Courtyard Villas
 

My wife and I will be renting a CYV Jan-Mar for the second year in a row. We were hoping that that in 2024 , while we were down there, we would bite the bullet and buy. We would like new, but I’ve noticed that all the listings on the Villages app are sorely lacking any, or very few CYV. Is this really the case, or is the Villages purposely just pushing other styles?

IMHO, you might be better off investigating some of the existing neighborhoods. You may find what you are looking for there. If you are planning on being here most of the time you might want to check and see if your neighbors are typically full time or investors renting out the properties. Look over this site, there are some differences between north of 44 and south of 44. We really like our neighborhood very few renters and the few around seem to be long term renters. You will need 2 agents, one for new (villages agents), and a MLS agent for resales.
Hope you find what you are looking for.

It depends on the location. When I bought my CYV new in Hawkins 2 years ago, there were about 30 available and within a week they were gone. They opened up a section in Chitty Chatty backing up to the bridge and the noise of 44/Deaton Plaza. Those didn’t sell and they lowered the prices until they did. The last several areas have sold pretty quick. There were probably 25 last month available new and now there are maybe 4. They open them in sections. Not the entire village. But no, they don’t hold them. They list them as soon as they’re ready.

I already own a CYV and am thinking about moving. I have been looking at newly constructed CYV for six months. Every new Village had many and they sold out quickly. The main reason I have not purchased a new CYV is the proximity to the Interstate. Too noisy for me! Plus, I do not like the view of electric towers and lines running through the back of my yard. Newell, Dabney, and Denham are in Lake Country and the property taxes are the highest in the Villages. Double nope from me! Anyways, Yes! They still are constructing CYV and they are quick sells.

Just an added bit of info about the “ noise”. I’m not right on the turnpike but it’s fairly close me. There’s no way I could possibly hear it from inside, I can only barely hear it outside and only during certain times when the wind is blowing or rain, whatever the case, you have to listen pretty hard for it. 99%of the complainers about south of 44 don’t live down here and only go by hearsay. (It’s the worst to bash something you don’t know about first hand) Next, it’s true that Lake Co. has higher taxes but I’m not sure the difference so also don’t let that deter you until you see what the difference is. As for the electric lines, they are also bothersome to me so i chose Hawkins where I back up to an old oak tree.

Nothing I said was hearsay. I live in the Villages and am quite capable of driving to a home I am interested in and listening for the noise coming from the turnpike. For some, it doesn't bother them, for me it does. As far as the taxes go, have a realtor figure what you will pay each year including the bond and assessments. For me, it was a "no deal." I pay far less in Sumter County. Do your research and decide what is best for you. Everyone is different.

The OP’s question was about the availability of new courtyard villas not the price of taxes or turnpike noise or bonds.

I just purchased a CYV in lake Denham “Wil Courtyard Villas” My wife is very sensitive to noise and we font like to see the power lines. Luckily the home we purchased is not directly backing against any road and we were not able to hear road noise while there. We visited the home multiple times throughout the week we were there on a lifestyle visit and fell in love with the location and the house. The power lines are visible when your traveling out of the area but are not visible from the home. Best of luck in your home search, there are plenty of Courtyard Villas available especially pre-owned that are beautiful. We almost purchased one that was fully furnished and landscaped beautifully. Unfortunately by the time we put in our offer it was already spoken for.

Congratulations on your new home - I just drove my cart down to Lake Denham and Dabney this past weekend - such a scenic area with great walking trails!

Buy an Existing Villa… more bang for your dollar ! The Highway noise and the marsh odors are a turnoff down South …Lake Sumter Area comes highly recommended

Window of Opportunity
 

Keep in mind when making your decision, we may be heading into an increase in prices and an economy where the housing market starts to heat up. It will be a seller’s market, we might even be in one now?

The lack of CYV is probably because of investors gobbling them up for short term Airbnb rentals.

Oh, in case you do find one make sure it's not close to the 4am freight train.

Not all areas have highway noise down south. One of my homes on the north side had the worst stench from a pond. It was the worst turn off so we moved south.

When you are interested in purchasing a new home location and property taxes are top priority. Just sharing what I have learned. I was grateful when someone shared this information with me.

the daily sun has new cyv for sale every day.

I don't agree.

Not the case for us with the new ones we purchased. And we like the two car garages that are a rare find up North. No highway noise for us. And I don't have to remodel and outdated home.

There are always some CYV’s for sale but they do seem to go fast. In the southern area there are distinct changes that drew us here such as larger garages, straight driveways and tons of walking and biking trails. We are in Monarch Grove and there are occasionally units for sale here and we have very few rentals, only 1 that I’m aware of in our area. Good luck in your search and act fast when you find one you like.

The Villas you reference in Chitty Chatty are Bungalow Villas, not CYV...big difference. Those Bungalows (74 of them) were built 2 years after the village of Chitty Chatty was sold out. They were not cheap...priced at $450k to $550k. They had a few stragglers that did not sell immediately, and prices were dropped $5k to $13k, but the entire block still sold out in about 4 months.

Just a few pointers. Have your preapproval letter or proof of cash statement readily available. Search out a professional Home Inspector prior to your search. Find a Realtor that will work for you.
Research all areas of The Villages to determine what is best for you. there are many beautiful villages North of 466A with established services.

Once you have found your place that you wish to buy lock it up in a contract with a 10 day inspection period. Make sure your property is not located near a sewer plant ,nighttime ballfied or railroad tracks. In your contract to purchase you must be able to review the rules and regulations that are pertinent to your district that you are buying your home in. Check with architectural review board to make sure there are no violations. walk the neighborhood morning ,noon and night to determine if these are neighbors you want to live nearby.

Good luck

Disagree. The turnpike noise is excessive and the power lines are also problematic unless you don’t care about such things. Until TV is far removed from the turnpike I would not recommend looking south of 44.

Watch the area along Meggison Road, just south of 44 across from the Village of Richmond. According to the plans, it appears there will be CYV's built here. Great location to Brownwood, shopping, and a short drive to Eastport.

Note that a lot of 3 bedroom courtyard villas built more than 5 years ago have a 1.5 car garage. I would suggest getting at least a 2 car garage for any 3 bedroom house that you buy. If you don't, you will regret it. When driving around, you can count the horizontal garage door panels. Six panels is a 1.5 car garage and 8 panels is a 2 car garage.

Personally, I think that the new houses are a much better deal than the pre-owned houses.

Cyv
 

For new you may want to check out Newell and Lake Denham, saw some available cyv when we took a drive thru there.

Very hard to believe you can’t hear the turnpike inside your house. We are not close to the turnpike and can still hear it at times depending on the weather.

Not all South of 44 have turnpike noise. So OP should keep an open mind while looking. If you find an area you like check it out both day and night to see if it is noisy.

Agree - for CV or PV, you want a two-car garage. Those that have 1.5 I’ve talked to regret it.

Turnpike
 

A lot of people North of 44 like to talk about the noise from the Turnpike when they don't live there. Clueless. I live in Hawkins and DON'T hear any noise in my house from the Turnpike.

Recently, about ten Bungalow Villas went on the market in Alden Bungalows right next to Brownwood. They came furnished and appeared to be former lifestyle visit homes....they were built in 2016 and do have 2 car garages. I'm not sure if and when more will go up for sale, but that is a great location so close to Brownwood and Eisenhower rec center as well and only a couple minutes from Publix.

Don't think with the higher interest rates and the abundance of homes for sales that it will be a Sellers market anytime soon. It is an investors market for rentals so you may have different neighbors every week if you move too far south.

Pushing styles big time always

Yes there are CYVs
 

There absolutely are CYVs being constructed in Dabney, and Lake Denham they just haven’t been released for sale yet, and when they do get released the best floor plans and lot locations go immediately. The villages is also now building a Cottage Villa series you might want to add for consideration - Frame homes with privacy walls. CYCs and Verandas are block (or tilt wall) construction with privacy walls.

Yes, the garages in the older CYV are small, the driveways are curved, and hard to maneuver the cars. Also, some have the washer and dryers located in the garage. I have owned/rented quite a few. For me, the garage has been the only setback.

The upside of an older CYV is that the yards are bigger and most have concrete sidewalks on the sides of the home as well as a large concrete pad for grilling or lounging. Also, makes it easier to put in a birdcage which most past homeowners have already done. Pools or hot tubs can be added as there is lots of space. The bonds are tens of thousands less (most have been paid in full by previous homeowners) and the property taxes are the lowest since you do not have to pay the Wildwood or Leesburg city taxes. Additional cost for Landscaping is not necessary since most yards are maintenance-free. The location is great! Everything you need is nearby. No need to waste time traveling to stores, restaurants, golf courses, doctors, etc. If you are interested in a view some will take your breath away.

Will you have to fix up an older CYV? Depends. Some owners keep their homes pristine and have remodeled them beautifully. Others, not so much. But if you find one with a glass-enclosed lanai, birdcage, and a low-maintenance yard the cost for flooring, counters, and paint is mute. In the newer models, you will have to put in the concrete, birdcage, landscaping, gutters, and glass-enclosed lanai. And, don't forget, when all is said and done your property tax bill will be thousands more in a newly constructed home. An added yearly expense that never goes away. And, one that will increase year after year. Location makes a big difference. Is an extra two feet in a garage worth the added yearly expense? Only you can be the judge.

I just counted and on The Villages sale site, today July 28th at noon, there were 63 Courtyard Villas for sale, both new & used. But this doesn't help you if you are planning to purchase in 2024. The survey will have to be taken then. I didn't check MLS, there are probably more used CYVs for sale there too.

I agree I too am fromwhat some would say close to the freeway BUT i have about 2 streets of homes that are in its way. I never ever heard it when I bought the home never ever heard it when I went for a visit after purchasing......I was told depends on the wind and then even then its not all that noticeable.........glad to hear about the property taxes being higher.....I wont by new then.......I too am thinking of a veranda and selling my Courtyard villa

I am not certain if verandas are solely located in Sumter County. I believe they are all located in Wildwood. Not certain, check with a realtor. Either way, the taxes are much cheaper than Lake County/Leesburg. Your realtor can discuss that with you. If you find a veranda with the bond paid, better yet.

I don’t agree fully; the majority of preowned homes, all styles, are listed by the Villages. The exception might be in the area north of CR466.

It’s probably best to work with a Villages Rep to get the best understanding of the new and preowned market. Then check out other licensed salespeople; just know they all may not know the community and the government as well as a licensed Village representative.

Like all real estate, I'll agree with location, location, LOCATION. However, property taxes and bond are at the bottom of the list. It's just part of the overall cost of ownership, so if $1-2,000 in property taxes is make or break, I'd be looking at a different community than TV. I would think floorplan, neighbors, proximity to services one utilizes, and view all far outrank "property tax".

The villages has been making the same floor plans for 20+ years. Now that Middleton is here, they finally added new styles. The only difference is in the northern areas. Some of the models are no longer built.

It is far more than 1 to 2 thousand. The bonds alone are 25,000- 40,000. The millage rate in Lake Co Leesburg is ridicously high. Don't believe it? Please check that information with a realtor like I did. I'm telling you, it is an eye opener! Bonds are priced differently. An identical model can be 1.5 - 2 times higher. A realtor told me it is dependent on how many homes are in the subdivision.

Why would anyone pay higher property taxes and bond for the same model? If anything, wait until the developer/builders are building once again in Sumter County. Waiting for the right moment will save you quite a sum of money and will reduce your tax bill significantly. Just relax and wait! When you go to resell, home buyers will be looking at the cost that you forgot to research. Resells with lower/no bonds and lower taxes sell quickly. ( I have experienced this. I missed out on several great resells, bond paid, low taxes, because they were only on the market for 1-5 days. As I stated, I have been looking for a new home for 6 months)

Sidenote: All villages are designed in the same format. Each gets a postal and rec center. And the area gets a regional rec center. The layout for all the rec centers is identical. Only the interior decor is different. The executive golf courses cut throughout one village are pretty much the same as in other villages. The developer is keen on making everything nearly identical in each village so not to upset those who have already purchased.

The biggest difference is location. Some homes are close to restaurants, shops, doctors, squares etc. Some, much, much further away.

If your primary focus is floor plans. You have come to the wrong place! The homes here are cookie cutter identical.

As for neighbors, can you REALLY tell if you are going to get along for years and years just by checking out the neighborhood? You will meet friends at clubs and social events. Neighbors will come and go. Sadly, so will the friends you have met along the way.

I forgot to mention. Even though you are interested in buying a new home, talk/work with an outside realtor. If you only work with a Village realtor you will be given the hype they are taught to say. If I was given a dollar for each time I heard "I was so lucky! Everyone wanted the new home that I bought. My realtor pulled strings for me," I would be rich. Hype, hype, more hype. Don't be an emotional buyer. Fact check: hundreds more of the model you were "so lucky'" to get will be built within months.

An outside realtor who works for a different real estate company will tell you things a Village Realtor will not. Don't be sold on a well-fabricated sales pitch. Do your own research.

Last of all, be careful when watching overly cheerful YouTubers who talk about the Villages. They are making those videos to earn money. (even though they say differently) Take what they say with a grain of salt. Not everything is wonderful, cheery, and bright in the Villages. It is a place just like all others that just happens to have an elderly population. Do your own research! Don't be sold on the plentiful hype around here.