easements and the "side yard" easements. You need to read them at least 5 times before you will really understand what they mean.

We live in Courtyard villa and all the complaints from others living in this style is garage size, most would prefer a two car garage , a bonus for our villas is active social events within , cookouts cards golf group monthly potlucks at homes neighbors helping neighbors , home watching , dog or pet walking . Just a great place to live and enjoy life , all in addition to what The Villages offers.

We just bought a Durham model in DeSoto and it was constructed “the old way”. A simple examination of the floor plans will show you why this is.

Keep in mind that the set-up is so the neighbor has no window/door access to your patio. The floor plans would have to be reversed if the gate to your patio was on the logical side. Guess it is just “bass-ackwards”. The thing that gets me is that I own some of my neighbor’s property. Who designs that landscape and maintains it. Fortunately my neighbors on both sides are great!

Why would you walk on that land anyway? It is considered rude to be bothering neighbors for a small piece of land that doesn't affect you unless of course your own villa is painted or power washed!

We are down here looking for a house to purchase. I originally loved the idea of a CYV.. perfect for the pet owner! Realizing after looking at a few, you walk into your neighbors driveway to access your gated yard. Some say it’s not a problem for them because nobody uses their gates! BUT the landscapers, bug sprayers, etc do!! My husband jokingly stated “who shovels the snow on that part of the driveway”? 🥴.

This is true. I go out of the gate very occasionally, come into the gate never. Don't have to, as there are two easy access points from the house.


The only reason I would go out of the gate is if I'm carrying some messy landscape stuff I don't want to haul through the house to get to the driveway.

I have an end unit with a double garage and two entrances . I love it.

I think you are right about aesthetics being an important aspect. Architects often prefer that garage doors not face the street if possible. They are big and blank and not all that attractive. On narrower lots, there isn’t a good way around it. In thousands of homes in The Villages, a double garage does face the street directly—perhaps 22’ wide—but another 20’ of house also faces the street. The house with garage is nearly square. Lots of patio houses with garages facing the street have only six or eight feet of house facing the street, apart from the garage. That’s not very attractive, though the designers have used clever tricks to keep the garage doors from overwhelming the neighborhoods.

I like the courtyard house design. The average garage of these houses is about 14’ x 20’. The smaller garage allows an extra 6’ x 20’ of living space (120 sq. Ft.). The slanted lots allows room for a little extra driveway space and makes it much easier to get out of the garage than would a 90° door. See how the lots straighten out in the back? That provides about five extra feet of space on the side where the living room windows are, making the area seem more spacious. Clever! Meanwhile, the sideways garage with a door on the side allows some decorative elements on the front, such as windows or buttresses, that look nice, and allows a small garden area that can be landscaped. It would have been very nice to have the garages seven feet wider, but then there would have been no garden space in the front. That would have been pretty ugly.

All told, I think the aesthetics of house design at The Villages is remarkably good. One thing I like about the courtyard houses is that you aren’t looking at your neighbors on their lanai a few feet away as they watch TV in the evening. The courtyard houses are sort of enclosing, comforting, safe, private. Granted, they work best if you don’t have two cars, and the bedrooms are adequate only if you sleep in a single bed, or perhaps a double. Still, I like them.

We have a corner lot, private entrance to back yard, oversized 3 car garage and driveway. For sale thru Villages Realty

❓ We live in a CYV and don’t walk through the neighbor’s yard to get to our courtyard. None of my neighbors do either. Are you referring only to the ones built with angled driveways?

Ok, how do you have property within your neighbors locked gate? I have a courtyard villa. My gate opens to MY property, not my neighbors. I’m scratching my head on your message. Incidentally, I believe that the patch of property that is yours but next to your neighbor’s house is so that when you sit on your front porch, you can enjoy whatever you have planted there. Imagine sitting on your front porch and seeing an unkept patch of property. And yes, the angles of the driveways can be awkward, but it is how the builders are able to get more houses on a block. I love having the privacy and security of a courtyard villa, especially since I have a dog.

If you read your covenants, you'll likely find your neighbor has a control easement for that property that you own...and it's appropriate you ask permission to inspect it if you wish...and your neighbor has to allow it...all at reasonable times and hours.

We own a CYV and specifically bought on the end of the street, where it makes a U to the other street behind us. That way we have our own gate next to our garage, and a huge back yard. These units are few, so you need to keep your eyes open for them.

All driveways (most anyway) has property line marker, it in middle of you’re driveway, that’s the property line he taking about. Easements make the property inside you’re yard through gate makes yours. Outside that gate makes it you’re neighbors yard up to foot of you’re house. Except the foot gravels area up against you’re neighbors house wall. That’s drainage easements and nothing can touch or be attached to that wall. Also you irrigation can’t spray on his wall. If you damage that wall you are responsible.

Yes the older sections where houses are 10 yards apart.

Also the neighbor has limited access to his gate when crossing you’re driveway. Basically he can’t Dictate how you Park in you’re driveway, but may need limited access to do repairs or unload large items. You have to be good neighbor or life can get difficult when it don’t have to be.

Some villas require entering ajoining property
 

I'm in a patio villa and have to go onto my neighbors property to get to my outdoor faucet. The house is still unsold, so I should probably get my hose lad out back there and leave it so I don't have to do it and bother them when I need to water.